NIU basketball coach Rob Judson would not say if Marcus Smallwood would play in Saturday’s home game with Ball State, but he did say Smallwood was still with the team.

Smallwood, the Huskies’ leading scorer and rebounder, did not travel with the team in its last two games – losses at Central Michigan and Toledo – because of what Judson called a coach’s decision.

“Marcus [Smallwood] is still a part of the team,” Judson said. “We are moving forward.”

Smallwood was unavailable for comment.

“Marcus [Smallwood] is off limits to the media,” Judson said.

In the last three games Smallwood played, he averaged 8.8 points and 6.6 rebounds, down from his season averages of 14.3 ppg and 9.7 rpg. The game against Kent State on Feb. 4 was the first game of the season he did not start in, and he played in only 24 minutes, down from his team-high 31 minutes per game.

Judson attributed Smallwood’s lack of production in the last three games he played to the opposing team’s defensive schemes.

Judson did not say when Smallwood can be expected to play again.

“This situation is being handled from within the team and we’re going to keep it that way,” he said. “It’s in Marcus’ and the team’s best interests to not talk publicly about this.”

NIU’s Assistant Sports Information Director Dave Reiter said Smallwood would be made available to talk to the media after Saturday’s game, regardless of whether he plays in the game.