The men’s basketball team will be the last line of defense to save the fall of the MAC West against the blitzkrieg that is Kent State at 1:05 p.m. Saturday at the Convocation Center.

The Huskies (9-5 overall, 4-2 MAC) are the only MAC West team that the Golden Flashes (11-5, 5-0) have yet to meet.

In Kent State’s other five meetings with MAC West teams, the Flashes hold a 5-0 edge, with an average victory by 11 points.

Kent State is the second-best scoring offense in the conference, averaging 73.2 points per game.

“They’re good inside and out combination allows them to play in the paint and on the parameter,” said coach Rob Judson. “They’re a very potent offensively.”

On the flip side, NIU is letting its opponents average 67.6 points per game, putting them tenth out of twelve teams in scoring defenses in the MAC.

Part of this offensive bombardment that the Flashes create comes from the number five scorer in the conference, Jay Youngblood.

The senior guard is averaging 14.8 points per contest, and has scored 20 or more points in five games this season.

“He’s very good on the dribble and is good at shooting the three,” said Judson. “It’s going to take solid principals to guard him.”

Kent State also holds a stat that the Huskies will not be happy to see: the Flashes are 10-0 when leading with less than five minutes left in the game.

With NIU had seven of its nine games over winter break decided by the last possession. The Huskies will have to find a way to stay ahead of Kent State near the end of the game if they wish to keep the West from falling to the statistically stronger East division. So far this season, MAC East teams have a 26-5 advantage in games over the West.

“We just have to attack the basket at the end of the game and make free throws,” said the fifth-year coach. “One good thing to do is to make our free throws at the end of the game. We did that against Ohio.”

Three of these MAC West wins were produce by NIU in wins against Buffalo, Bowling Green, and Ohio. The other two were victories by Toledo over Buffalo and Western Michigan against Bowling Green.