DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team will play the first of two consecutive road games on Tuesday, Jan. 20, when the Huskies travel to Athens, Ohio, to take on the Ohio Bobcats. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be available on ESPN+ and WDKB 94-9 FM.

NIU is coming off a 70-68 victory over UMass on Saturday (Jan. 17). Makhai Valentine (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) tied his career-high with 27 points in the victory over the Minutemen. Valentine has scored 20-or-more points in three of the last four games and is averaging 20.8 points per game during that stretch, shooting 47.3 percent (26-of-55) from the field, 42.9 percent (15-of-35) from three and 88.9 percent (16-of-18) from the free-throw line.

Gianni Cobb (Chicago, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) had six assists and six steals against UMass. Cobb is ranked ninth in the Mid-American Conference with 4.1 assists per game, he is also ranked second with 2.06 steals per game. Cobb leads the MAC with 3.0 steals per game in league play. 

Hassan 'Tre' Washington (Providence, R.I./Prise Academy) netted 11 points off the bench in the victory over the Minutemen, he third double-figure scoring game of the season. 

The Bobcats bring a 10-9 overall record into Tuesday's contest, including a 4-3 mark in league play. Ohio has lost each of its last two games, against Toledo (Jan. 13) and Ball State (Jan. 16), both of which have been on the road. Three players score in double figures for Ohio, led by Jackson Paveletzke who is averaging 17.4 points per game.

This will be the 66th all-time meeting between NIU and Ohio, with the Bobcats leading the all-time series, 42-23. Ohio has won each of the last five meetings in the series.

Following Tuesday's contest, NIU will travel to Ball State on Saturday, Jan. 24, before returning home to host Western Michigan on Tuesday, Jan. 27.