After beating Ball State Saturday, the NIU men’s basketball team put together its first winning streak since November 2006.

Today, the Huskies will try to keep that streak alive when they head to Ypsilanti, Mich. to face off against the Eagles.

NIU (10-17 overall, 5-9 MAC) looks for its fourth consecutive win and its third consecutive MAC victory against a poor-shooting Eastern Michigan team. The Eagles are among the bottom of the conference in field goal and 3-point field goal percentage, earning them a 4-10 conference record.

Still, NIU head coach Ricardo Patton’s main priority is to keep the team’s defensive mentality strong.

“We’ve got to still play well on the defensive end and keep our emphasis there,” Patton said.

“We’re preparing for a different team than we faced a month ago. They’ve gone on the road and beaten a team that’s beaten us twice. So we certainly have a great deal of respect for them and know that they are better than their record indicates.”

Patton and the Huskies are firm believers in the phrase “defense wins games.” Though the Huskies are second in the conference in scoring offense, they sit at the bottom in scoring defense, allowing an average of 70 points a game. Redshirt freshman Jeremy Landers, who’s known for creating a defensive spark, agrees with his coach’s concern for defense.

“I think we’re going to stick with the defensive mentality, because defense wins games,” Landers said. “It’s all about the amount of energy produced on defense, it’s communicating and making sure that guys are where they are supposed to be.”

On the offensive end, sophomore Darion ‘Jake’ Anderson enters the match-up after receiving his fourth MAC West Player of the Week accolade of the season. Anderson averaged 22.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in the last two conference contests.

“Jake is an incredible basketball player. He opens doors for many of us to do what we’re good at,” Landers said. “He is a big threat, and he deserves the MAC West title.”

Despite Anderson’s success, free throws still act as the team’s offensive Achilles’ heel at 59 percent on the season. The Huskies opened practice Monday afternoon practicing the free throws, where shots were consistently falling. Since the mechanics of free-throw shooting are there, Patton said the team’s struggles must be mental.

“Certainly an area we need to get better at is at the foul line,” Patton said of the team’s free-throw percentage. “It’s a matter of guys gaining more experience and becoming more comfortable at the line during the game.”

The last time NIU took on the Eagles, the Huskies took the game 72-52 at the Convocation Center. Now, the team will have to hit the road and battle at EMU’s home gym. The Huskies have struggled on the road so far this season, going 2-9 in away contests.