Ohio 67, N. Illinois 58

Walter Offutt scored 19 points and Ohio started the second half on a 12-1 run in a 67-58 victory over Northern Illinois on Wednesday night. Reggie Keely added 13 points and Nick Kellogg 12 for the Bobcats (18-4, 6-2 Mid-American), who won their fifth in a row. Jon Smith had eight rebounds and Ivo Baltic six assists. Antone Christian's 15 points led the Huskies (2-18, 1-7), who dropped their fifth straight game. Abdel Nader added 12 for his 11th game in double figures as a freshman. Ohio led 27-26 at the break before Kellogg hit back-to-back 3-pointers to start the Bobcats' game-turning run. Ricardo Johnson, Stevie Taylor and Keely added baskets, while all the Huskies could manage was a free throw by Nader, as Ohio took a 39-27 edge. Ohio's lead topped out at 58-38 on two free throws by Keely with 6:11 left.