DeKALB | Their graduations may be long past, but some of NIU’s all-time greats returned to school this past weekend.

In the seventh annual NIU men’s alumni basketball game Saturday at the Convocation Center, the Black team edged the Cardinal team 97-94.

The game was highlighted by the record-setting 45-point performance of Cardinal guard and 2003 NIU alumnus Jay Bates, shattering the record of 34 points he set in 2004. However, Bates, who has averaged more than 33 points per game in his last four alumni game outings, would trade the record for a victory.

“I’d rather win,” Bates said. “It was a lot of fun. I look forward to coming back every year. I wish I had another year of college eligibility.”

1998 alumnus Tori Hughes led the Black squad with 30 points.

“It’s great to come back to school and get to run with my old teammates and the guys who played before me,” Hughes said.