This Week in Huskie Sports: Jan. 23, 2023
January 23, 2023
Six NIU sports teams will be tested on the home front this week as NIU settles in for its second week of classes. All competitions on NIU’s slate will be played within Illinois state boundaries.
Men’s and women’s basketball will each host a pair Mid-American Conferences foes at the Convocation Center while men’s and women’s tennis prepare for their respective nonconference matches as part of their first weekend of home duals matches.
As the lone traveler of the week, gymnastics sets off to Illinois State University for a Friday meeting with the Redbirds before returning home to host the NIU Tri-Meet on Sunday.
Hockey rounds out the schedule with an upcoming home series against Drury University – a Division I newcomer – for the Huskies’ final set of home games of a rebuilding season.
Men’s basketball
Tuesday, Jan. 24: vs. Kent State, 7 p.m. – Watch | Live Stats | Live Audio
DeKalb, Ill. / Convocation Center
Saturday, Jan. 28: vs. Ball State, 3:30 p.m. – Watch | Live Stats | Live Audio
DeKalb, Ill. / Convocation Center
NIU men’s basketball faces off against Kent State University – the MAC’s top seeded team – on Tuesday and Ball State University on Saturday. The Huskies look for an upset win against the red hot Golden Flashes, winners of 10 straight games. The Cardinals have won nine of their last 10 games, as the Huskies will look for the win in their first of two games versus Ball State this season.
Women’s basketball
Wednesday, Jan. 25: vs. Kent State, 6 p.m. – Watch | Live Stats | Live Audio
DeKalb, Ill. / Convocation Center
Saturday, Jan. 28: vs. Bowling Green, 1 p.m. – Watch | Live Stats | Live Audio
DeKalb, Ill. / Convocation Center
After losing both games last week, NIU women’s basketball will take on the Kent State Golden Flashes on Wednesday and the Bowling Green State University Falcons on Saturday at the Convocation Center. The Falcons come into this week with a 16-2 record and are first in the MAC standings.
Women’s tennis
Friday, Jan. 27: vs. Chicago State, 9 a.m.
DeKalb, Ill. / Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House
Friday, Jan. 27: vs. Eastern Illinois, 6 p.m.
DeKalb, Ill. / Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House
After a shaky start to its duals schedule, NIU women’s tennis returns home to host a doubleheader featuring in-state opponents Chicago State University and Eastern Illinois University. The Huskies went 0-3 during their recent trip to the Bluegrass State.
Men’s tennis
Friday, Jan. 27: vs. Chicago State, 5 p.m.
DeKalb, Ill. / Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House
Sunday, Jan. 29: vs. Cardinal Stritch, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
DeKalb, Ill. / Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House
Like the women’s squad, NIU men’s tennis is set to host its first dual matches of 2023. NIUr recently split its road trip to Des Moines, Iowa, where they fell to Drake University, 4-1, on Saturday before defeating Marquette University, 5-2, on Monday.
Gymnastics
Friday, Jan. 27: at Illinois State, 7 p.m. – Live Stats
Normal, Ill. / CEFCU Arena
Sunday, Jan. 29: vs. Illinois State and Winona State, 2 p.m.
DeKalb, Ill. / Convocation Center
Sitting at a record of 1-2 to start the season, the NIU women’s gymnastics team takes on the Illinois State Redbirds, (2-2) before hosting the same Redbirds squad along with Winona State University at the NIU Tri-Meet at the Convocation Center. In NIU’s last two meets, the team was able to pull off a narrow victory at Bowling Green (194.725-192.675) on, but came up short in a narrow defeat (194.675-194.875) at Iowa State. With junior Alyssa Al-Ashari setting a career-high score (9.900) on the uneven parallel bars and sophomore Isabella Sissi having two career-best performances in the all-around, the Huskie squad looks to tally up two wins this weekend to put them above .500 on the young season.
Hockey
Friday, Jan. 27: vs. Drury, 7:30 p.m.
West Dundee, Ill. / Canlan Ice Sports
Saturday, Jan. 28: vs. Drury, 5 p.m.
West Dundee, Ill. / Canlan Ice Sports
NIU hockey kicks off the final home series of the season against first-year Division I program Drury University. The Huskies will look to start the weekend on a high note before closing out their two-game weekend series in NIU’s last home game of the season and will look to build confidence heading into the last three weeks of the regular season. NIU will host a post game skate with the team open to all fans who attend Saturday’s game.