DEKALB, Ill. (AP) -- Aaric Armstead scored 21 points, went 4 for 4 at the foul line and Northern Illinois defeated Eastern Michigan 81-69 on Saturday to gain a half-step in the Mid-American Conference West Division race.
Marin Maric and Levi Bradley each chipped in 14 points for Northern Illinois (14-9, 6-4), which entered the game in a divisional tie with Eastern Michigan.
In an otherwise evenly matched contest, Northern Illinois doubled Eastern Michigan at the free-throw line, converting 24 of 29 while the Eagles were 12 of 20. The Huskies made 11 steals, four by Laytwan Porter, while Eastern Michigan was forced into 14 turnovers.
The Huskies led 40-33 at halftime and never trailed in the final period. Eastern Michigan came as close as 46-40 on a Willie Mangum IV 3-pointer, but Armstead stole the ball from Mangum and Bradley scored as the lead grew to as many as 19 points.
Mangum led Eastern Michigan (13-10, 5-5) with 17 points.
