The Huskies basketball team can’t afford to bask in the aftermath of its road win over Evansville. NIU’s next opponent has the best record among independent schools in the country.

The Wright State Raiders (15-4) have only been a Division I school for three years and are already leaving their mark in the NCAA. Wright State enters Saturday’s 6:30 game in Dayton, Ohio ranked No. 13 in team scoring. The Raiders are hitting opponents with a 91 points per-game average.

Coach Jim Molinari and his entourage (10-8) know they have their work cut out for them against the Raiders.

“Any team that can beat Dayton at Dayton (is) a tremendous team. You’ve got a team with the best record among the country’s independents and one of the top offenses in the country,” Molinari said. “I’m sure they can read, and saw our Evansville score.”

The contest should prove to be a stern challenge for NIU’s defense. The Raiders have piled up 90 or more points against 13 opponents this season. Wright State tuned up for the Huskies by downing Central State 99-82.

NIU is making its own mark in the national rankings on the other end of the scale, Defensively. Molinari’s squad is holding its opposition to 62.9 points per-game, putting them 16th nationally.

“They (NIU) have got good players,” said Raiders’ coach Ralph Underhill. “We got nailed twice by them last year.” NIU came away with 85-84 and 82-73 victories in the only two meetings ever between the schools.

The Raiders, Underhill readily admits, are on a roll. “We’re 15-4 and we’ve beaten Southern Alabama, Georgia Southern, Dayton and we played well against St. Johns. We’ve played some good ballclubs and we’re pleased so far.

“I’ve noticed by the numbers that NIU is playing better defense but the same guys are doing the damage. I don’t know if we are better or not (from last year) but we’re quicker, we’ve got more experience and better balance.”

The Raiders’ success comes despite having what most observers would see as the disadvantage of starting two juniors, two freshman and a sophomore. “We were young a long time ago,” Underhill said. “But now we’ve played 19 games and they’re no longer young.”

The Raiders are led by sophomore guard Marcus Mumphrey (15.3 ppg.), six-foot-eight forward Bill Edwards (14.6 ppg.) and freshman forward Sean Hammonds who is 15th in the NCAA in field-goal percentage (.627).

The Huskies attack is spearheaded by the “Chicago Express,” led by Donnell “D-Train” Thomas, Donald Whiteside, Stacy Arrington, Andrew Wells and Antwon Harmon, all from the Windy City. The five have accounted for 52 of NIU’s 63 points per-game average and 22 of its 31 rebounds per game.