DEKALB, Ill. -- The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team will play its final home game in November as the Huskies wrap-up their three-game, season opening homestand on Saturday afternoon, November 17, as they welcome Illinois Tech to the NIU Convocation Center. Tipoff against the Scarlet Hawks is scheduled for 2 p.m. 

The NIU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will be hosting a canned food drive for the Salvation Army at Saturday's contest, any fan bringing a canned food item to the box office can receive free admission. Fans can also bring their ticket stub from Wednesday's football game to the box office on Saturday to receive $5 tickets. 

NIU (1-1) is coming off a dramatic, double overtime setback against Northern Kentucky last Friday (Nov. 9). Senior Levi Bradley (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) scored a team-high 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to record his second consecutive double-double to start the season. Against the Norse, Bradley became the 31st player in NIU history to reach 1,000 points, and currently ranks 30th with 1,010. The Milwaukee, Wis., native also played in his 100th consecutive game against Northern Kentucky. 

Senior Lacey James (Grand Rapids, Mich./Rider) also registered a double-double against Northern Kentucky with 12 points and 12 rebounds while senior Dante Thorpe (Washington, D.C./Triton College) scored a career-best 24 points. 

Illinois Tech opened its 2018-19 season on Monday night, Nov. 12, against Trine College, falling 76-67. The Scarlet Hawks posted a 19-8 record a season ago and was picked to finish fourth in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference preseason poll. Anthony Mosley Jr., led Illinois Tech in scoring a season ago at 14.5 points per game. Jake Digiorgio and Malik Howze each averaged 13.7 points while Max Hisatake added 12.2 points per game in 2017-18.

This will be the second all-time meeting between NIU and Illinois Tech, the Huskies won the only previous meeting, 93-48, on December 17, 1997. Four players scored in double figures in that contest for NIU, led by 21 points and 10 rebounds from T.J. Lux. 

Following Saturday's contest, the Huskies will be on the road for their next four games, beginning with three at the Men Against Breast Cancer Oakland Hoops Challenge in Rochester, Mich. NIU will meet Oral Roberts on Friday, November 23, James Madison on Saturday, November 24 and host Oakland University on Sunday, November 24.