Tuesday, January 22, 2019 08:00 PM (ET)

Layup lifts Northern Illinois to upset of No. 14 Buffalo

Field Level Media
Jan 22, 2019

This was a moment that Northern Illinois hadn't seen in 47 years.

Reserve Noah McCarty was an unlikely hero, hitting the game-winning layup with 0.6 seconds remaining to give Northern Illinois a 77-75 upset win over No. 14 Buffalo in a Mid-American Conference game on Tuesday in DeKalb, Ill.

It was only the second time in program history the Huskies defeated a ranked team at home, with the only other time in 1972 against Indiana.

Northern Illinois (11-8, 4-2 MAC) led 73-66 with 1:26 left. However, Buffalo (17-2, 5-1) rallied and tied the score with six seconds remaining on a deep 3-pointer by senior guard CJ Massinburg.

Following a timeout, Trendon Hankerson fed a pass to McCarty, who converted the chance to give the Huskies a program-defining win.

Senior guard Dante Thorpe scored 23 points, and junior guard Eugene German had 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead Northern Illinois.

Massinburg had 23 points and seven rebounds, and senior guard Jeremy Harris had 15 points and eight rebounds for Buffalo.

All seemed right with Buffalo early on, as the Bulls jumped out to an 18-10 lead with 11:26 remaining in the first half.

But Northern Illinois took control from there, taking a 29-28 lead with 3:34 remaining in the first half and a 38-32 lead at halftime after going on a 7-1 run over the final 2:29 of the first half.

Northern Illinois didn't have a setback to start the second half, taking a 48-38 lead with 15:58 left before Buffalo made a move.

The Bulls responded with a 10-2 run to cut the Northern Illinois lead to 50-48 with 13:13 remaining.

Buffalo then took a 56-52 edge with 10:28 left, but Northern Illinois went on a 15-6 run to lead 67-62 with 3:25 remaining.

--Field Level Media

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