DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team will begin the final week of the regular season on the road at Central Michigan on Tuesday, March 5. Tip-off between the Huskies and Chippewas is slated for 6 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN+.

NIU (13-16, 6-10 MAC) closed its home slate this past Saturday (March 2) with a 75-69 setback against Eastern Michigan. Senior Levi Bradley (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) set a new school record against the Eagles as he played in his 127th career game, breaking the previous mark of 126 set by Travon Baker (2012-16). 

Junior Noah McCarty (Rock Falls, Ill./Sterling Newman) scored eight points, grabbed six rebounds and recorded five blocks against Eastern Michigan. McCarty's five blocked shot were the most by a Huskie since Marin Maric recorded six on Feb. 27, 2016 against Western Michigan. McCarty is also averaging 10.0 points per game over the last two contests.

Junior Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) scored a game-high 22 points against the Eagles, German ranks second in the MAC, and 47th nationally, in scoring at 19.8 points per game. 

As a team, NIU is shooting 72.1 percent from the free-throw line, second-best in the MAC and the fifth-best single-season in school history. In conference play, NIU is shooting a league-high 75.6 percent from the charity stripe.  

The Chippewas have a 20-9 overall record, including a 9-7 mark in conference play and a 12-3 home record, but are coming off an 80-68 home setback against Toledo last time out. Central Michigan has five players scoring in double figures, led by 16.9 points per game from Larry Austin. Shawn Roundtree adds 16.2 points per contest, Kevin McKay chips in 11.7 points per game, along with a team-best 7.8 rebounds per contest. David DiLeo is scoring 11.4 points per game and Rob Montgomery is contributing 11.0 points per contest. 

CMU leads the MAC in steals, averaging 7.8 per contest. The Chippewas also rank second in both three-point percentage (36.6 percent) and three-point percentage defense (30.0 percent).

NIU will close the regular season on Friday, March 8, when the Huskies visit Ball State. Game time against the Cardinals is slated for 6 p.m. CT.