DeKALB | The NIU men’s basketball team is devastated after a horrific loss.

The team heads to Des Moines, Iowa this weekend, hoping to rebound at the Drake Regency Challenge Classic.

The first game will be played on Friday night at 5 p.m. against Georgia Southern. NIU will then face either Troy or Drake on Saturday.

NIU (3-2) is coming off two consecutive losses. The last came on Tuesday against in-state rival UIC, as the Huskies shot 39 percent from the field and scored only 48 points.

NIU point guard Ryan Paradise will also not be in action this weekend. The junior has not been feeling well and did not play in Tuesday’s game against UIC.

But NIU coach Rob Judson isn’t disheartened by this. He realizes his team is adjusting after losing three key seniors from last season.

“A lot of coaches after two games might be discouraged. We’re not,” Judson said. “We’re identifying who we are.”

Georgia Southern (4-2) is averaging 67 points per game, led by senior guard Donte Gennie with 13 points per game.

The Eagles bring a defense averaging 43 rebounds per game. Junior forwad Louis Graham leads the Eagles wih over nine rebounds per game. Georgia Southern also averages more than eight steals per game.

Judson points out that his team has to protect the ball even more, as NIU has been committing too many turnovers as it is. The Huskies are averaging over 19 turnovers per game, nearly six more than they force from their opponents.

The fifth-year coach also believes his team needs to take advantage when opponents double team NIU center James Hughes.

Hughes, whose 10.3 points per game are sixth in the MAC with, was kept from putting up any points on Tuesday night.

“Our players were disappointed after Tuesday, which is good,” Judson said. “They are eager to play.”