DEKALB, Ill. – After four consecutive games away from home, the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team returns to the NIU Convocation Center on Wednesday night, December 5, as the Huskies host UC Davis. Tipoff against the Aggies is scheduled for 7 p.m.
At halftime of Wednesday night's game, the NIU football team will be honored for winning the Mid-American Conference Championship Game last Friday and after the game fans can have a holiday photo taken on the Convocation Center court.
NIU (4-3) returns to action following a week-long break since dropping a two-point contest at Green Bay (Nov. 28), 85-83. Junior
Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) scored a career-high 33 points against the Phoenix, his fourth 30-point game of his career and second this season.
The Huskies shot 56.1 percent from the field against Green Bay, continuing their strong offensive start to the year. Over the last three games, the Huskies are shooting 57.6 percent (102-of-177) from the field, including 46.2 percent (24-of-52) from three-point range. For the season, NIU is shooting 52.4 percent from the field, which ranks sixth-best in the country behind only: Gonzaga (54.2), Georgia Southern (52.9), Indiana (52.9), Montana (52.5) and Creighton (52.5).
Senior
Levi Bradley (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) made his first two shots against Green Bay which, along with his last shot against James Madison (Nov. 24) and his 13-of-13 performance against Oakland (Nov. 25), gave him 16 consecutive made field goals setting a new school record and breaking the previous mark of 14 set by Jerry Zielinski during the 1971-72 season and tied by Leonard Hayes in the 1980-81 campaign.
The defending regular season champions in the Big West Conference, UC Davis comes to DeKalb with a 2-4 overall record following a 73-57 victory over Northern Arizona last time out (Nov. 29). The Aggies have a pair of players scoring in double figures as T.J. Shorts II leads UC Davis at 12.9 points, and 5.0 rebounds, per game while Siler Schneider is adding 10.4 points per contest.
UC Davis was picked to finish third in the Big West Preseason Poll under eighth year head coach Jim Les, who joined the Aggies following nine seasons as head coach at Bradley.
Wednesday's contest will be the first all-time meeting between the Huskies and Aggies.
Following Wednesday's home game, NIU will return to the road on Saturday, December 8 as the Huskies visit Butler. Game time against the Bulldogs is slated for 3:30 p.m. CT and will be televised on Fox Sports 1.
