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Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball

Basketball team representing Northern Illinois University


Basketball team representing Northern Illinois University

FieldValue
current2025–26 Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball team
nameNorthern Illinois Huskies
men's basketball
logoNIU Huskies basketball.png
logo_size150
universityNorthern Illinois University
conferenceMid-American
(Horizon League in 2026–27)
locationDeKalb, Illinois
coachRashon Burno
tenure5th
arenaNIU Convocation Center
capacity10,000
nicknameHuskies
h_bodyBA0C2F
h_pattern_b_thinsidesonwhite
h_shortsBA0C2F
h_pattern_s_blanksides2
a_bodyBA0C2F
a_pattern_b_thinblacksides
a_shortsBA0C2F
a_pattern_s_blacksides
NCAAtourneys1958*, 1982, 1991, 1996
conference_tournamentIIAC: 1932
MAC: 1982
MCC: 1996
conference_seasonIIAC: 1933, 1934, 1935, 1941, 1945
Midwestern: 1972
MAC: 1981
Mid-Con: 1991
collapseconfregseayes
division_seasonMAC: 2006, 2020
below'* at Division II level'''''

men's basketball (Horizon League in 2026–27) MAC: 1982 MCC: 1996 Midwestern: 1972 MAC: 1981 Mid-Con: 1991 The Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball team represents Northern Illinois University (NIU) in DeKalb, Illinois. The school's team currently competes in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). 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 present: Mid-American Conference

;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.

NIU Huskies}}; text-align:center"No.NIU Huskies}}; text-align:center"PlayerNIU Huskies}}; text-align:center"Pos.NIU Huskies}}; text-align:center"CareerNIU Huskies}}; text-align:center"HeightNIU Huskies}}; text-align:center"HometownNIU Huskies}}; text-align:center"VotesNIU Huskies}}; text-align:center"All-AmericanNIU Huskies}}; text-align:center"Player of the YearNIU Huskies}}; text-align:center"MAC/Midwestern/IICA All-ConferenceNIU Huskies}}; text-align:center"Career PointsNIU Huskies}}; text-align:center"Note
33Kenny BattleF1984-866-6Aurora, IL291,072Jersey in College Basketball HOF
24Jim BradleyF/C1971-736-10East Chicago, IN291,134NIU Player of the Century
35T.J. LuxF/C1995-20006-9Merrillville, IN291,996NIU All-Time leading scorer
40Allen RayhornC1978-826-9Rock City, IL291,848NIU All-Time leader in FT and FTA
10Donald WhitesidePG1987-915-10Chicago, IL281,155Played in the CBA, ABA & NBA
34Matt HicksF1974-776-4Aurora, IL271,513MAC Player of the Year 1976-77
44Donnell ThomasF1987-916-4Chicago, IL271,853Lead NIU in rebounding four consecutive seasons
13Larry WyllieG1956-596-1Westmont, IL27970Inducted into IBCA Hall of Fame (1987)
44Paul DawkinsF1975-796-5Saginaw, MI261,749Fifth in the nation in scoring in 1979
50Tim DillonF/C1980-846-9Franklin Grove, IL261,559NIU's First Academic All-American
40Larry GentryF1956-606-4Clinton, IL261,306Four-Time All-IIAC
44Jerry ZielinskiF1968-726-4Hennepin, IL251,402Drafted by ABA Dallas Chaparrals in April, 1972
44Jim SmithC1967-696-7Des Plaines, IL24967First Huskie drafted by the NBA (Lakers)
12Billy HarrisG1969-736-2Chicago, IL241,331Titled: "The Best Playground Baller Ever"
10George BorkG1960-636-1Mt. Prospect, IL231,114First NIU football-basketball All-America pick.
12Willie HansonG1963-675-10Mendota, IL231,063Best Free Throw Shooter in NIU History
32Rodney DavisG1984-886-3Aurora, IL221,175Called "complete package" by Northern Illinois Hall of Fame coach John McDougal.
NAReino NoriF1932-365-6DeKalb, IL22NAGreatest NIU athlete during school's first 50 years.
52Abe BookerC1958-616-5Chicago, IL21595Set NIU single-game (32) and season (331) rebound records
NATuck HuntzickerF1925-285-10DeKalb, IL21NATwo-time team Captain
21John OlsonF1953-576-3Chicago, IL211,192First NIU player to reach 1,000-point career points
32Bill TerwilligerF1938-416-2DeKalb, IL21NADubbed "Fastest Man on Campus"
21Bobby WoodG/F1945-495-11Rockford, IL21983First NIU cager to play in the NBA.
NACharles "Wix" GarnerF1916-215-9DeKalb, IL20NATwo-sport All-IIAC Athlete
NALeland StrombomG1927-316-0Sycamore, IL20NANamesake of long-running Sycamore High School boys' basketball holiday tournament.
NAWes ConcidineF1925-286-1DeKalb, IL19NAEarned 11 varsity letters in three sports
NAJim McKinzieG1950-536-0DeKalb, IL17579Inducted into IBCA HOF in 2004
NAJohn "Red" PaceF1929-336-3Woodstock, IL17NANBA official (1949-52) and NFL referee and crew chief (1953-70)
25Dick WilliamsF/C1944-496-0Kirkland, IL17NACompeted in two collegiate spring sports literally at same time (baseball/track).
NAClarence "Boots" CannonG1916-215-9Shabonna Grove, IL16NALettered in football, basketball, and baseball
25Chris ColemanG/F1994-976-3Buffalo Grove, IL161,080MCC Tournament Most Valuable Player (1996)
34Brad WallerG/F1982-856-4Lombard, IL16787IBCA Hall-of-Fame (1991)
NABenny WestlakeF1931-356-1Elburn, IL16NAMr. Northern Illinois Basketball in 1930s
NARoy "Flip" AllenG/F1935-396-0Mount Morris, IL15NANicknamed "Flip" for his radical one-handed basketball jump shot
24Harry HeniganG1942-495-11Sycamore, IL15NAKnown as "Harry The Horse" to Northern Illinois fans
16Ollie KrahenbuhlG1939-425-7Rochelle, IL15NADescribed by George "Chick" Evans as "...the greatest punter I ever saw."

