Toledo Rockets vs Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball preview: Opposite Directions

Entering the final month of the season, the Toledo Rockets have found their way towards the top of the MAC West, just as the Northern Illinois Huskies have taken a free fall.

The Rockets (12-8; 4-3 MAC) bring a two-game winning streak into the NIU Convocation Center on Saturday night and look to continue their hot shooting against a struggling Huskies (8-10; 2-5 MAC) club.

Toledo followed up a narrow win over Bowling Green last Saturday by edging out last-place Miami 70-65 on Wednesday at Savage Arena.  The Rockets shot nearly 50% from the field in their win over the RedHawks and have cracked the 70 point mark in five of their last six games, putting them second in the conference in offensive output at 74.2 points per game.  Jonathan Williams was key down low with 18 points and 10 rebounds, one of four Rockets in double figures.

NIU is hoping some of that firepower rubs off on them Saturday.

The Huskies have dropped five of their last six and sit at the bottom in the conference in points per game (64.0), field goal percentange (40.3%) and three-point percentage (28.8%).  In their ten-point loss at Bowling Green on Wednesday, NIU shot 36 percent from the field, was just two-for-twelve from distance and had just one double-digit scorer (Aaron Armstead - 12 pts.)

These two have split their last eight meetings with each other over the last four seasons.  They will meet again on February 24th on the shores of Lake Erie.

Matchup: Toledo Rockets at Northern Illinois Huskies

Where: NIU Convocation Center; DeKalb, IL

When: Saturday, January 31st; 8e/7c

How To Pay Attention: ESPN3; 1370 WSPD AM (Toledo); 1360 WLBK AM (DeKalb); and our live chat!