NIU men release 2022-23 schedule, including a trip to Gonzaga

Highlighted by 13 home games and a trip to Gonzaga, the 2022-23 Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team released its schedule Wednesday.

“We are very excited about our schedule for the upcoming season,” NIU men’s basketball head coach Rashon Burno said . “Our non-conference schedule will provide a number of opportunities for our team to test itself against high-level opponents which will be excellent preparation for the challenge of conference play. After a great trip to Canada, I know that our team is hungry to get the new season started.”

NIU will begin the season with an exhibition contest on Monday, Oct. 31, as the Huskies host McKendree.

Two of the first three regular-season games will be at home with the Huskies opening the regular season on Monday, Nov. 7 against Illinois Springfield. NIU will then travel to Evanston on Friday, Nov. 11, for a matchup with Northwestern; the contest will be the first between the Huskies and Wildcats since the 2010-11 season. Three days later, Purdue Northwest will visit the NIU Convocation Center (Nov. 14).

Previously announced, NIU will travel to Georgia Tech on Thursday, Nov. 17, as part of the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off. The event will continue on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Fla., with a matchup against Sam Houston. The following day, NIU will face either Long Island or South Dakota.

A five-game road trip begins on Saturday, Nov. 26, as the Huskies visit Northern Iowa. The Panthers won 20 games a season ago and reached the NIT Second Round. On Wednesday, Nov. 30, NIU heads to Charleston for a meeting with Eastern Illinois. The contest with the Panthers is rematch from a season ago when the NIU topped Eastern Illinois, 55-45.

The month of December begins with a trip to Idaho as the Huskies face the Vandals on Friday, Dec. 2. NIU heads back to the Pacific Northwest 10 days later as it visits national power Gonzaga on Monday, Dec. 12, in the first meeting between the Huskies and Bulldogs. Gonzaga is coming off a 28-4 season a year ago and were ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll for nine weeks during the 2021-22 season.

On Saturday, Dec. 17, NIU makes a trip to Richmond, Va., for a date with VCU, the first meeting between the two programs since 1973. The Rams went 22-10 last year and advanced to the NIT Second Round.

The Huskies return home on Tuesday, Dec. 20, as they welcome Albany to the NIU Convocation Center for the first meeting between the Huskies and Great Danes. Non-conference play concludes on Thursday, Dec. 22, with a trip to Indiana State.

Mid-American Conference play begins with a two-game road trip to Akron and Buffalo. The Huskies will visit the defending conference tournament champion Zips on Tuesday, Jan. 3, before traveling to Western New York for a matchup on Saturday, Jan. 7.

The following week, NIU will play its first two home games in league play as Central Michigan comes to DeKalb on Tuesday, Jan. 10 and defending conference regular season champion Toledo visits the NIU Convocation Center on Saturday, Jan. 14.

After traveling to Miami (Jan. 17) and Eastern Michigan (Jan. 21), the Huskies will host Kent State on Tuesday, Jan. 24, and Ball State on Saturday, Jan. 28.

NIU closes the month of January with a trip to Kalamazoo to face Western Michigan on Tuesday, Jan. 31, before opening February with a matchup at Bowling Green on Saturday, Feb. 4.

A visit to DeKalb by Ohio on Tuesday, Feb. 7 begins a stretch of three-in-four at home for the Huskies. Western Michigan comes to NIU on Saturday, Feb. 11 and, following a trip to Ball State (Feb. 14), the Huskies host Miami on Saturday, Feb. 18.

The final two road games of the season send NIU to Ohio on Tuesday, Feb. 21, and Central Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 25. The Huskies will be at home for the final week of the regular season as Buffalo travels to the NIU Convocation Center on Tuesday, Feb. 28 and Eastern Michigan visits on Friday, March 3.

All scheduled Saturday conference games could be moved to Friday night due to television. Game times will be announced at a later date.