Season-by-season records

|}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}} |}}

Conference Tournament results

MAC tournament

The Huskies have won the MAC tournament once in 1982.

20237thCleveland, OHFirst round(2) Kent StateL 76-57Rashon Burno

The Summit League tournament

19947thRosemont, ILQuarterfinal(2) Illinois-ChicagoL 87–77Brian Hammel

Horizon League tournament

The Huskies have won the Horizon League tournament once in 1996.

19976thDayton, OHQuarterfinal(3) Illinois-ChicagoL 76–65Brian Hammel

Postseason

NCAA tournament results

The Huskies have appeared in the NCAA tournament three times. Their overall record is 0–3.

1996#14Round of 64#3 Texas TechL 74–73

NCAA Division II Tournament results

The Huskies appeared in one NCAA Division II tournament. Their record is 0–2.

1958Regional semifinals
Regional 3rd-place gameHope
St. NorbertL 101–95
L 76–70

Vegas 16 results

The Huskies appeared in one Vegas 16. Their record is 0–1.

2016QuarterfinalsUC Santa BarbaraL 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

References

References

  1. [https://docplayer.net/13302270-The-first-century-2003-04-northern-illinois-men-s-basketball-media-guide-109.html The First Century Northern Illinois Men's Basketball]
  2. [https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/niuhuskies.com/documents/2019/11/8/2019_20_NIU_Men_s_Basketball_Record_Book.pdf 2019-20 NIU Men's Basketball Record Book]
  3. [https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1969.html Basketball-Reference.com]
  4. [https://niuhuskies.com/sports/2016/6/13/hallfame-niu-hallfame-roster-sorting-html.aspx?id=2343 NIU Huskies Hall of Fame]
  5. [http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/niu/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/p81_100.pdf 100 years of memories, basketball at NIU]
  6. "Rashon Burno Finalizes Men's Basketball Staff".
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