DEKALB, Ill. – For the first time in two weeks, the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team will be back on the road at the Huskies travel to Muncie, Ind., to meet Ball State on Tuesday night, Feb. 20, at 6 p.m. CT. 

NIU (12-15, 5-9) will look to take momentum from its 75-67 victory over Western Michigan on Saturday (Feb. 17). Sophomore Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) scored a career-high 31 points against the Broncos, his 15th 20-plus point game of the season. 

German is now averaging 20.5 points per game to lead the Mid-American Conference and rank 35th nationally, he also ranks ninth in the country among underclassmen. 

Junior Levi Bradley (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) scored 21 points in the victory over Western Michigan, his seventh 20-plus point effort of the season. Bradley went a perfect 9-of-9 from the free-throw line and has made 17 consecutive free throw attempts dating back to Feb. 3. 

NIU shot 61.5 percent (16-of-26) from the field in the second half against Western Michigan continuing a recent trend of outstanding offensive in the second half of games. Over the last eight contests, NIU is averaging 44.9 points per game in the second half, shooting 58.3 percent (133-of-228), including 43.7 percent (31-of-71) from three and 77.5 percent (62-of-80) from the free-throw line.

Ball State has an 18-9 overall record, including a 9-5 mark in MAC play. The Cardinals are 13-1 at home this season and defeated Toledo, 99-71, in Muncie on Saturday (Feb. 17). Four players score in double figures for Ball State, led by 14.8 points per game from Tayler Persons. Tahjai Teague adds 11.4 points per game, Trey Moses is scoring 11.1 points per contest and Kyle Mallers chips in 10.1 points per game. 

In conference play, Ball State leads the MAC in rebounding, pulling down 39.1 boards per game, the Cardinals also have a +2.4 rebounding margin in league play, second-best in the conference.

Tuesday's matchup will be the first of two meetings in 10 days between the Huskies and Cardinals as Ball State will come to DeKalb for the regular season finale on March 2. 

Following its trip to Muncie, NIU will be back on the road on Saturday, Feb. 24, as the Huskies travel to Eastern Michigan for the final road game of the regular season. NIU will return home on Tuesday, Feb. 27, when the Huskies host Toledo 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.