DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team returns to the State of Ohio for the second time this week as the Huskies travel to Oxford to meet Miami on Saturday afternoon, January 9. Tipoff against the RedHawks is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT and the contest will be available on ESPN+.

NIU opened the week at Ohio (Jan. 5), where a second half comeback came up just short as the Huskies fell, 76-73. Junior Zool Kueth (Gallatin, Tenn./Pratt CC) scored a career-best 22 points, which included 6-of-9 from three-point range, and grabbed a career-high seven rebounds. 

The Huskies trailed by 11 at the intermission but shot 57.1 percent (16-of-28) from the field in the second half, including 63.6 percent (7-of-11) from three-point range, while nearly completing the comeback. 

Junior Anthony Crump (Inkster, Mich./Middle Tennessee State) scored a career-high 13 points while tying his career-best with nine rebounds. Junior Darius Beane (Carbondale, Ill./Southern Illinois) scored 16 points, his team-best seventh game in double figures this season. 

Miami comes into Saturday's contest with a 3-3 overall record, including a 0-1 mark in league play. The RedHawks, who are returning from a pause, will be playing their first game since a narrow, 69-68 setback at Bradley on Dec. 19. Isaiah-Coleman lands leads Miami in scoring at 11.7 points per game. Mekhi Lairy adds 11.2 points per contest while Dalonte Brown is also scoring in double figures at 10.7 points per game and leads the RedHawks in rebounds with 7.7 boards per contest.

NIU will return home on Tuesday, January 12, when the Huskies host Akron. Although fans are unable to attend NIU basketball games this season, you can still make your presence felt in the NIU Convocation Center by purchasing a cutout as part of the "Huskie Howl" presented by First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO). For just $60, fans can put their image on a cutout that will remain in place in the NIU Convocation Center for all NIU men's and women's basketball games during the 2020-21 season. Net proceeds from all fan cutouts will benefit the Huskie Athletic Fund.