After three consecutive home games, the Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team heads back on the road on Saturday, Jan. 27, as the Huskies visit Ball State. Tipoff against the Cardinals is slated for 1 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN+ as well as 94-9 WDKB in DeKalb, the NIU Huskies app and the Varsity Network app.

Last time out against Toledo (Jan. 23), NIU was even with the Rockets at halftime, 38-38, but a second half surge helped push Toledo to an 89-73 victory.

David Coit (Columbus, N.J./Atlantic Cape CC) scored a game-high 23 points against the Rockets. Coit ranks in the top-60 in the country in scoring, free throw percentage and three-point field goals per game. He is averaging 19.6 points per game (35th nationally), shooting 87 percent from the line (55th nationally) and making 3.17 threes per game (18th nationally).

Xavier Amos (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) had 21 points against Toledo. Amos is averaging 18.6 points per game, shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 48.3 percent from three, over the last five contests.

During that same stretch, as a team the Huskies are shooting 39.1 percent from three-point range, averaging 10.0 triples per game.

The Cardinals bring a 10-9 overall record into Saturday’s matchup, including a 2-5 mark in league play. Ball State earned an 87-59 win at Buffalo last time out (Jan. 23). Four players are scoring in double figures for Ball State, led by Basheer Jihad at 19.1 points per game, he also leads the Cardinals with 7.5 rebounds per contest. Jalin Anderson adds 15.9 points per game, Davion Bailey is averaging 11.9 points per contest while Mickey Pearson Jr. chips in 11.8 points per game.

Ball State ranks 32nd nationally in free throw percentage, shooting 76.1 percent as a team, and rank 36th three-point percentage, shooting 37.3 percent from beyond the arc.

The Cardinals won both games in the series a season ago and will visit DeKalb this season on Tuesday, Feb. 20.

Following Saturday’s contest, the Huskies will be back on the road on Tuesday, Jan. 30, when they travel to Central Michigan. Tipoff in Mount Pleasant, Mich., against the Chippewas is slated for 6 p.m. CT.