DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team will be back in action on Saturday, February 13, when the Huskies travel to Kent State to meet the Golden Flashes. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN3.

NIU will be taking to the floor for the first time since January 16 at Ball State, the Huskies have had seven games postponed during their pause. 

The Huskie offense had begun to find success from long-range over the last four games before the pause as NIU shot 41.3 percent from beyond the arc during that stretch. Junior Zool Kueth (Gallatin, Tenn./Pratt CC) has shot 55 percent (11-of-20) from three-point range over those four games while junior Trendon Hankerson (Novi, Mich./Novi) is shooting 38.5 percent (10-of-26) from three.  

Kueth scored a team-high 15 points last time out at Ball State and ranks sixth in the Mid-American Conference in three-point shooting during league play at 45.8 percent. 

The Golden Flashes come into Saturday's contest with an 11-5 overall record, 8-4 in conference play. Kent State has won four of its last five games, including a 71-67 victory at Bowling Green on Tuesday night (Feb. 9). Three players are scoring in double figures for the Golden Flashes, led by 20.9 points per game from Danny Pippen, who also leads Kent State with 9.1 rebounds per contest. Michael Nuga adds 17.8 points per game and Tervell Beck is averaging 11.2 points per contest.

Last season, NIU swept the season series against Kent State, topping the Golden Flashes 76-69 in Kent (Jan. 21, 2020) and 57-54 in DeKalb (Feb. 7, 2020), for its first season sweep against Kent State since 1985-96. NIU and Kent State are only scheduled to play once this season. 

Following Saturday's contest, the Huskies will remain in Northeast Ohio for a matchup against Akron on Tuesday, February 16.