September 12, 2024
Sports - DeKalb County
Sports

NIU basketball: Huskie greats returning to NIU Convo Center for doubleheader

By DAILY CHRONICLE

NIU Photo Services Former Northern Illinois men's basketball coach John McDougal (standing) yells out toward the court during a game. The Huskies will honor McDougal, who passed away in October, at a halftime ceremony on Saturday.

There will be plenty of nostalgia today at the NIU Convocation Center.

With the Northern Illinois men’s and women’s basketball teams participating in an afternoon doubleheader, the Huskies are bringing back more than 60 former players and coaches and will be honoring the late John McDougal, a legendary NIU coach who died in October, with a halftime ceremony during the men’s game.

The NIU women’s team tips off against Western Michigan at 1 p.m. The men will take on Eastern Michigan around 3:30 p.m.

It will be a who’s who of former Huskie greats in the crowd. On the men’s side, Kenny Battle (1986 AP honorable mention All-American), Matt Hicks (1977 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year), Alley Rayhorn (third in career scoring), Donald Whiteside (first team all-Mid-Continent Conference) and Jay Bryant (career assist leader) will be in attendance. For the women, Lisa Foss (all-time leading scorer), Carol Owens (second all-time in points and rebounds, former coach), Tammy Hinchee (all-time leading rebounder) and EC Hill (first team All-American) will be part of the group returning.

The women’s basketball alums are hosting a pregame reception for all fans in the south lobby starting at noon and a postgame reception in the same spot with the current team and the alums.

The NIU women (15-5 overall, 8-1 MAC West) enter the game against Western Michigan (14-6 , 5-4 MAC West) alone atop the conference standings and have won nine out of their past 10 contests – including a high-scoring 101-96 victory at Ball State to take control of first place. It was the eighth time that the Huskies have scored at least 90 points this season, and they’re third in the nation in points a game (89.1).

The NIU men (13-9, 5-4 MAC West) are looking to snap a three-game home losing streak after squandering a 15-point lead Tuesday in a 76-73 loss to Akron. However, the Huskies still are in a three-way tie for third place in the conference – including with Eastern Michigan (13-9, 5-4 MAC West).

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