DEKALB, Ill. -- The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team closes out the calendar year on Friday evening, Dec. 29, as the Huskies travel to Iowa City to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be available on Big Ten Network Plus, with the NIU radio call available on 94-9 WDKB in DeKalb, as well as the NIU Huskies app and The Varsity Network app. 

NIU (6-5) is returning to action following an eight-day Holiday layoff. Last time out, the Huskies suffered a 76-63 home setback against Northern Iowa (Dec. 21). David Coit (Columbus, N.J./Atlantic Cape CC) scored a team-high 17 points against the Panthers. Coit, who is the only Huskie to score in double figures in all 11 games this season, is averaging a team-best 17.5 points per game, which is fifth-best in the Mid-American Conference. 

Quaran McPherson (Queens, N.Y./Nebraska) scored a career-best 14 points against Northern Iowa. McPherson is averaging 10.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game over the last two contests. 

As a team, the Huskies currently rank 14th nationally in blocks per game (5.7), 21st in free throw attempts (25.2 per game), 46th in fastbreak points (14.5 per game), 52nd in free throws made (16.5 per game), 56th in field goal percentage (47.8 percent) and 67th in scoring (80.5 points per game).

Iowa will also be playing its first game after a Holiday break. The Hawkeyes defeated Maryland-Baltimore County, 103-81, in their last contest (Dec. 20) to improve to 7-5 on the season. Four players score in double figures for Iowa, led by 16.8 points per game from Ben Krikke. Payton Sandfort adds 13.7 points per contest, Tony Perkins is averaging 13.5 points per game and Patrick McCaffery is scoring 10.2 points per contest. 

The Hawkeyes are ranked fourth in the nation in assist/turnover ratio at 1.96 as a team and are seventh nationally with 19.4 assists per contest. Iowa averages 86.6 points per game, which ranks 12th in the nation.

This will be the 10th all-time meeting between NIU and Iowa, the ninth of which has been played in Iowa City. 

Following Friday's trip to Iowa, the Huskies will open MAC play as they host Akron on Tuesday, Jan. 2. Tickets for Tuesday's contest, and all remaining Huskie basketball games, including the All MACtion pass, are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets.