Tony Nixon scored 14 points to help Northern Illinois upset Eastern Michigan 55-52 in the first round of the Mid-American Conference tournament Monday night.
Aksel Bolin added 13 points and Marquavese Ford had seven assists for the 12th-seeded Huskies (5-25), who will face No. 8 Western Michigan in the second round Wednesday night in Cleveland.
Darrell Lampley and Jamell Harris scored 13 points apiece for the fifth-seeded Eagles (14-18), who won the MAC West title but shot only 34 percent. Darrell Thompson scored 12, all on 3-pointers.
It took Eastern Michigan 18:34 to crack double figures, trailing 15-10 with 1:26 left in the first half. But the Eagles used a 12-1 spurt to edge ahead 31-29 with 11:39 to go.
The Huskies replied with a basket by Kevin Gray and a 3-pointer by Christian Antone and never trailed again, though the Eagles drew within one point twice.
