Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball
The Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball team represents Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois. The school's team currently competes in the Mid-American Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 1996. The Huskies are coached by Mark Montgomery. Mark Montgomery spent 10 years on the Michigan State University Staff under Coach Tom Izzo.
History
- 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
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.| No. | Player | Pos. | Career | Height | Hometown | Votes | All-American | Player of the Year | MAC/Midwestern/IICA All-Conference | Note |
| 33 | Kenny Battle | F | 1984-86 | 6-6 | Aurora, IL | 29 | Jersey in College Basketball HOF | |||
| 24 | Jim Bradley | F/C | 1971-73 | 6-10 | East Chicago, IN | 29 | NIU Player of the Century | |||
| 35 | T.J. Lux | F/C | 1995-2000 | 6-9 | Merrillville, IN | 29 | NIU All-Time leading scorer | |||
| 40 | Allen Rayhorn | C | 1978-82 | 6-9 | Rock City, IL | 29 | NIU All-Time leader in FT and FTA | |||
| 10 | Donald Whiteside | PG | 1987-91 | 5-10 | Chicago, IL | 28 | Played in the CBA, ABA & NBA | |||
| 34 | Matt Hick | F | 1974-77 | 6-4 | Aurora, IL | 27 | MAC Player of the Year 1976-77 | |||
| 44 | Donnell Thomas | F | 1987-91 | 6-4 | Chicago, IL | 27 | Lead NIU in rebounding four consecutive seasons | |||
| 13 | Larry Wyllie | G | 1956-59 | 6-1 | Westmont, IL | 27 | Inducted into IBCA Hall of Fame | |||
| 44 | Paul Dawkins | F | 1975-79 | 6-5 | Saginaw, MI | 26 | Fifth in the nation in scoring in 1979 | |||
| 50 | Tim Dillon | F/C | 1980-84 | 6-9 | Franklin Grove, IL | 26 | NIU's First Academic All-American | |||
| 40 | Larry Gentry | F | 1956-60 | 6-4 | Clinton, IL | 26 | Four-Time All-IIAC | |||
| 44 | Jerry Zielinski | F | 1968-72 | 6-4 | Hennepin, IL | 25 | Drafted by ABA Dallas Chaparrals in April, 1972 | |||
| 44 | Jim Smith | C | 1967-69 | 6-7 | Des Plaines, IL | 24 | First Huskie drafted by the NBA | |||
| 12 | Billy Harris | G | 1969-73 | 6-2 | Chicago, IL | 24 | Titled: "The Best Playground Baller Ever" | |||
| 10 | George Bork | G | 1960-63 | 6-1 | Mt. Prospect, IL | 23 | First NIU football-basketball All-America pick. | |||
| 12 | Willie Hanson | G | 1963-67 | 5-10 | Mendota, IL | 23 | Best Free Throw Shooter in NIU History | |||
| 32 | Rodney Davis | G | 1984-88 | 6-3 | Aurora, IL | 22 | Called "complete package" by Northern Illinois Hall of Fame coach John McDougal. | |||
| NA | Reino Nori | F | 1932-36 | 5-6 | DeKalb, IL | 22 | Greatest NIU athlete during school's first 50 years. | |||
| 52 | Abe Booker | C | 1958-61 | 6-5 | Chicago, IL | 21 | Set NIU single-game and season rebound records | |||
| NA | Tuck Huntzicker | F | 1925-28 | 5-10 | DeKalb, IL | 21 | Two-time team Captain | |||
| 21 | John Olson | F | 1953-57 | 6-3 | Chicago, IL | 21 | First NIU player to reach 1,000-point career points | |||
| 32 | Bill Terwilliger | F | 1938-41 | 6-2 | DeKalb, IL | 21 | Dubbed "Fastest Man on Campus" | |||
| 21 | Bobby Wood | G/F | 1945-49 | 5-11 | Rockford, IL | 21 | First NIU cager to play in the NBA. | |||
| NA | Charles "Wix" Garner | F | 1916-21 | 5-9 | DeKalb, IL | 20 | Two-sport All-IIAC Athlete | |||
| NA | Leland Strombom | G | 1927-31 | 6-0 | Sycamore, IL | 20 | Namesake of long-running Sycamore High School boys' basketball holiday tournament. | |||
| NA | Wes Concidine | F | 1925-28 | 6-1 | DeKalb, IL | 19 | Earned 11 varsity letters in three sports | |||
| NA | Jim McKinzie | G | 1950-53 | 6-0 | DeKalb, IL | 17 | Inducted into IBCA HOF in 2004 | |||
