DEKALB, Ill. – For the fourth time in five games, the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team heads on the road as the Huskies travel to Buffalo to take on the Bulls on Tuesday night, Feb. 17. Game time in Buffalo is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN+ as well as WDKB 94-9 FM.

Last time out at Central Michigan, Makhai Valentine (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) led the Huskies with 13 points, Valentine has scored in double figures in 17 of the last 19 games. Valentine is averaging 16.0 points per game over the last 11 games. He is shooting 40.7 percent (35-of-86) from three and 83.8 percent (31-of-37) from the free-throw line during the last 11.

Gianni Cobb (Chicago, Ill./Homewood/Flossmoor) is ranked 10th in the MAC with 4.0 assists per game. Cobb is also ranked fifth with 1.75 steals per game. In league play, Taj Walters (Bronx, N.Y./Moravian Prep) is ranked 12th in the Mid-American Conference in rebounding with 6.3 boards per game, sixth in free throw percentage (83.3 percent) and 11th in three-point percentage (41.7 percent).

The Bulls have a 15-10 overall record, 5-7 in MAC play. Buffalo is returning to action for the first time since a 63-53 win at Ball State on Feb. 11. Three players score in double figures for Buffalo, led by 20.0 points per game from Daniel Freitag. Buffalo is ranked second in the MAC, and 12th nationally, in three-point percentage, shooting 38.6 percent as a team.

NIU is third in the MAC in three-point defense, holding opponents to 32.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

This will be the 46th all-time meeting between the Bulls and the Huskies, NIU is 2-2 in its last four trips to Buffalo.

NIU will return home on Saturday, Feb. 21, as the Huskies host Ohio at 2 p.m. Tickets for Saturday's game, and all remaining Huskie basketball games, are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets.