DEKALB, Ill. -- The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team will return home on Thursday night, Dec. 21, as the Huskies host UIC in their final game before the Christmas holiday. Game time between the Huskies and Flames is scheduled for 7 p.m., and will be available on ESPN3. 

Thursday night in NIU Camper Reunion Night, any NIU Athletics summer campers wearing their 2017 camp T-shirt will receive free admission. 

A Huskie Holiday ticket special is also available where fans can purchase a ticket Thursday's game and receive a free ticket for NIU's conference opener against Kent State on Jan. 2, this buy one, get one free offer is not available on game night. 

NIU returned to action following a nine-day break for finals with a 79-70 setback at Marquette on Monday night (Dec. 18). The Huskies and Golden Eagles traded leads nine times, and were tied eight times, until a Marquette run midway through the second half helped the Golden Eagles pull ahead for the nine-point victory. 

Huskie sophomore Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) scored a team-high 26 points at Marquette and is now the leading scorer in the Mid-American Conference at 20.5 points per game. German, who has scored in double figures in all 11 games this season, has reached the 20-point plateau in four of the last five games. 

After missing the Central Connecticut State game due to injury, junior Dante Thorpe (Washington, D.C./Triton College) returned to action at Marquette and scored 14 points. Thorpe is currently averaging 11.4 points per game and ranks fourth in the MAC shooting 60.5 percent from the field. 

UIC comes to DeKalb with a 4-7 overall record after dropping a 71-70 decision on Tuesday night (Dec. 19) at Illinois State. Dikembe Dixson leads three Flames scoring in double figures at 13.7 points per game, Marcus Ottey adds 11.9 points per contest and Doninique Matthews is chipping in 10.7 points per game. Ottey scored a game-high 23 against Illinois State. 

The Flames are averaging 7.3 blocked shots per game, which leads the Horizon League and ranks fourth nationally. Tai Odiase leads UIC individually with 3.27 blocks per contest, third-best in the country.

Following Thursday's contest, NIU will close the non-conference portion of its scheduled when it travels to Iowa on Friday, Dec. 29.