DEKALB, Ill. -- After two-straight road games in the State of Ohio, the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team will return home on Saturday, Jan. 13, as the Huskies host Eastern Michigan. Game time against the Eagles is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., and the game will be available on ESPN3. 

Saturday's contest is Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day, all NIU Faculty and Staff can receive two free tickets by showing their OneCard at the Convocation Center Box Office. Just for Kix of DeKalb will be performing at halftime and tickets are on sale now through the NIU Athletics Ticket Office in the Convocation Center, by calling 815-753-PACK (7225) or online at NIUHuskies.com. Reserved lower bowl seats are just $10 while general admission is available for $8.

NIU (8-8, 1-2 MAC) is coming off a nine-point road loss at Bowling Green on Tuesday (Jan. 9) which saw the Huskies rally from down 17 to within one late in the contest. Sophomore Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) scored 17 of his game-high 19 points in the second half to help fuel the Huskie comeback attempt. German currently leads the MAC in scoring at 19.5 points per game. 

Sophomore Noah McCarty (Rock Falls, Ill./Sterling Newman) scored a career-high 10 points against the Falcons while also tying a career-high with six rebounds. McCarty is tied for fifth in the MAC in offensive rebounds during conference play, bringing down 2.7 per game. 

The Eagles bring a 10-6 overall record to DeKalb, including a 1-2 mark in league play. Eastern Michigan is coming off a 79-74 victory over Central Michigan on Tuesday night. Four players are scoring in double figures for the Eagles, led by 17.5 points per game from Elijah Minnie. As a team, Eastern Michigan leads the MAC in field goal percentage (47.2 percent), blocks (5.8 per game) and steals (9.7 per game).

Saturday's matchup with the Eagles will be NIU's first against a MAC West foe this season. The Huskies open with six of their first seven conference games against Eastern Division opponents before closing with nine of 11 against the MAC West. 

Following Saturday's home game, NIU will return to the road for the next two as they travel to Buffalo on Tuesday, Jan. 16, and Akron on Saturday, Jan. 20. The Huskies will return home to the NIU Convocation Center on Tuesday, Jan. 23, when they host Bowling Green.