This Week in Huskie Sports: March 6 to March 12

DeKALB – Huskie sports start a big week of competition, headlined by the MAC tournament for men’s and women’s basketball.

MEN’S BASKETBALL 

Thursday, March 9: vs. Kent State University, 3 p.m.

Cleveland / Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse

NIU men’s basketball (13-18, 9-9 MAC) finished its regular season as the seventh seed in the Mid-American Conference. The team will head to Cleveland to take on the two-seeded Kent State Golden Flashes (25-6, 15-3 MAC) in the MAC tournament. The tournament is a one-and-done, meaning that if the Huskies lose Thursday, their season is over. Should NIU win Thursday, they would take on the winner of the University at Buffalo vs. the University of Akron game in the semifinals Friday. The two winners of the semifinal games will play for the MAC championship on Saturday. The Huskies met the Golden Flashes once during the regular season, winning 86-76 and snapping Kent State’s ten-game winning streak. NIU will look to upset Kent State once again to extend its season. 

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Wednesday, March 8: vs. Kent State, 12:30 p.m.

Cleveland / Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse

The NIU women’s basketball team clinched the Mid-American Conference playoffs on March 1 in a win against Eastern Michigan University. The Huskies face off against Kent State in the first round of the MAC tournament Wednesday. 

GYMNASTICS 

Saturday, March 11: vs. Michigan State University, 6 p.m.

East Lansing, Michigan / Jenison FieldHouse

The NIU gymnastics team will be on the road to face the Michigan State University Spartans. The Huskies have been struggling on the road with an away record of 2-3. NIU looks to come home with a win before the MAC championships meet in Kent, Ohio. 

BASEBALL

Tuesday, March 7: vs. University of Minnesota, 6 p.m.

Minneapolis / U.S. Bank Stadium

Friday, March 10: vs. Kent State University, 2 p.m.

Kent, Ohio / Rockwell Field

Saturday, March 11: vs. Kent State University, 2 p.m.

Kent, Ohio / Rockwell Field

Sunday, March 12: vs. Kent State University, 12 p.m.

Kent, Ohio /  Rockwell Field

NIU baseball will head to Minneapolis to face the University of Minnesota. The Huskies will play one game against Minnesota at the Minnesota Vikings’ field, U.S. Bank Stadium, on Wednesday. Starting on Friday, NIU will face its first Mid-American Conference opponent, the Kent State University Golden Flashes. It will be a three-game weekend series that will be played in Kent, Ohio at Kent State’s Rockwell Field.  

SOFTBALL

Saturday, March 11: vs. Bradley University, 11 a.m. 

St. Louis  / Billiken Sports Center 

Saturday, March 11: vs. Saint Louis University, 3 p.m. 

St. Louis / Billiken Sports Center 

Sunday, March 12: vs. Bradley University, 11 a.m. 

St. Louis / Billiken Sports Center 

Sunday, March 12: vs. Saint Louis University, 1 p.m.  

St. Louis / Billiken Sports Center  

NIU softball goes on the road to Saint Louis this weekend for the Saint Louis University tournament. On Saturday, NIU will first face off against 5-9 Bradley University. Later in the day, NIU takes on 2-9 Saint Louis University, who are on a six-game losing streak.  NIU faces the same teams again on Sunday to close out the tournament.