MAC Tournament First Round
NIU (20-11, 9-9 MAC) vs. Western Michigan (13-18, 7-11 MAC)
Date / Time: Monday, March 7, 2016 • 7 p.m. CT
Site: NIU Convocation Center • DeKalb, Ill.
TV: ESPN3
Radio: WLBK 1360-AM, 98.9-FM (DeKalb) • TuneIn
Live Stats: NIUHuskies.com
Twitter Updates: @NIUscores
All-time Series: Western Michigan leads 57-31
Last Meeting: Feb. 27, 2016 • NIU 76-67

Game Notes in PDF 

HUSKIE QUICK HITS
• NIU is seeded seventh in the Mid-American Conference Tournament and is playing just its second home game since 2003. NIU is 10-20 all-time in the MAC Tournament.
• NIU’s 20 wins are tied for the third-most in a single-season in school history. The Huskies won a school-record 25 in 1990-91, 21 in 1971-72 and 20 in 1995-96.
• NIU tied a school record with 14 three-pointers as the Huskies closed the regular season with an 80-69 victory over Ball State, NIU previously made 14 triples in a game on Feb. 27, 1988 against Chicago State.
• With 178 career steals, Travon Baker is the NIU career steals leader, Baker has recorded 352 career assists to rank third in NIU history, just one behind Ronald Minter for second.
• The Huskies and Broncos have met four times in the MAC Tournament, splitting those meetings, 2-2.
• For the season, the Huskies have knocked down 218 three-pointers, the second-most in a single-season in school history.
• The NIU freshmen class of Marshawn Wilson, Jaylen Key, Austin Pauga, Laytwan Porter and Levi Bradley have combined to score 38.8 percent of NIU’s total points this season.
• NIU is 17-1 at home this season and 32-6 at home since Feb. 12, 2014.
• NIU’s 29.5 bench points per game is 15th-best in the country.
• Travon Baker has not missed a game in his NIU career, appearing in 123-straight, including 98 career starts.

ABOUT WESTERN MICHIGAN
• The No. 10 seed Broncos come into the Mid-American Conference Tournament with a 13-18 overall record, 7-11 in league play. Western Michigan and NIU split the season series this year, with each team winning on its home court.
• Western Michigan comes into Monday’s contest off a 91-82 victory at Central Michigan in the regular season finale.
• Thomas Wilder leads the Broncos in scoring at 18.6 points per game, second-best in the MAC, while Tucker Haymond also scores in double figures at 15.9 points per game, eighth-best in the conference.
• In his 13th season as head coach at Western Michigan, Steve Hawkins is the longest tenured head coach in the MAC.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE BRONCOS
• Western Michigan leads the all-time series against NIU, 57-31, but the Huskies hold a narrow 20-18 advantage at home against the Broncos.
• NIU and Western Michigan split the season series this year, with both teams winning at home. Overall, the home team has won the last four games in the series.
• The Huskies and Broncos have met four times in the MAC Tournament, splitting those meetings, 2-2. Western Michigan has won the two most recent meetings, including a 71-54 victory on March 7, 2012, in the second round in Cleveland.
• Tony Nixon led NIU with 11 points in that contest, Antone Christian added 10 for the Huskies. Mike Douglas led Western Michigan with 19 points.

A LOOK BACK AT BALL STATE
• NIU tied a school record with 14 three-pointers as the Huskies closed the regular season with an 80-69 victory over Ball State. Aaric Armstead led five Huskies in double figures with 14 points.
• NIU previously made 14 triples in a game on Feb. 27, 1988 against Chicago State.
• The Huskies shot a season-best 58.3 percent (14-of-24) from three-point range, the best mark in a game since Jan. 9, 2013 when NIU shot 69.2 percent (9-of-13) at Miami.
• Levi Bradley (13), Chuks Iroegbu (12), Travon Baker (11) and Marshawn Wilson (11) joined Armstead in double figures, it was the first time five Huskies had scored in double figures since Dec. 22, 2015 against Roosevelt.
• NIU made a season-low six free throws on just 14 free throw attempts.
• The Huskies played without Marin Maric who missed the game due to an ankle injury.
• The NIU bench outscored the Ball State reserves, 24-3.

HUSKIES IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT
• NIU is seeded seventh in the Mid-American Conference Tournament and is playing just its second home game since 2003. The Huskies also played a home game in 2014, defeating Bowling Green, 54-51 in overtime, to advance to Cleveland.
• NIU is 10-20 all-time in the MAC Tournament. The Huskies have won the tournament once (1982), appeared in the championship game twice (1981 and ’82) and reached the semifinals four times (1980. ‘81, ’82 and 2003).
• Since returning to the MAC for the 1997-98 season, NIU is 4-16 in the conference tournament. Under Mark Montgomery, the Huskies are 2-4 in conference tournament play.
• Prior to Montgomery’s arrival for the 2011-12 season, NIU had lost nine consecutive MAC Tournament games.