DEKALB, Ill. – For just the second time since 1993, the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team will host a ranked opponent when No. 14 Buffalo visits the NIU Convocation Center on Tuesday night, January 22. Tip-off between the Huskies and Bulls is slated for 7 p.m., and will be available on ESPN+. Tickets are available from the NIU Convocation Center Box Office, by calling 815-753-PACK (7225) or by visiting NIUHuskies.com/tickets.

Tuesday's contest will "Welcome Back Students Night" with free pizza given to students while supplies last. Students can also enter a raffle to win NBA jerseys. 

NIU (10-8, 3-2 MAC) is back home following a 78-68 setback on Saturday (Jan. 19) at Kent State. The Huskies led the Golden Flashes by a pair at halftime but Kent State shot 59.3 percent (16-of-27) in the second half to earn the victory. 

Senior Lacey James (Grand Rapids, Mich./Rider) posted his fourth double-double of the season, and fifth of his career, last time out against Kent State. James is grabbing 7.3 rebounds per game, tied for 10th-best in the Mid-American Conference, and 7.8 per game in conference play, tied for eighth best in the league. 

The Huskies enter Tuesday's contest ranked 14th in the country in field goal percentage, shooting 49.9 percent from the field as a team. Senior Dante Thorpe (Washington, D.C./Triton College) leads the way shooting 53.3 percent, which ranks 74th nationally and 12th among guards in the country. 

Junior Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) leads NIU, and the MAC, in scoring at 20.7 points per game, 30th-best in the country. German has scored in double figures in 50 consecutive games and 63 times in his 79 career games played. 

Buffalo brings a 17-1 record, including a 5-0 mark in conference play, to DeKalb as the lone blemish for the Bulls came at Marquette on December 21. C.J. Massinburg leads the way offensively for the Bulls at 17.8 points per game. Buffalo ranks sixth in the nation in assist-turnover ratio at 1.56 and eighth in turnover margin at +4.8. 

The Bulls are the ninth nationally-ranked team to visit DeKalb all-time and the first since 18th-ranked Temple defeated the Huskies, 70-60, on December 30, 2009, the only time a nationally-ranked foe has played in the NIU Convocation Center. Buffalo is the highest-ranked team to come to NIU since eighth-ranked DePaul on December 30, 1981. 

Following Tuesday's contest, the Huskies will head back to the State of Ohio as they visit Akron on Saturday, January 26. Tip against the Zips is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT on ESPN+.