DeKALB | You can thank ESPN for the intriguing non-conference men’s basketball match-up this weekend.

NIU will play host to University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in a 2 p.m. game Saturday at the Convocation Center.

Nicknamed the “BracketBuster,” through the assistance of the respective conferences, the made-for-ESPN event pits a collection of mid-major teams against one another.

Participants are the types of teams notorious for being slotted in the deadly No. 12 NCAA Tournament seed; The little schools marquee name teams hope to avoid.

The games give smaller schools big-time exposure. And the Cinderella run of George Mason to the Final Four last year has only heightened public awareness of quality basketball being played outside the major conferences.

The only way the Huskies (6-18) are going to be heard from come March is if they get hot and win their postseason conference tournament.

“We are in a good situation with our guys coming back,” NIU coach Rob Judson said in reference to Cody Yelder and Ben Rand returning from injury. “Most teams are depleting this time of year from injury or fatigue.”

Judson said the defensive energy of Rand and Yelder will be a welcome addition, as both players continue to carve their niches to fit back into the dynamic of the team.

A 57-55 loss to Ball State Tuesday prevented a three-game win streak for NIU, but Judson said he was happy with a second-half defensive effort that limited the Cardinals to 17 points.

UWGB (15-12) provides NIU with another chance to build momentum heading into the MAC Tournament.

An old rival, both teams participated in the Mid-Continent Conference from 1990-97, with the Phoenix holding a decisive 22-5 all-time series edge.

UWGB is fresh off a 65-55 win over Illinois-Chicago, a team that back in December trounced NIU 71-48 at the Convocation Center.

At home, NIU has struggled to shoot the basketball, but shot a respectable 8 of 21 for 38 percent to compete against BSU. “Interestingly enough, our three-point shooting at home is not as good as on the road,” Judson said. “If you are above 35 percent in college basketball, then that is good shooting.”

Various cosmetic differences from arena to arena aren’t the difference, but rather effort junior guard Zach Pancratz said.

“This is the gym we shoot in all the time,” the Schaumburg native said. “I think that at home, we want to be good so bad and do everything right that sometimes, we think too much and it affects our shooting.”