DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team welcomes Kent State to the NIU Convocation Center on Tuesday, Jan. 7, in the Mid-American Conference home opener for the Huskies. Tip against the Golden Flashes is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be available on ESPN+ and WDKB 94-9 FM.
Tuesday night is a “Red Out” with fans encouraged to wear red to the game.
NIU is coming off a narrow, 75-71 setback at Eastern Michigan in the conference opener (Jan. 4). James Dent Jr. (Springfield, Ill./Springfield Southeast) led the Huskies with 15 points against the Eagles, Dent also had a team-high eight rebounds and a team-best four assists.
Dent is currently tied for 15th in the MAC in rebounding (5.5 rpg), ranked 13th in assists (2.9 pg) and ninth in free throw percentage at 82.4 percent.
Quaran McPherson (South Jamaica Queens, N.Y./Link Year Prep) scored 12 points at Eastern Michigan, including a perfect 9-of-9 from the free-throw line. McPherson has made 16 consecutive free throws and ranks eighth in the MAC from the charity stripe at 82.5 percent.
As a team, the Huskies went 19-of-21 (90.5 percent) from the free-throw line against Eastern Michigan. NIU is shooting 74.2 percent from the line for the season, fourth-best in the MAC, and 82 percent over the last six games.
The Golden Flashes come to DeKalb with a 9-4 overall record, 0-1 in league play after opening the MAC season with a 75-67 setback at home against Ball State. Three players score in double figures for Kent State, led by 15.3 points per game from VonCameron Davis. Sullinger is averaging 10.7 points per contest while Morgan Safford adds 10.6 points per game.
Kent State leads the MAC in scoring defense, allowing just 64.5 points per contest, which ranks 34th nationally. The Golden Flashes are also 24th nationally in turnover margin at +4.2.
NIU has won seven of its last nine MAC home openers, including two of the last three and five-straight between 2015-16 and 2019-20.
Following Tuesday’s game, NIU will return to the road as the Huskies travel to Ohio on Saturday, Jan. 11.