DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team will begin the 2021-22 regular season on Tuesday night, Nov. 9, as the Huskies travel west to face Washington in Seattle. Game time against the Huskies is scheduled for 9 p.m. CT and will be available on Pac-12 Network Washington, which is available online with a cable or satellite subscription to the Pac-12 Network.
Tuesday's matchup will officially begin the
Rashon Burno era as the first year NIU head coach leads the Huskies to the Pacific Northwest for the regular season opener. Burno is no stranger to trips to Seattle, having made four trips to Alaska Airlines Arena during his six seasons at Arizona State. The Sun Devils went 2-2 in those contests, including an 87-83 Sun Devil victory in his last visit on Feb. 1, 2020.
In NIU's exhibition opener against St. Francis (Ill.), three Huskies scored in double figures, led by 15 points off the bench from
Kaleb Thornton (Bolingbrook, Ill./Iowa Western CC), who was 6-of-8 from the field, and 3-of-4 from the line, as the Huskies topped the Fighting Saints, 80-57.
Keshawn Williams (Chicago Heights, Ill./Tulsa) added 14 points and
Trendon Hankerson (Novi, Mich./Novi) chipped in 10 in the victory.
The season-opening contest is the second all-time meeting between the NIU Huskies and the Washington Huskies. Washington won the first meeting, 67-57, on Dec. 22, 2012, in Seattle behind 22 points form C.J. Wilcox.
Chris Osten (Crowley, La./Arizona State) played against Washington twice last season while at Arizona State and recorded a career-high eight rebounds against the Huskies on Feb. 23, 2021, Osten also scored eight points in that contest.
Washington is coming off a 5-21 record in 2020-21, including a 4-16 mark in Pac-12 Conference play. Terrell Brown Jr. led Washington with 17 points in its lone exhibition game, an 83-50 victory over Central Washington on Nov. 4.
Following Tuesday's trip to Seattle, the Huskies will travel to Bloomington, Ind., to face the Indiana Hoosiers on Friday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. CT.
Season tickets for the 2021-22 basketball season are on sale now beginning at just $80 for Huskieland general admission tickets in sections 115-118 (minimum of four tickets required to purchase). Reserved season tickets for Huskie men's basketball are available for $120. Season tickets can be purchased online at NIUHuskies.com/MyHuskies or by calling the NIU Athletics Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225). Courtside and Nelson Club premium ticket options are also available through the Huskie Athletic Fund or by calling, 815-753-1923. NIU will host Eastern Illinois in its regular season home opener on Wednesday, Dec. 1.
