Men’s basketball (18-9, 7-7 MAC) will continue its quest for a 20-win season when the team welcomes Western Michigan University (11-16, 5-9 MAC) for a conference showdown Saturday.

NIU has lost six of its last seven games against the Broncos. Western Michigan is the only team in the MAC West whose overall record this season is below .500.

The Broncos ended the Huskies seven-game win streak with an 83-69 victory in the last meeting between the two teams on Jan. 16. NIU senior guard Travon Baker was ejected early in the contest after a flagrant two foul, along with three other Huskies who left the bench during the ensuing altercation. Junior guard Aaric Armstead led the shorthanded Huskies with 15 points, while freshman guard Bryce Moore led the Broncos with 24 points.

Western Michigan has lost four of its last six games and has won just two road games this season. NIU has also lost four of their last six contests, but the Huskies are 15-1 at home this season, their only loss coming against University at Buffalo on Feb. 2.

Broncos sophomore guard Thomas Wilder was named MAC West Player of the Week after averaging 25 points, 4.5 rebounds, four assists and two steals in two games last week. Wilder scored 24 points including the game-tying shot that sent the contest into overtime on Feb. 16 against Kent State University. He dropped 26 points and posted a career-high seven assists in Western’s win over Central Michigan University on Saturday.

Western Michigan

• Wilder is averaging 18.7 points per game for second in the MAC and 1.5 steals per game for fifth in the MAC. He’s also shooting 43 percent on three-pointers for fifth in the MAC.

• Junior guard Tucker Haymond is averaging 16 points per game for seventh in the MAC.

• Junior Kellen McCormick is shooting 49 percent on three-pointers for first in the MAC.

• Western Michigan is fifth in the MAC in rebounding margin with a +3.0 margin.

• Averaging 10.9 offensive rebounds per game for fifth in the MAC.

NIU

• NIU is second in the MAC in scoring defense, averaging 66.6 points per game.

• Has a +7.1 scoring margin for third in the MAC.

• First in the MAC in rebounding margin with a +5.6 margin.

• Averaging 14.6 assists per game, tied for third in the MAC.

• Averaging 7.4 steals per game for second in the MAC.

• Sophomore center Marin Maric is averaging 8.6 rebounds per game for fifth in the MAC. Maric also averages 1.1 blocks per game.