DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team held its first official practice of the 2022-23 season on Monday. The workout comes five weeks before the exhibition opener against McKendree (Monday, Oct. 31) and six weeks prior to the first regular season game of the season with Illinois Springfield (Monday, Nov. 7). 

"Today was good," said second-year NIU head coach Rashon Burno. "A little bit choppy, we introduced a lot more today than we did over the summer and in some of the fall workouts. I thought the intensity was there, we didn't have a couple of guys due to injuries, but I was happy with the intent and the attention to detail. Today was a good first day, we have to do it again tomorrow."

NIU returns three starters from a season ago, including All-MAC selection Keshawn Williams (Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom), who averaged a team-high 16.3 points per game, eighth-best in the conference. Williams scored in double figures 24 times in 2021-22, including each of the last 18 games of the season, with nine game of 20-plus points. 

Kaleb Thornton (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) made 26 stars last season, the most of any returning Huskie. Thornton averaged 8.1 points per game, along with 4.0 assists, which ranked seventh in the league. Thornton increased both of those numbers in conference play when he averaged 9.4 points and 4.6 assists, fifth-best in the MAC, per game. 

Anthony Crump (Inkster, Mich./Plymouth) played in all 30 games in 2021-22, making 25 starts. Crump led the Huskies in rebounding a season ago, averaging 4.8 boards per contest, and recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds in the season opener as the Huskies won at Washington, marking the program's first-ever win over a Pac-12 opponent. 

Darweshi Hunter (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton HS) and Zion Russell (Upper Marlboro, Md./National Christian Academy) also return this season, both having valuable experience both over 20 games played a season ago.  

The Huskies were able to hold 10 full practices earlier this summer prior to their three-game trip to Canada, giving this year's team a head start compared to a season ago. 

"We are light years ahead from where we started last year," said Burno. "Some of the main stuff is already in, our core principles are already in, so now we are just trying to add foundations. We are still trying to bring a couple guys up to speed who were not here in the summer, and even Duro (Oluwasegun Durosinmi) who missed Canada, but he was able to practice in those 10 practices. Good day, not getting too excited but tomorrow we will be a little more detail-oriented and we are going to play a little bit more."

NIU went a perfect 3-0 in Canada as they averaged 106.0 points per contest. Eight different players scored in double figures during the summer trip, including all five returnees. Newcomers Xavier Amos (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young), David Coit (Columbus, N.J./Scotland Campus Sports) and Zarique Nutter (Newark, N.J./The Patrick School) all scored 10-plus points more than once during the three-game tour. 

Season tickets for Huskie Basketball are on sale now and can be purchased at NIUHuskies.com. Men's basketball season tickets start at $80 for a "Huskie Land" general admission season ticket in sections 115-118 (lower bowl baseline). A reserved, lower bowl sideline seat is $120. NIU faculty and staff, NIU Alumni Association and Varsity Club members, senior citizens and 2022 NIU Football season ticket members can purchase men's basketball season tickets for $105. 

Premium courtside seats are also available, for more information on courtside seats call the NIU Athletics Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225).