DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team hits the road for two games in three days beginning with a trip to Tulsa on Thursday, Nov. 5, tipoff against the Golden Hurricane is scheduled for 7 p.m. Two days later, on Saturday, Nov. 7, the Huskies will visit Dayton for a 6 p.m. CT start. Both games will be available on ESPN+ and Thursday's game will also be available on WKDB 94.9 FM in DeKalb. 

NIU opened the season with a narrow, 89-87 setback against Grambling on Monday, Nov. 2 in Rock Hill, S.C. as part of the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon. 

Making his Division I debut, Trevor Polite (Mequon, Wis./Homestead) netted a career-high 15 points against the Tigers. Polite was one of six Huskies to play their first game at the Division I level in the opener against Grambling. 

As a team, the Huskies made 14 triples in the opener, which is just one off the school record of 15. Nino Carter-Smith (Detroit, Mich./Warren De La Salle) was a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc against Grambling. 

Tulsa opened up the season with a 98-50 victory over Ottawa (Kan.) on Monday night (Nov. 2). The Golden Hurricane set a school record, and tied an American Athletic Conference mark, with 19 triples in the contest. Tulsa is coming off a 30-win season a year ago in which they reached the championship game of the NIT. Tulsa was picked to finish fourth in the AAC preseason coaches poll. 

Thursday's contest is the first all-time meeting between NIU and Tulsa. 

Dayton began its 2026-27 campaign with an 89-58 victory over NJIT on Monday night (Nov. 2). Aiden Derkack led the way for the Flyers with 21 points and 11 rebounds in the season opener, becoming the first Dayton freshman to have a double-double in his debut since Chris Wright in 2007. Dayton was picked to finish third in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll after winning 25 games a season ago and reaching the quarterfinals of the NIT. 

Saturday's matchup will be the fourth all-time meeting between the Huskies and Flyers, Dayton has won each of the previous three, including the most recent contest on Dec. 4, 2021. 

Following the two-game trip, NIU will return home to host Clarke University on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 6 p.m. Tickets are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling the NIU Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225).