DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team will begin Mid-American Conference play this weekend as the Huskies face Buffalo and Binghamton. NIU will meet the Bulls on Saturday, March 18, and the Bearcats on Sunday, March 19, both matches will take place in Binghamton. 

NIU comes into the weekend with an 11-6 overall record. The Huskies have not played since March 8, when they traveled to Milwaukee and suffered a 6-1 setback against Marquette. 

Freshman Bor Schweiger Muzar (Crnomelj, Slovenia/Gimnm) has 21 overall singles victories to lead the Huskies, including a 9-2 mark in dual matches. Junior Tom Hjertonsson (Gothenburg, Sweden/Akademi Båstad Gymnasium) also has nine dual match wins to tie for the team lead. On the doubles court, junior Georg Lundkvist (Linkoping, Sweden/Lindkopings Kommun) and senior Eric Marbach (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley/University of Denver) have combined for 18 total victories, including eight in dual matches. 

Buffalo has a 5-4 record entering play this weekend. The Bulls will be taking the court for the first time since March 5 when they dropped a 6-1 decision at Princeton. Ethan Nittolo leads Buffalo with 16 total singles victories, Hao Sheng Koay is just behind with 15. Last season, Buffalo finished with an 11-8 overall record and advanced to the semifinals of the MAC Tournament. 

Binghamton comes into the weekend with a 4-8 overall record, but have played just one home match this season, a 6-1 victory over Drexel (Feb. 10). The Bearcats have not played since a 5-2 loss at Richmond on March 5, but will meet Buffalo this weekend before hosting the Huskies. Binghamton had a 13-9 record a season ago and fell to eventual conference champion Western Michigan in the MAC Semifinals. 

Following this weekend's matches, the Huskies will continue on the road when they travel to Ball State on Saturday, April 1.