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Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball
Basketball team representing Northern Illinois University
Basketball team representing Northern Illinois University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| current | 2025–26 Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball team |
| name | Northern Illinois Huskies |
| men's basketball | |
| logo | NIU Huskies basketball.png |
| logo_size | 150 |
| university | Northern Illinois University |
| conference | Mid-American |
| (Horizon League in 2026–27) | |
| location | DeKalb, Illinois |
| coach | Rashon Burno |
| tenure | 5th |
| arena | NIU Convocation Center |
| capacity | 10,000 |
| nickname | Huskies |
| h_body | BA0C2F |
| h_pattern_b | _thinsidesonwhite |
| h_shorts | BA0C2F |
| h_pattern_s | _blanksides2 |
| a_body | BA0C2F |
| a_pattern_b | _thinblacksides |
| a_shorts | BA0C2F |
| a_pattern_s | _blacksides |
| NCAAtourneys | 1958*, 1982, 1991, 1996 |
| conference_tournament | IIAC: 1932 |
| MAC: 1982 | |
| MCC: 1996 | |
| conference_season | IIAC: 1933, 1934, 1935, 1941, 1945 |
| Midwestern: 1972 | |
| MAC: 1981 | |
| Mid-Con: 1991 | |
| collapseconfregsea | yes |
| division_season | MAC: 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" | Player | NIU Huskies}}; text-align:center" | Pos. | NIU Huskies}}; text-align:center" | Career | NIU Huskies}}; text-align:center" | Height | NIU Huskies}}; text-align:center" | Hometown | NIU Huskies}}; text-align:center" | Votes | NIU Huskies}}; text-align:center" | All-American | NIU Huskies}}; text-align:center" | Player of the Year | NIU Huskies}}; text-align:center" | MAC/Midwestern/IICA All-Conference | NIU Huskies}}; text-align:center" | Career Points | NIU Huskies}}; text-align:center" | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | |||||||||||||||
| 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." |
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.
| 2023 | 7th | Cleveland, OH | First round | (2) Kent State | L 76-57 | Rashon Burno |
|---|
The Summit League tournament
| 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.
| 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.
| 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 semifinals |
|---|---|
| Regional 3rd-place game | Hope |
| St. Norbert | L 101–95 |
| L 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
References
References
- [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]
- [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]
- [https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1969.html Basketball-Reference.com]
- [https://niuhuskies.com/sports/2016/6/13/hallfame-niu-hallfame-roster-sorting-html.aspx?id=2343 NIU Huskies Hall of Fame]
- [http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/niu/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/p81_100.pdf 100 years of memories, basketball at NIU]
- "Rashon Burno Finalizes Men's Basketball Staff".
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