The Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team hosts Ball State on Tuesday night, Feb. 20, in the first of two home games this week. Tipoff against the Cardinals is slated for 7 p.m. and will be available on ESPN+ as well as on 94-9 WDKB in DeKalb, the NIU Huskies app and the Varsity Network app. Tickets are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets.

NIU saw its three-game conference win streak end last time out as the Huskies fell at Kent State. Ethan Butler (Toronto, Ontario/Oregon) made his first career start against the Golden Flashes and scored a career-high 17 points. Butler became the 10th different Huskie to score in double figures in a game this season.

David Coit (Columbus, N.J./Atlantic Cape CC) returned against Kent State after missing the previous two games, Coit netted 14 points against the Golden Flashes. Coit is ranked 24th nationally in both three-point field goals per game (3.0) and free throw percentage (89.2 percent).

Coit’s 69 triples this season is the sixth-most in a single-season in NIU history. Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Fraschels, Switzerland/Ursping) has 46 blocks, the fifth-best single season total in Huskie history.  Konan Niederhauser 2.19 blocks per game rank 20th in the country.

The Cardinals bring a 12-13 overall record to DeKalb, including a 4-8 mark in conference play. Ball State is coming off an 80-59 setback at Miami on Saturday (Feb. 17). Four player score in double figures for Ball State, led by 19.2 points per game from Basheer Jihad, who also averages a team-best 7.6 rebounds per game. Jalin Anderson is averaging 15.1 points per contest while Davion Bailey and Mickey Pearson Jr. are both scoring 12.0 points per game.

Ball State ranks 23rd nationally in three-point percentage, shooting 37.6 percent. The Cardinals are also 35th in the country in free throw percentage, shooting 75.9 percent.

In the first meeting of the season, the Cardinals topped the Huskies, 81-71, in Muncie (Jan. 27, 2024). Jihad had 28 points and 14 rebounds to lead the way for Ball State. Coit netted 25 points to pace the Huskies.

The Huskies will be home again on Saturday, Feb. 24, against Ohio at 3:30 p.m. as part of the Cram the Convo Doubleheader. The NIU women’s basketball team will face Bowling Green at 1 p.m., tickets for Saturday’s doubleheader, including the 2024 Pack, which includes four tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas and four chips for $40, are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets.