DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team steps out of conference play this Saturday, Feb. 7, as the Huskies travel to Atlanta to meet Georgia State in the MAC/Sun Belt Challenge. Game time against the Panthers is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN+ as well as WDKB 94-9 FM.

NIU is returning to action for the first time since last Saturday (Jan. 31) when the Huskies traveled to Miami to face the then 24th-ranked RedHawks. That contest featured nine ties and 12 lead changes as NIU led by as much as 10 in the first half before Miami closed the game on a 15-0 run to pull away late. Gianni Cobb (Chicago, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) and Taj Walters (Bronx, N.Y./Moravian Prep) each netted a career-best 17 points in the contest. 
    
In the last six games since returning to the starting lineup, Cobb is averaging 11.3 points, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game. He is also shooting 72.4 percent (21-of-29) from the free-throw line during that stretch. Walters is averaging 16.5 points per game over the last two contests, shooting 56 percent (14-of-25) from the field.

The Panthers bring a 9-15 record into Saturday's contest, including a 6-6 mark in Sun Belt play. Georgia State fell to Troy, 74-63, last time out (Feb. 4) in Atlanta. Three players score in double figures for Georgia State, led by 18.1 points per game from Jelani Hamilton. Micah Tucker adds 12.4 points per contest and Malachi Brown chips in 11.1 points per game. 

Georgia State leads the Sun Belt, and ranks eighth nationally, in free throw percentage, shooting 78.9 percent.

NIU and Georgia State have met just once previous, a 70-64 Huskie victory on Nov. 17, 2023, in Atlanta.

The Huskies are 2-3 all-time in the MAC/Sun Belt Challenge, which began in the 2023-24 season. NIU opened the season with a 102-82 victory over ULM (Nov. 3, 2025) in DeKalb. Jao Ituka (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) led the way with 19 points, Gustav Winther (Roskilde, Denmark) had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds while Cobb had a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists. 

Following Saturday's game, NIU will begin the final stretch run of eight league games at home on Wednesday, Feb. 11, against Bowling Green. Tipoff against the Falcons is slated for 7 p.m.