The Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball team represents Northern Illinois University (NIU) in DeKalb, Illinois. The school's team currently competes in the Horizon League. The team last played in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in 1996.
History Conference affiliations 1900–01 to 1919–20: Independent 1920–21 to 1965–66: Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 1966–67 to 1967–70: NCAA Division I Independent 1970–71 to 1971–72: Midwestern Conference 1972–73 to 1974–75: NCAA Division I Independent 1975–76 to 1985–86: Mid-American Conference 1986–87 to 1989–90: NCAA Division I Independent 1990–91 to 1993–94: Mid-Continent Conference 1994–95 to 1996–97: Midwestern Collegiate Conference 1997–98 to 2025–26: Mid-American Conference 2026–27 to present: Horizon League
Notes
The All-Century Team
Best of Northern Illinois Men's Basketball (1900-2000) The Northern Illinois University athletic department celebrated 100 years of Huskies basketball in the 2000–01 season. A panel of 29 Administrators, NIU Staff/Faculty, NIU Alumni, Media and NIU Media Services were given the opportunity to cast votes for the greatest players to ever don the cardinal and black of Northern Illinois University, resulting in a total of 46 players. Eighty-six different Huskie players received at least one vote, including 33 Northern Illinois Hall of Famers, plus 12 performers either drafted or signed as free agents by the National Basketball Association. Members of the All-Century Team were acknowledged at halftime of the NIU-Ball State Cardinals men's basketball game on Saturday February 17, 2001 in Chick Evans Field House.The First Century Northern Illinois Men's Basketball2019-20 NIU Men's Basketball Record Book
No.PlayerPos.CareerHeightHometownVotesAll-AmericanPlayer of the YearMAC/Midwestern/IICA All-ConferenceCareer PointsNote 33 Kenny Battle F 1984-86 6-6 Aurora, IL 29 1,072 Jersey in College Basketball HOF 24 Jim Bradley F/C 1971-73 6-10 East Chicago, IN 29 1,134 NIU Player of the Century 35 T.J. Lux F/C 1995-2000 6-9 Merrillville, IN 29 1,996 NIU All-Time leading scorer 40 Allen Rayhorn C 1978-82 6-9 Rock City, IL 29 1,848 NIU All-Time leader in FT and FTA 10 Donald Whiteside PG 1987-91 5-10 Chicago, IL 28 1,155 Played in the CBA, ABA & NBA 34 Matt Hicks F 1974-77 6-4 Aurora, IL 27 1,513 MAC Player of the Year 1976–77 44 Donnell Thomas F 1987-91 6-4 Chicago, IL 27 1,853 Lead NIU in rebounding four consecutive seasons 13 Larry Wyllie G 1956-59 6-1 Westmont, IL 27 970 Inducted into IBCA Hall of Fame (1987) 44 Paul Dawkins F 1975-79 6-5 Saginaw, MI 26 1,749 Fifth in the nation in scoring in 1979 50 Tim Dillon F/C 1980-84 6-9 Franklin Grove, IL 26 1,559 NIU's First Academic All-American 40 Larry Gentry F 1956-60 6-4 Clinton, IL 26 1,306 Four-Time All-IIAC 44 Jerry Zielinski F 1968-72 6-4 Hennepin, IL 25 1,402 Drafted by ABA Dallas Chaparrals in April, 1972 44 Jim Smith C 1967-69 6-7 Des Plaines, IL 24 967 First Huskie drafted by the NBA (Lakers)Basketball-Reference.com 12 Billy Harris G 1969-73 6-2 Chicago, IL 24 1,331 Titled: "The Best Playground Baller Ever" 10 George Bork G 1960-63 6-1 Mt. Prospect, IL 23 1,114 First NIU football-basketball All-America pick. 12 Willie Hanson G 1963-67 5-10 Mendota, IL 23 1,063 Best Free Throw Shooter in NIU History 32 Rodney Davis G 1984-88 6-3 Aurora, IL 22 1,175 Called "complete package" by Northern Illinois Hall of Fame coach John McDougal. NA Reino Nori F 1932-36 5-6 DeKalb, IL 22 NA Greatest NIU athlete during school's first 50 years. 