DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team shot 50.8 percent (31-of-61) from the field as the Huskies topped Northern Michigan, 78-43, in an exhibition game on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 17) at the NIU Convocation Center. 

The matchup marked the unofficial debut for first-year NIU head coach Matt Majkrzak as the Huskies took on a Northern Michigan program that he had led for the past seven seasons. 

"A lot of emotions, great to see so many people, our former players came back, it was a great way to kickoff a new chapter and close a chapter that meant a lot to me," said Majkrzak. "I thought we played pretty well. Defensively, I was really happy with the first half. The second half got a little bit away from us. Don't love the turnovers, our offensive pace was a little weird and we didn't shoot the ball that well from three, but for a first game that is kind of what you expect."

Northern Michigan scored the opening three points of the contest before NIU responded with the next 10. After the Wildcats trimmed the Huskie advantage to just three, a 6-0 burst gave the hosts a nine-point lead, 16-7. 

In front, 23-14, with a little under eight minutes to play in the half, NIU used a 15-0 run to push its advantage to 38-14. David Douglas Jr. (Park Forest, Ill./Yorkville Christian) had seven during the burst as the Huskies took a 24-point lead with a little over two minutes left in the opening stanza. 

NIU took a 40-17 into the intermission as the Huskies shot 51.9 percent (14-of-27) from the field and 87.5 percent (7-of-8) from the free-throw line in the opening 20 minutes. NIU held Northern Michigan to just 21.4 percent (6-of-28) shooting in the first half. 

The Huskies scored the first five out of the intermission as the NIU lead ballooned to 45-17. NIU went 14-of-17 (82.4 percent) from inside the three-point line in the second half and held a 40-16 advantage in points in the paint in the contest. 

Eleven different players scored for the Huskies and 12 grabbed at least one rebound. NIU outrebounded Northern Michigan, 47-26, and had a 16-4 advantage in second chance points. 

NIU will return to action for its final exhibition game next Sunday, Oct. 25, when it travels to Toledo. The Huskies will open the 2026-27 regular season on Monday, Nov. 2, against Grambling in the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon in Rock Hill, S.C.