DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team will host the top team in the Mid-American Conference, Buffalo, on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m., in the second game of a doubleheader at the NIU Convocation Center. In the first game of the doubleheader, the NIU women's basketball team will host Bowling Green at 1 p.m.

Saturday's doubleheader will be Military & Local Hero Appreciation Day. 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. Reserved lower bowl seats are just $10 while general admission is available for $8.

NIU (10-14, 3-8 MAC) is coming off an 82-77 setback on Tuesday night at MAC West leading Toledo. Sophomore Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) scored a career-high 30 points against the Rockets, while also pulling down seven rebounds and dishing out four assists. Junior Levi Bradley (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) added 24 points, going 10-of-15 from the field against Toledo. 

German's 30 points allowed him to retake the MAC scoring lead as he is averaging 19.7 points per game, which also ranks 52nd nationally. His 30-point effort is the most scored by a Huskie in a game since Xavier Silas netted 34 on Feb. 12, 2011, against Kent State. 

Sophomore Noah McCarty (Rock Falls, Ill./Sterling Newman) added seven points and a career-best seven rebounds on Tuesday at Toledo. McCarty is tied for 12th in league play with 1.8 offensive rebounds per game. 

The Bulls come to DeKalb with an 18-6 overall record, including a league-best 10-1 mark in Mid-American Conference play. Buffalo has four players scoring in double figures, led by 18.1 points per game from CJ Massinburg, who also leads the Bulls with 7.5 rebounds per contest. Nick Perkins is averaging 16.2 points per game while Wes Clark and Jeremy Harris each add 14.2 points per contest.

Buffalo currently leads the MAC in scoring, averaging 83.5 points per game and is also the top rebounding team in the league, pulling down 38.4 boards per contest.

Saturday's contest is the first of three-straight at home for the Huskies. NIU will be back in action on Tuesday night, Feb. 13, when the Huskies host Central Michigan at 7 p.m.