52 Abe Booker C 1958-61 6-5 Chicago, IL 21 595 Set NIU single-game (32) and season (331) rebound records NA Tuck Huntzicker F 1925-28 5-10 DeKalb, IL 21 NA Two-time team Captain 21 John Olson F 1953-57 6-3 Chicago, IL 21 1,192 First NIU player to reach 1,000-point career points 32 Bill Terwilliger F 1938-41 6-2 DeKalb, IL 21 NA Dubbed "Fastest Man on Campus" 21 Bobby Wood G/F 1945-49 5-11 Rockford, IL 21 983 First NIU cager to play in the NBA. NA Charles "Wix" Garner F 1916-21 5-9 DeKalb, IL 20 NA Two-sport All-IIAC Athlete NA Leland Strombom G 1927-31 6-0 Sycamore, IL 20 NA Namesake of long-running Sycamore High School boys' basketball holiday tournament. NA Wes Concidine F 1925-28 6-1 DeKalb, IL 19 NA Earned 11 varsity letters in three sports NA Jim McKinzie G 1950-53 6-0 DeKalb, IL 17 579 Inducted into IBCA HOF in 2004 NA John "Red" Pace F 1929-33 6-3 Woodstock, IL 17 NA NBA official (1949–52) and NFL referee and crew chief (1953–70) 25 Dick Williams F/C 1944-49 6-0 Kirkland, IL 17 NA Competed in two collegiate spring sports literally at same time (baseball/track). NA Clarence "Boots" Cannon G 1916-21 5-9 Shabonna Grove, IL 16 NA Lettered in football, basketball, and baseball 25 Chris Coleman G/F 1994-97 6-3 Buffalo Grove, IL 16 1,080 MCC Tournament Most Valuable Player (1996) 34 Brad Waller G/F 1982-85 6-4 Lombard, IL 16 787 IBCA Hall-of-Fame (1991) NA Benny Westlake F 1931-35 6-1 Elburn, IL 16 NA Mr. Northern Illinois Basketball in 1930s NA Roy "Flip" Allen G/F 1935-39 6-0 Mount Morris, IL 15 NA Nicknamed "Flip" for his radical one-handed basketball jump shot 24 Harry Henigan G 1942-49 5-11 Sycamore, IL 15 NA Known as "Harry The Horse" to Northern Illinois fans 16 Ollie Krahenbuhl G 1939-42 5-7 Rochelle, IL 15 NA Described by George "Chick" Evans as "...the greatest punter I ever saw."NIU Huskies Hall of Fame100 years of memories, basketball at NIU
Season-by-season records
Source: NIU Men's Basketball Record Book
Conference Tournament results
MAC tournament The Huskies have won the MAC tournament once in 1982. 1980 3rd DeKalb, ILAnn Arbor, MIAnn Arbor, MI QuarterfinalSemifinalConsolation (6) Miami(2) Bowling Green(5) Ball State W 58–53L 54–49W 71–58 John McDougal 1981 5th Bowling Green, OHAnn Arbor, MIAnn Arbor, MI QuarterfinalSemifinalChampionship (4) Bowling Green(1) Western Michigan(2) Ball State W 79–72W 78–73L 79–66 John McDougal 1982 3rd DeKalb, ILAnn Arbor, MIAnn Arbor, MI QuarterfinalSemifinalChampionship (6) Ohio(2) Bowling Green(1) Ball State W 70–68W 67–66W 79–75 (OT) John McDougal 1984 5th Rockford, IL Quarterfinal (4) Toledo L 73–68 John McDougal 1986 4th Rockford, IL Quarterfinal (5) Toledo L 82–79 John McDougal 2000 10th Toledo, OH First round (7) Toledo L 68–64 Brian Hammel 2001 11th Muncie, IN First round (6) Ball State L 89–57 Andy Greer 2002 9th Huntington, WV First round (8) Marshall L 97–93 Rob Judson 2003 4th DeKalb, ILCleveland, OHCleveland, OH First roundQuarterfinalSemifinal (13) Buffalo(5) Western