NIU men’s basketball’s new-look roster aims to exceed expectations as the Huskies enter year four of head coach Rashon Burno’s tenure.
In the Mid-American Conference’s preseason poll, NIU was picked to finish 11th in the conference, only finishing ahead of the University at Buffalo.
When asked about the Huskies’ position in the preseason poll, Burno said he tries to not focus on what others say.
“I’ve always lived my life, I’ve never needed acceptance from outsiders,” Burno said. “So we don’t get too high or too low on what somebody else says.”
This past offseason, the Huskies lost several key players to the transfer portal, such as guards David Coit and Keshawn Williams and forwards Xavier Amos and Yanic Konan Niederhauser.
Three of the athletes that transferred from the Huskies last year averaged more than 13 points per game.
Coit finished last season as the Huskies’ leading scorer and was second in the MAC in scoring, averaging 20.8 points per game before transferring to the University of Kansas in the offseason.
Konan Niederhauser led the MAC in blocks per game, finishing the season with 2.1 blocks per game.
“Last year we struggled with guys being able to distribute the ball,” Burno said. “So we went out and got more balance with some guys.”
One notable transfer student the Huskies brought in this offseason to replace the talent lost is graduate student guard Joe Munden Jr., a transfer from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Munden was a member of the Fairleigh Dickinson tournament team that defeated the University of Purdue in the 2023 NCAA tournament, becoming just the second 16 seed to upset a number one seed.
Senior guard James Dent Jr. is another player that was brought in through the transfer portal this offseason. Dent averaged 10.7 points per game last season at Western Illinois University.
“One of the first things Coach (Burno) preached to me, I was gonna be one of the older guys on the team,” Dent said. “So just bringing everyone together and making sure we are all connected on the floor.”
Sophomore guard Quentin Jones is another player Burno brought in for the Huskies this offseason. Jones averaged 9.7 points per game while shooting over 40% from three in his freshman season at California Polytechnic State University.
“Scoring is definitely a goal I want to accomplish, but I bring everything to the team,” Jones said. “I play defense, try to get teammates involved. I’m trying to score. I’m trying to win. I want to do whatever it takes to win, whether that’s scoring, defense or rebounding.”
With the departures of several key players and leaders to the Huskies this offseason, senior forward Oluwasegun Durosinmi and junior forward Ethan Butler have assumed leadership roles this offseason.
Buler and Durosinmi are two of the few players to remain on the roster from last year and have experience playing under Burno.
Butler is entering his second season with the Huskies following his transfer from the University of Oregon. The Toronto, Ontario, Canada, native averaged 3.5 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game in 28 games played last season.
“I had to step into a little bit more of a leadership role, compared to last year,” Butler said. “I was learning from a lot of guys but I think what I really want to focus on is teaching. I feel like being here, every opportunity to expand my game but at the same time learn how to put the younger guys on.”
The Huskies will start their season Monday 6 p.m. against Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. The game will be live streamed via ESPN+.
