DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team is back on the road this weekend as it travels to Atlanta, Ga., to compete in the Capitol Challenge, hosted by Georgia State. The Huskies will meet the host Panthers on Friday, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m. CT before taking on Little Rock on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 1 p.m. CT.
Friday's contest will be available on ESPN+ and both games will be available via radio on 94-9 WDKB, the NIU Huskies app and the Varsity Network app.
NIU (2-1) is coming off a 107-55 victory over Illinois Tech last time out (Nov. 13), marking the first time the Huskies have hit the century mark since 2018.
Will Lovings-Watts (Jeffersonville, Ind./Putnam Science) scored a game-high 19 points, the most points by a NIU freshman in a game since Eugene German netted 23 on Feb. 25, 2017, against Eastern Michigan.
As a team, the Huskies had 17 steals against the Scarlet Hawks, the most by NIU in a game since March 10, 2014. NIU outscored Illinois Tech 70-6 in the paint and 35-9 off turnovers.
For the season, four players are averaging in double figures for the Huskies, led by 17.0 points per game from
David Coit (Columbus, N.J./Atlantic Cape CC).
Zarique Nutter (Newark, N.J./Clarendon College) is adding 13.7 points per contest,
Philmon Gebrewhit (Boston, Mass./DePaul) is scoring 12.0 points per game and
Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Fraschels, Switzerland/Urpsing) is chipping in 11.0 points, along with a team-best 8.0 rebounds, per contest.
Georgia State comes into the weekend with a 1-1 overall record, which includes a 77-70 victory at Western Michigan in the MAC/Sun Belt Challenge (Nov. 11). Lucas Taylor leads the Panthers in scoring through two games at 19.5 points per game. Dwon Odem was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team while Brenden Tucker was named to the Third Team. Friday afternoon's contest will be Georgia State's home opener.
Little Rock enters the weekend with a 1-1 mark, having defeated Texas State in its opener before falling at UIC, 86-71, last time out (Nov. 10). DeAntoni Gordon, a preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference selection, leads the Trojans in scoring at 19.0 points per game. Little Rock will meet Georgia State on Sunday, Nov. 19, to conclude the Capitol Challenge.
Friday's game will be the first all-time meeting between NIU and Georgia State. The Huskies have met Little Rock three times previously, with the Trojans holding a 2-1 edge. The most recent meeting came on Nov. 22, 2021, in the Jacksonville Classic, a 67-60 Little Rock victory.
Following the trip to Atlanta, NIU will return to Chicagoland for its next two road games as the Huskies travel to DePaul on Saturday, Nov. 25, and Northwestern on Monday, Nov. 27. NIU's next home game is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 5, when the Huskies host Indiana State.
Tickets for all Huskie basketball games are on sale now, including season tickets, which start at just $80 for general admission season tickets in sections 115-118 (lower bowl baseline) with reserved lower bowl sideline season tickets available for just $120. NIU faculty and staff, NIU Alumni Association and Varsity Club members, and senior citizens can purchase men's basketball season tickets for $105.
