Senior guard Travon Baker is climbing the ranks of many NIU records in his final year, helping lead men’s basketball (19-10, 8-8 MAC) to its best year since Baker joined the team in 2012.

Baker has led the Huskies in assists since the 2012-13 season, his freshman year, and each year has improved the number of assists he dishes out. As a freshman, the guard had 58 assists, 78 as a sophomore, 94 as a junior and currently has 116 in his senior season.

The senior has led the team in scoring eight times this season, including a career-high 25 points Jan. 6 in an 80-69 win against Ohio University. Baker then tied his career-high in points in the team’s very next game Jan. 9 in an 80-63 win over Eastern Michigan University.

His field goal percentage has gradually risen in each of his four seasons at NIU. He shot 30 percent from the field his first year, 32 percent his second year, 33 percent his junior season and is currently shooting 38 percent this season, a significant increase from his first three years.

“It’s an amazing thing,” Baker said. “I’m so blessed to have played four years of Division I basketball.”

Baker’s eye was noticeably red on Saturday against Western Michigan University, and he didn’t know if he was even going to be able to play, but decided to play through the minor injury. For Baker, it’s important to play in games — something he doesn’t take for granted.

As the team heads into its final game of the regular season and then into the MAC Tournament, Baker said the fans can expect him to give the same effort he has given all season.

“Consistent working, whether it’s in the offseason or it’s during the season, you can never stop getting enough shots up,” Baker said. “You can never be in the gym enough and never get enough of watching film.

“It’s just a combination of everything, then experience coming in at the end. So it’s just a lot you have to put into the game to get a lot out of it.”

Baker and the Huskies will play their final game of the regular season this week against Ball State University at 6 p.m. Friday at the Convocation Center.