Michigan(1) Central Michigan W 81–64W 75–63L 94–72 Rob Judson 2004 12th Buffalo, NY First round (5) Buffalo L 90–73 Rob Judson 2005 10th Buffalo, NY First round (7) Buffalo L 73–66 Rob Judson 2006 2nd Cleveland, OH Quarterfinal (7) Toledo L 78–77 Rob Judson 2007 11th Cleveland, OH First round (6) Western Michigan L 67–62 Rob Judson 2008 11th Cleveland, OH First round (6) Central Michigan L 83–71 Ricardo Patton 2009 11th Cleveland, OH First round (6) Kent State L 64–61 Ricardo Patton 2010 11th Cleveland, OH First round (6) Eastern Michigan L 65–59 Ricardo Patton 2011 10th Bowling Green, OH First round (7) Bowling Green L 74–54 Ricardo Patton 2012 12th Ypsilanti, MICleveland, OH First roundSecond Round (5) Eastern Michigan(8) Western Michigan W 52–55L 71-54 Mark Montgomery 2013 10th Ypsilanti, MI First round (7) Eastern Michigan L 45–44 Mark Montgomery 2014 7th DeKalb, ILCleveland, OH First roundSecond Round (10) Bowling Green(6) Eastern Michigan W 54–51L 58–43 Mark Montgomery 2015 10th Akron, OH First round (7) Akron L 76–52 Mark Montgomery 2016 7th DeKalb, ILCleveland, OH First roundSecond Round (10) Western Michigan(2) Ohio W 56–50 L 79–62 Mark Montgomery 2017 9th Ypsilanti, MI First round (8) Eastern Michigan L 72-69 Mark Montgomery 2018 12th Kent, OH First round (5) Kent State L 61-59 Mark Montgomery 2019 7th Dekalb, IL First round (10) Ohio W 80-61 Mark Montgomery 2023 7th Cleveland, OH First round (2) Kent State L 76-57 Rashon Burno
Source: MAC Men's Basketball Tournament History
The Summit League tournament 1991 1st Green Bay, WI QuarterfinalSemifinalChampionship (8) Illinois-Chicago(5) Northern Iowa(2) UW-Green Bay W 77–52W 76–63 (OT)L 56–39 Jim Molinari 1992 6th Cleveland, OH Quarterfinal (3) Illinois-Chicago L 80–66 Brian Hammel 1993 2nd Dayton, OH Quarterfinal (7) Valparaiso L 83–75 Brian Hammel 1994 7th Rosemont, IL Quarterfinal (2) Illinois-Chicago L 87–77 Brian Hammel Source: Summit League History
Horizon League tournament The Huskies have won the Horizon League tournament once in 1996. 1995 7th Dayton, OH First roundQuarterfinalSemifinal (10) Loyola(2) Illinois-Chicago(3) Green Bay W 62–57W 87–83L 68–65 Brian Hammel 1996 3rd Dayton, OH QuarterfinalSemifinalChampionship (6) Milwaukee(7) Illinois-Chicago(5) Detroit W 80–60W 95–60W 84–60 Brian Hammel 1997 6th Dayton, OH Quarterfinal (3) Illinois-Chicago L 76–65 Brian Hammel Source: Horizon League Records
Postseason
NCAA tournament results The Huskies have appeared in the NCAA tournament three times. Their overall record is 0–3. 1982 #12 Round of 48 #5 Kansas State L 77–68 1991 #13 Round of 64 #4 St. John's L 75–68 1996 #14 Round of 64 #3 Texas Tech L 74–73
NCAA Division II Tournament results The Huskies appeared in one NCAA Division II tournament. Their record is 0–2. 1958 Regional semifinalsRegional 3rd-place game HopeSt. Norbert L 101–95L 76–70
Vegas 16 results The Huskies appeared in one Vegas 16. Their record is 0–1. 2016 Quarterfinals UC Santa Barbara L 70–63
Rashon Burno – Head Coach Steve Christiansen – Assistant Coach Drew Gladstone - Assistant Coach Branden McDonald – Assistant Coach Matt Fleming – Director of Basketball Operations TBA – Assistant Director of Basketball Operations
See also NIU Huskies women's basketball
References
External links