The Mid-American Conference and Sun Belt Conference announced the matchups for the second round of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge on Monday (Jan. 13). The NIU men’s basketball team will host Louisiana while the Huskie women’s basketball team will travel to Appalachian State, both games will take place on Saturday, Feb. 8.

For the Huskie men’s basketball team, this season’s meeting against Louisiana will be the first all-time between the two schools. NIU split its MAC-SBC Challenge games last season, defeating Appalachian State at home before falling at South Alabama. The Huskies fell at Georgia Southern in the season opener this year in the first leg of the event. The Ragin’ Cajuns are currently 5-12 overall, 3-2 in Sun Belt play under interim head coach Derrick Zimmerman.

The NIU women’s basketball team will faceoff against Appalachian State for the first time in program history on Feb. 8. It is NIU’s first trip to North Carolina since February of 1987 when the Huskies took on Duke and NC State. The Huskies are 2-1 all-time in the MAC-SBC Challenge with wins over Georgia Southern last season and Louisiana in this season’s opener at the NIU Convocation Center. Appalachian State is 8-7 on the year and 4-1 in the Sun Belt.

Tickets for the NIU men’s basketball matchup against Louisiana, as well as all remaining Huskie men’s and women’s basketball games, are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling 815-753-PACK (7225).