DEKALB, Ill. – A three-game week awaits the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team, starting with a trip to Ball State on Tuesday, Feb. 15. Game time against the Cardinals is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN+.
Tuesday's game begins a stretch of three games in five days this week and six games in 12 days overall as NIU plays makeup games on each of the next two Thursdays.
Four Huskies scored in double figures last time out against Toledo (Feb. 12), led by 19 points from
Keshawn Williams (Chicago Heights, Ill./Tulsa).
Kaleb Thornton (Bolingbrook, Ill./Iowa Western CC) added a career-best 18 points while
Anthony Crump (Inkster, Mich./Middle Tennessee) scored 12 and
Trendon Hankerson (Novi, Mich./Novi) added 10 points.
NIU committed just five turnovers on Saturday against the Rockets, its fewest since committing five on March 8, 2019, in a 64-57 victory at Ball State.
Williams is currently sixth in the MAC in scoring in conference play at 18.3 points per game, he is also sixth in free throw percentage (85.1 percent) and tied for sixth in three-point percentage (42.9 percent).
The Cardinals have an 11-13 overall record, including a 6-7 mark in conference play. Ball State is coming off an 80-74 setback at Buffalo on Saturday (Feb. 12). Four players are scoring in double figures for Ball State, led by Payton Sparks at 13.2 points per game.
Tyler Cochran adds 12.2 points, Luke Bumbalough is scoring 11.7 points and Miryne Thomas chips in 11.0 points per contest.
As a team, Ball State leads the MAC, and ranks 45th nationally, in three-point percentage, shooting 36.6 percent.
NIU will remain on the road for a trip to Akron on Thursday, Feb. 17, before returning home on Saturday, Feb. 19 to face Miami as part of a "Cram the Convo" doubleheader.
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).
