DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team begins the home portion of its 2024-25 season on Thursday night, Nov. 7, as the Huskies host Holy Cross (Ind.) at 6 p.m. at the NIU Convocation Center. The contest will be available on ESPN+ and 94-9 WDKB in DeKalb. 

Please note the earlier start time for NIU men's basketball weeknight home games this season. Tickets for Thursday's contest, and all NIU Basketball games, including season tickets, are on sale now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets. 

The first 100 NIU students attending Thursday's game can receive a FREE concession voucher good for one free nacho, hot dog or pizza plus a small soft drink or water. NIU students also get FREE admission to all Huskie basketball games.  

NIU opened the season on Monday with an 80-65 setback at Georgia Southern. James Dent Jr. (Springfield, Ill./Springfield Southeast) led the way with a career-high tying 24 points. Dent's 24 points are the seventh-highest total by a Huskie in a season opener in the last 20 seasons. 

Six players made their NIU debut in the season opener, including Dent. Quentin Jones (Chicago, Ill./Marian Catholic) and Kailon Nicholls (Toronto, Ontario/Hargrave Military Academy) joined Dent in the starting lineup while Terry Copeland Jr. (Orange, N.J./Legacy Early College), Dominic Gooden (Cleveland, Ohio/Walter L. Sickles) and Joe Munden Jr. (Harlem, N.Y./Monsignor Scanlan) made their Huskie debuts off the bench. 

The Saints have a 2-1 overall record this season after topping Kuyper College, 77-72, on Tuesday night (Nov. 5). Joey Garwood is leading four players in double figures through three games this season at 17.7 points per game. Phil Robles II is adding 14.0 points per contest while Justin O'Neal is scoring 12.7 points per game and AJ Roseman is chipping in 11.0 points per contest. 

Tyler Braidic is in his first season as head coach at Holy Cross after serving as an assistant coach for the past seven seasons. Braidic helped the Saints to a conference regular season crown in 2020 and to appearances in the NAIA National Tournament in 2020 and 2021.

This will be the first all-time meeting between NIU and Holy Cross (Ind.).

NIU will be home again on Tuesday night, Nov. 12, as the Huskies host Monmouth. Tip against the Hawks is scheduled for 6 p.m.