Struggling b-ball heads to Ohio
Redshirt sophomore center Marin Maric looks for a rebound off a free throw. Maric finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds, but the Huskies ultimately succumbed to Buffalo in a 90-78 loss Tuesday.
February 8, 2016
Men’s basketball (16-7, 5-5 MAC) has lost four straight games but will continue its short road trip this week, taking on Kent State University (15-8, 6-4 MAC) on Tuesday in Kent, Ohio.
The Huskies have lost by at least 10 points in each game of their current losing streak. The Golden Flashes are coming off of losses to Ohio University on Jan. 29 and Central Michigan University on Feb. 2.
NIU and Kent State last met Jan. 10, 2015, when a pair of late free throws by former guard Kris Brewer slipped Kent State past the Huskies. The game included 13 ties and 14 lead changes in a contest that came down to the wire.
NIU is still at the top of the MAC in most defensive categories despite its current skid. Kent State is in the middle of the pack in most MAC statistical categories.
Kent State
• Kent State has a 45 percent field goal percentage, good for third in the MAC.
• Eleventh in three-point field goal percentage in the MAC.
• Third in rebounding defense in the MAC, averaging 33.9 per game.
• Second in the MAC, behind NIU, in rebounding margin (+4.3).
• The Golden Flashes are second in offensive rebounds in the MAC, averaging 12.7 per game.
• Third in the MAC in blocked shots, averaging 3.8 per game.
• Junior forward Jimmy Hall is the team’s leading scorer and ranks seventh in the MAC in scoring, averaging 16 points per game. Hall is also the team’s leading rebounder and ranks seventh in the MAC in rebounding, averaging 7.5 per game.
• Senior center Khaliq Spicer is first in the MAC in blocked shots, averaging 1.8 per game.
NIU
• The Huskies are first in the MAC in offensive rebounds, averaging 12.8 per game and second in defensive rebounds, averaging 27.7 per game.
• First in the MAC in rebounding margin, with a +6.9 margin.
• First in the MAC in scoring defense, averaging 64.4 points per game. The team is second in the MAC in scoring margin, with a +9.9 margin.
• NIU is second in the MAC in turnover margin, with a +2.19 margin.
• Second in the MAC in steals, averaging 7.5 per game and also second in assists, averaging 15 a game.
• First in the MAC in field goal percentage defense (38 percent).
• Senior guard Travon Baker is sixth in the MAC in assists, averaging 3.8 per game. Baker is also fourth in assists, averaging 1.5 per game.
