Six players scored in double figures, led by 25 points each from Quentin Jones (Chicago, Ill./Marian Catholic) and Quaran McPherson (South Jamaica Queens, N.Y./Link Year Prep), as the Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team topped East-West University, 117-50, on Monday night (Dec. 30) at the NIU Convocation Center.

Jayden Mott (Midwest City, Okla./Edmond Santa Fe) added a career-high 15 points, James Dent Jr. (Springfield, Ill./Springfield Southeast) and Joe Munden Jr. (Harlem, N.Y./ Monsignor Scanlan) each scored 13 and Ethan Butler (Toronto, Ontario/Southwest Academy) chipped in a dozen points.

NIU (4-8) shot 50 percent (45-of-90) from the field in the contest and made 10 triples. The Huskies also had 20 assists to just eight turnovers.

“Tonight was a well-needed night for our guys,” said NIU head coach Rashon Burno. “I thought the guys played with the right intentions. They had a deliberate approach to try to get in the paint, play with a little freedom, have fun, and I thought the guys played the right way for the most part. We had eight turnovers in a game that could have gotten out of hand, being up so much. The guys didn’t lack discipline in regard to taking quality shots.”

Jones recorded the second double-double of his career, and first of the season, with a career-high 11 assists to go along with his 25 points. The Chicago, Ill., native also finished with seven rebounds. McPherson had his second double-double of the year as he pulled down 11 rebounds to go along with his 25 points.

Mott added a career-best 11 rebounds to his career-high 15 points for his first career double-double. It marked the first time NIU had multiple double-doubles in the same game since Feb. 11, 2023 against Western Michigan when Anthony Crump had 11 points and 14 rebounds while Kaleb Thornton had 10 points and 11 assists.

NIU’s 117 points is the most recorded by the Huskies since Nov. 26, 1994, when NIU defeated Rockford, 121-70.

After splitting the opening eight points of the contest, NIU used a 22-2 run to lead 26-6 midway through the first half.

The Huskies shot 56.8 percent (21-of-37) from the field in the opening 20 points while also going 13-of-15 (86.7 percent) from the free-throw line. NIU held East-West to just 22.6 percent (7-of-31) shooting in the opening 20 minutes as the Huskies led 59-21 at the intermission.

NIU outscored East-West 64-18 in the paint and 32-2 off of turnovers while outrebounding the Phantoms, 63-34.

Jaha Jackson led East-West with 17 points and eight rebounds.

NIU will open the new year with league play as the Huskies visit Eastern Michigan in their Mid-American Conference opener on Saturday, Jan. 4. NIU will then return home to Kent State in the conference home opener on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Tickets for all NIU Basketball home games are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets.