Although the NIU men’s basketball team is four games into its season, coach Jim Rosborough said Saturday’s 93-75 loss at Montana State gave the squad a taste of Division I hoops.

The 2-2 Huskies remain roadbound as they try again tonight at 8:30 (CST) against the Idaho State Bengals (2-2) in Pocatello, Idaho.

Rosborough, who referred to the officiating against MSU (3-1) as “pitiful,” watched his team swallow up fouls early in the game. One call made against the Bulldogs gave the Huskie boss the feeling he was coaching on a gridiron.

“Our little guy (Donald Whiteside) was undercut,” Rosborough said. “That would’ve been a clipping call in the NFL. This is what Division I basketball is all about—there are no breaks on the road.”

Although Rosborough referred to MSU as the “bigger and stronger” team, it was a 5-foot-10 Alonzo Stephens that did NIU in with his 32 points. Stephens entertained the crowd of 7,311 and gave the Huskies something to chew on with his 6-of-8 shooting from 3-point range. The NIU squad could only sink 5-of-13 3-pointers.

“I was a little disappointed in our defensive job on Stephens,” Rosborough said. “He just shut the lights out on us. Our own execution was the main problem. I was very unpleased with some of our plays.”

NIU’s Stacy Arrington scored 10 of his 26 points in the first 20 to keep the Huskies within range for most of the half. During the final three minutes, a pair of Stephens 3-pointers helped stretch a 26-24 lead to the 39-26 intermission score. The deficit was never overcome by the Huskies.

Andrew Wells and Donnell Thomas chipped in 10 points for the Huskies, and Wells also grabbed 10 boards.

“I think our kids have a better understanding of what it’s going to take to win on Monday,” Rosborough said.