DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team is back on the road for a pair of games this week, beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 17, when the Huskies travel to Oxford, Ohio, to face Miami. Game time against the RedHawks is slated for 6 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN+, along with 94-9 WDKB and The Varsity Network app.
NIU is coming off an 84-67 setback to Toledo last time out. Darweshi Hunter (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Kaleb Thornton (Bolingbrook, Ill.) both scored career-highs against the Rockets, Hunter netted 22 points while Thornton had 21, both went 5-of-7 from three-point range in the contest.
Thornton also recorded seven assists, five rebounds and four steals in the contest. Including last Tuesday’s victory over Central Michigan, the Bolingbrook, Ill., native averaged 18.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game last week, while shooting 55 percent (11-of-20 from the field and 70 percent (7-of-10) from three-point range. Thornton currently ranks sixth in the MAC with 3.4 assists per game and ninth in the conference with a 1.46 assist/turnover ratio.
David Coit (Columbus, N.J.) is averaging 15.7 points per game over the last six contests. Coit ranks seventh in the league with 2.4 three-point field goals per game and is tied for sixth with 1.5 steals per contest. Oluwasegun Durosinmi (Lagos, Nigeria) is currently fifth in the MAC with 1.0 blocks per game.
The RedHawks bring a 7-10 overall record into Tuesday’s matchup, including a 1-3 mark in
MAC play. Miami is 6-5 at home this season and the RedHawks are coming off a 75-61 setback at Ball State last time out (Jan. 14). Three players score in double figures for Miami, led by 17.5 points per game from Mekhi Lairy. Morgan Safford adds 14.2 points, and a team high 5.9 rebounds, per contest while Anderson Mirambeaux is averaging 12.9 points per game.
Miami leads the MAC, and is ranked eighth in the country, in free throw shooting at 79.4 percent.
Four of the last five meetings between NIU and Miami have been decided by five points or less, including both meetings last season as the RedHawks claimed an 85-82 overtime decision in Oxford (Jan. 22, 2022) and a 78-75 victory in DeKalb (Feb. 19, 2022).
Following Tuesday’s trip to Miami, the Huskies will return to the road on Saturday, Jan. 21, when they visit Eastern Michigan. Game time against the Eagles is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT.
