After a loss last weekend to Central Michigan, the NIU wrestling team will try to rebound against a team they have beaten by an average of 26 points the past three seasons.

The Huskies (8-4 overall) will travel to Eastern Illinois (4-8) for a 7 p.m meet today.

“They have a tougher team this year,” NIU coach Dave Grant said. “They have some guys that have done well, and they have placed in some tournaments. They are a much better team. The one thing, I guess, for us is conditioning and setting the pace.”

EIU doesn’t have anyone ranked in the top 20. The Huskies have three: 184-pound Ben Heizer, 133-pound Sam Hiatt and 149-pound Josh Wooton.

George Kirgan, the usual starting 174-pounder, will be kept out because of a sore back, Grant said. Filling in for Kirgan will be Danny Burk.

“This is a big opportunity for Danny to show off his stuff,” Grant said. “When guys come off the bench and wrestle for us, it’s their time to shine.”

After the loss to CMU, Grant tried to get his wrestlers to remember the importance of persistence.

“We’ve been pretty level-headed about things this year,” Grant said. “You can’t base everything off of a dual meet, whether you wrestled good or not. You just have to keep plugging forward. Obviously we’re not happy when we lose.”