DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team continues its road-heavy start to Mid-American Conference play on Saturday, Jan. 20, as the Huskies travel to Akron, Ohio, to meet the Zips. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN3. 

NIU (9-9, 2-3 MAC) will be looking for just its third win in 18 all-time tries at Akron on Saturday afternoon; NIU's last win on the road against the Zips came in 2008. 

The Huskies are coming off a 95-67 road setback at Buffalo on Tuesday night (Jan. 16). NIU trailed by just three at halftime but was unable to keep pace with the Bulls in the second half as they scored 59 points after the intermission. 

Sophomore Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) scored a team-high 17 points against the Bulls as he continued to lead the conference in scoring at 19.7 points per game, which also ranks 44th in the nation and 13th among underclassmen.

Fellow sophomore Noah McCarty (Rock Falls, Ill./Sterling Newman) scored six points and grabbed five rebounds against the Bulls. McCarty is averaging 5.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game over the last three contests and is tied for seventh in league play with 2.4 offensive rebounds per game. 

The Zips have an 8-9 overall record, including a 1-4 mark in Mid-American Conference play. Akron is 8-1 at home this season with its lone loss coming to MAC leading Buffalo (Jan. 9). Three players are scoring in double figures for Akron, led by 15.5 points per game from Daniel Utomi, who also leads the Zips with 6.1 rebounds per game. Malcolm Duvivier (13.9 ppg) and Jimond Ivey (12.8 ppg) also score in double figures for Akron.

John Groce is in his first season as head coach at Akron following five seasons as the head coach at Illinois. Groce was the head coach at Ohio for four seasons from 2008-12, leading the Bobcats to the Sweet 16 in 2012.

NIU will return home on Tuesday night, Jan. 23, as the Huskies host Bowling Green at 7 p.m. 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.