Feb. 25, 2003

Box Score

OXFORD, Ohio (AP) - Chet Mason and Gene Seals led a closing 18-7 run that rallied Miami University to a 59-56 victory Tuesday night over Northern Illinois.

Mason and Seals each scored seven points as Miami (13-11, 11-4 Mid-American) overcame an eight-point deficit in the final six minutes. Seals' layup put Miami ahead to stay 51-50 with 1:57 left.

The RedHawks made all of their six free throws in the final minute, sending Northern Illinois (14-11, 10-5) to its first conference loss on the road this season.

P.J. Smith led Northern with 20 points, but missed a 3-point attempt to tie it with 6 seconds left. Teammate Al Sewasciuk got the rebound and missed another 3-point shot just before the buzzer.

Mason led Miami with 16 points and nine rebounds. Seals started in place of suspended Danny Horace and scored 10 points.

Horace, a sophomore forward, drew a two-game suspension for throwing a punch at Buffalo's B.J. Walker during Miami's 63-35 win on Saturday.

Miami led by as many as 10 points in the first half, but Sewasciuk hit a pair of 3-pointers during a 10-2 spurt that opened the second half. Mike Morrison's layup put Northern up 49-41 with 6:17 left, its biggest lead of the game.

Mason and Seals each hit a 3-pointer during Miami's closing run.