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GAME NOTES: The Akron Zips will try to keep pace with Kent State in the East Division of the Mid-American Conference when they host the Northern Illinois Huskies this evening at Rhodes Arena.

On the heels of a six-game winning streak, the Huskies have dropped four consecutive matchups, including a 76-46 setback to Kent State on Monday. The loss dropped NIU to just 4-3 in conference and only 3-7 on the road.

As for the Zips, they suffered a 62-59 setback to Eastern Michigan in their last contest. The loss snapped the team's two-game winning streak and left Akron with a 5-3 ledger in MAC action.

In regard to the all-time series between the two schools on the hardwood, the Zips have won 18 of the 25 meetings.

Not much went right for the Huskies in their last matchup, as the team scored just 46 points in a loss to Kent State. Northern Illinois shot just 29.5 percent from the floor, and finished 2-of-13 from long range and 8-of-17 from the foul line. Darion Anderson led the way with 12 points and also grabbed eight rebounds, but Xavier Silas finished with just seven points on a 1-of-9 showing from the floor. Silas has been the best player on the floor for Northern Illinois, as the guard is posting 20.2 ppg, while Anderson is contributing 11.1 ppg, to go along with 6.9 rpg. As a whole, the Huskies are netting just 67.0 ppg, behind a 40.5 percent shooting effort.

The Zips were ice cold in their last contest, as they shot just 34.7 percent from the floor, en route to a three-point loss to Eastern Michigan. Akron finished just 5-of-18 from behind the arc, and that contributed to the team's weak 59-point effort. Brett McKnight was the only player in double figures for Akron, as the forward tallied 13 points off the bench. Brett McKnight is the only player currently averaging double figures on the season, as the forward is posting 10.0 ppg. Jimmy Conyers is contributing 9.1 ppg, and is also pulling down a team-best 6.5 rpg. Akron is only producing 69.5 ppg on the season, which is nothing special, but the team has used a tenacious defensive approach on the year, holding teams to just 62.2 ppg.

Neither team has been explosive on the year, but look for the Zips to use their stingy defensive play to shut down Northern Illinois, en route to another league win.