DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team returns to action on Friday night, November 9, as the Huskies host defending Horizon League regular season champion Northern Kentucky. Tipoff between the Huskies and Norse is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Huskie fans can bring their ticket stub from Wednesday night's football game against Toledo to receive a $5 ticket to the game against the Norse, redeemable on game night at the NIU Convocation Center Box Office.

NIU opened the season with a 93-54 victory over Rockford University on Tuesday night (Nov. 6), senior Lacey James (Grand Rapids, Mich./Rider) led the Huskies with a career-high 17 points. Senior Jaylen Key (Milwaukee, Wis./Homestead) scored 15 points in his first game back after missing the 2017-18 season due to injury while senior Levi Bradley (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) recorded his eighth career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. 

Junior college transfer Alize Travis (Victorville, Calif./Pima Community College) and freshman Austin Richie (Glenwood, Ill./Don Bosco Institute) each made their NIU debut against the Regents on Tuesday night. Travis scored five points and added six assists while Richie scored eight points, recorded three steals and grabbed a pair of rebounds. 

NIU shot 61.7 percent (37-of-60) from the field in the victory over Rockford, the highest field goal percentage for the Huskies during Mark Montgomery's tenure at NIU, bettering the previous high of 61.3 percent set last season against Bowling Green (Jan. 13, 2018). 

Northern Kentucky earned a 102-38 victory over Wilmington College in its season opener on Tuesday night. Jalen Tate scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds to pace the Norse. Northern Kentucky posted a 22-10 overall record a season ago, including a 15-3 mark in conference play to win the Horizon League crown. Drew McDonald was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year in the Horizon League as the Norse were picked to finish second in the conference. 

Friday's contest will be the first all-time meeting between the Huskies and the Norse, and the first of two times the school's will meet this season as NIU returns to Northern Kentucky on December 20. The matchup with NKU will also be the first of four games against the Horizon League this season for the Huskies.

Following Friday's game, NIU will return to action next Saturday, November 17, when it closes a season-opening three-game homestand against Illinois Tech. Game time against the Scarlet Hawks is scheduled for 2 p.m.