DEKALB, Ill. – Less than 48 hours after facing Valparaiso, the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team will be in action again as the Huskies travel to Charleston to face Eastern Illinois. Tipoff against the Panthers is slated for 2 p.m. and will be available on ESPN+ as well as WDKB 94-9 FM in DeKalb.

Nasir Muhammad (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) came off the bench to score a career-high 21 points on Wednesday against Valpo, going 5-of-7 from three-point range and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. Quentin Jones (Chicago, Ill./Marian Catholic) added 20 points as the Huskies had two 20-point scorers in the same game for the first time since Feb. 6, 2024. 

Quaran McPherson (South Jamaica Queens, N.Y./Link Year Prep) recorded his first career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds against the Beacons. 

Valparaiso made 35 free throws on Wednesday, going 35-of-44 (79.5 percent) from the line, tying the NIU opponent record for free throws in a game set by Central Michigan on Feb. 2, 2002.

The Panthers bring a 1-5 mark into Friday's contest, which will be just the second home game of the season for Eastern Illinois. Last time out, EIU fell at Valparaiso, 81-53, on Nov. 24. Three players score in double figures for Eastern Illinois, led by 17.2 points per game from Nakyel Shelton. Kooper Jacobi adds 13.3 points, along with a team-best 8.3 rebounds, per game while Artese Stapleton is scoring 10.2 points per contest.

NIU holds a 47-45 lead in the all-time series against Eastern Illinois and has won each of the last two meetings between the two programs, including a 90-70 victory in Charleston two seasons ago (Nov. 30, 2022). 

NIU will return home next Tuesday, Dec. 3, when the Huskies host Benedictine at 6 p.m. Tickets for that contest, and all remaining NIU Basketball games, are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling (815) 753-PACK (7225).