DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team will begin the final week of the regular season at home on Tuesday night, Feb. 27, as the Huskies host Toledo. Game time against the Rockets is slated for 7 p.m., and will be available on ESPN3. 

Tuesday night is Student Organization Appreciation Night and is the final "Taco Tuesday" of the season, with $5 Walking Tacos or $10 Walking Taco & Margarita available. 

Sophomore Noah McCarty (Rock Falls, Ill./Sterling Newman) scored a career-high 11 points last time out against Eastern Michigan (Feb. 24). The Rock Falls, Ill., native went 4-of-7 from the field against the Eagles and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line as he topped his previous career-high of 10 points set at Bowling Green earlier this season (Jan. 9). 

Fellow sophomore Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) scored 16 points against the Eagles as he continues his streak of scoring in double figures in all 29 games this season. German leads the MAC in scoring averaging 20.5 points per game. German's mark ranks 37th in the country.

The Rockets come to DeKalb with a 20-9 overall record, including a 12-4 mark in the league to pace the Mid-American Conference West Division by two games over Ball State. Tre'Shaun Fletcher leads four Rockets scoring in double figures at 19.0 points per game, Fletcher also leads Toledo in rebounding, averaging 8.2 boards per contest. Jaelan Sanford (16.7), Nate Navigato (12.4) and Luke Knapke (10.9) also score in double figures for Toledo. 

Toledo leads the MAC in three-point shooting as the Rockets connect on 40.5 percent of their three-point attempts as a team.

The first matchup this season between the Huskies and Rockets was a dramatic back-and-forth game where NIU erased a 13-point first half deficit to lead by as much as five in the second half. The two teams were tied with less than 80 seconds to play when Toledo closed with a 7-2 run to earn an 82-77 victory. 

NIU will close the regular season on Friday, March 2, when the Huskies host Ball State at 7 p.m. Tickets for Tuesday and Friday night 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.