DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team hosts Central Michigan on Saturday, Jan. 18, as the Huskies welcome the Chippewas to the NIU Convocation Center for a 1 p.m. tipoff.
Tickets for Saturday's game, and all remaining Huskie basketball home games, are on sale now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling the NIU Athletics Ticket Office at (815) 753-PACK (7225). Saturday's game is a $5 Kids Combo Day, the kids combo includes a hot dog, a bag of chips and a small soft drink or water for just $5 and is available for kids ages 13 and under.
Saturday's game will also be available on ESPN+ and WDKB 94-9 FM.
Last time out against Miami,
Quentin Jones (Chicago, Ill./Marian Catholic) netted 21 points, his sixth 20-plus point performance of the season. Jones is tied for fourth in the Mid-American Conference in scoring at 16.1 points per game. He is also tied for 12th in the league in assists, averaging 3.1 per game. Over the last five games, Jones is averaging 5.6 assists per game with a 2.33 assist/turnover ratio.
Tsvet Sotirov (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Rolling Meadows) scored a career-best 13 points against the RedHawks. In his last five games, Sotirov is shooting 50 percent (10-of-20) from three-point range.
James Dent Jr. (Springfield, Ill./Springfield Southeast) ranks in the top-20 in the league in points, rebounds and assists as he is 19th in scoring (12.8 ppg), tied for 19th in rebounding (5.0 rpg) and 15th in assists (2.88 apg).
NIU ranks third in the MAC in blocked shots averaging 3.63 blocks per game and third in turnover margin at +2.75.
The Chippewas come to DeKalb with a 7-9 overall record, including a 1-3 mark in league play after topping Eastern Michigan, 82-63, last time out (Jan. 14). Central Michigan is second in the MAC in scoring defense, holding opponents to 70.3 points per game. The Chippewas also rank second in field goal defense at 42.1 percent and second in three-point defense at 30.1 percent. Jakobi Heady leads CMU in scoring at 14.0 points per game.
Following Saturday's contest, NIU will travel to Western Michigan on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
