DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team begins a two-game road trip on Tuesday night, Feb. 1, when the Huskies travel to Kalamazoo to face Western Michigan. Game time against the Broncos is scheduled for 6 p.m. on ESPN3. 

Last time out against Central Michigan, Keshawn Williams (Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom) reached the 20-point plateau for the sixth time this season, netting 20 points against the Chippewas. Anthony Crump (Inkster, Mich./Middle Tennessee) also reached double figures with 10 points against Central Michigan, Crump also grabbed a team-high six rebounds in the contest and is averaging 8.3 rebounds per game over the last four contests. 

Trendon Hankerson (Novi, Mich./Novi) is tied for the Mid-American Conference lead with 2.0 steals per game, which also ranks 38th nationally. 

In conference play, Williams is averaging 18.4 points per game, seventh-best in the MAC, while shooting a league-best 53.6 percent from three-point range. Kaleb Thornton (Bolingbrook, Ill./Iowa Western CC) is second in league games with 4.9 assists per game and ranks sixth with a 1.95 assist/turnover ratio. 

The Broncos bring a 4-16 overall record into Tuesday's contest, including a 0-9 record in conference play. Western Michigan is coming off an 83-72 setback at Ball State on Saturday (Jan. 29). Lamar Norman Jr. leads the Broncos in scoring at 19.6 points per contest. Markeese Hastings is just under double figures at 9.2 points per game, along with a team-best 8.6 rebounds per contest.

Western Michigan won the only meeting last season, 73-63, in DeKalb (March 2, 2021) and NIU is looking for its first victory in Kalamazoo since 2006. 

Following Tuesday's game, NIU will return to the road on Saturday, Feb. 5 at Bowling Green. The Huskies will be back home in the NIU Convocation Center on Tuesday night, Feb. 8, when they host Akron, tip time against the Zips is scheduled for 7 p.m. 

Tickets for all Huskie home games are still on sale, including Huskie Flex Plans. Purchase vouchers for $6 each and use them throughout the season to attend Huskie men's and women's basketball home games. Simply redeem vouchers for tickets at the box office prior to the game. Tickets can be purchased online at NIUHuskies.com/MyHuskies or by calling the NIU Athletics Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225).