| NA | John "Red" Pace | F | 1929-33 | 6-3 | Woodstock, IL | 17 | NBA official and NFL referee and crew chief | |||
| 25 | Dick Williams | F/C | 1944-49 | 6-0 | Kirkland, IL | 17 | Competed in two collegiate spring sports literally at same time. | |||
| NA | Clarence "Boots" Cannon | G | 1916-21 | 5-9 | Shabonna Grove, IL | 16 | Lettered in football, basketball, and baseball | |||
| 25 | Chris Coleman | G/F | 1994-97 | 6-3 | Buffalo Grove, IL | 16 | MCC Tournament Most Valuable Player | |||
| 34 | Brad Waller | G/F | 1982-85 | 6-4 | Lombard, IL | 16 | IBCA Hall-of-Fame | |||
| NA | Benny Westlake | F | 1931-35 | 6-1 | Elburn, IL | 16 | Mr. Northern Illinois Basketball in 1930s | |||
| NA | Roy "Flip" Allen | G/F | 1935-39 | 6-0 | Mount Morris, IL | 15 | Nicknamed "Flip" for his radical one-handed basketball jump shot | |||
| 24 | Harry Henigan | G | 1942-49 | 5-11 | Sycamore, IL | 15 | Known as "Harry The Horse" to Northern Illinois fans | |||
| 16 | Ollie Krahenbuhl | G | 1939-42 | 5-7 | Rochelle, IL | 15 | Described by George "Chick" Evans as "...the greatest punter I ever saw." |
Season-by-records
- Source:
Conference Tournament results
MAC Tournament
The Huskies have won the MAC Tournament once in 1982.| 1980 | 3rd | DeKalb, IL Ann Arbor, MI Ann Arbor, MI | Quarterfinal Semifinal Consolation | Miami Bowling Green Ball State | W 58–53 L 54–49 W 71–58 | John McDougal |
| 1981 | 5th | Bowling Green, OH Ann Arbor, MI Ann Arbor, MI | Quarterfinal Semifinal Championship | Bowling Green Western Michigan Ball State | W 79–72 W 78–73 L 79–66 | John McDougal |
| 1982 | 3rd | DeKalb, IL Ann Arbor, MI Ann Arbor, MI | Quarterfinal Semifinal Championship | Ohio Bowling Green Ball State | W 70–68 W 67–66 W 79–75 | John McDougal |
| 1984 | 5th | Rockford, IL | Quarterfinal | Toledo | L 73–68 | John McDougal |
| 1986 | 4th | Rockford, IL | Quarterfinal | Toledo | L 82–79 | John McDougal |
| 2000 | 10th | Toledo, OH | First Round | Toledo | L 68–64 | Brian Hammel |
| 2001 | 11th | Muncie, IN | First Round | Ball State | L 89–57 | Andy Greer |
| 2002 | 9th | Huntington, WV | First Round | Marshall | L 97–93 | Rob Judson |
| 2003 | 4th | DeKalb, IL Cleveland, OH Cleveland, OH | First Round Quarterfinal Semifinal | Buffalo Western Michigan Central Michigan | W 81–64 W 75–63 L 94–72 | Rob Judson |
| 2004 | 12th | Buffalo, NY | First Round | Buffalo | L 90–73 | Rob Judson |
| 2005 | 10th | Buffalo, NY | First Round | Buffalo | L 73–66 | Rob Judson |
| 2006 | 2nd | Cleveland, OH | Quarterfinal | Toledo | L 78–77 | Rob Judson |
| 2007 | 11th | Cleveland, OH | First Round | Western Michigan | L 67–62 | Rob Judson |
| 2008 | 11th | Cleveland, OH | First Round | Central Michigan | L 83–71 | Ricardo Patton |
| 2009 | 11th | Cleveland, OH | First Round | Kent State | L 64–61 | Ricardo Patton |
| 2010 | 11th | Cleveland, OH | First Round | Eastern Michigan | L 65–59 | Ricardo Patton |
| 2011 | 10th | Bowling Green, OH | First Round | Bowling Green | L 74–54 | Ricardo Patton |
| 2012 | 12th | Ypsilanti, MI Cleveland, OH | First Round Second Round | Eastern Michigan Western Michigan | W 52–55 L 54–71 | Mark Montgomery |
| 2013 | 10th | Ypsilanti, MI | First Round | Eastern Michigan | L 45–44 | Mark Montgomery |
| 2014 | 7th | DeKalb, IL Cleveland, OH | First Round Second Round | Bowling Green Eastern Michigan | W 54–51 L 58–43 | Mark Montgomery |
| 2015 | 10th | Akron, OH | First Round | Akron | L 76–52 | Mark Montgomery |
| 2016 | 7th | DeKalb, IL Cleveland, OH | First Round Second Round | Western Michigan Ohio | W 56–50 L 79–62 | Mark Montgomery |
| 2017 | 9th | Ypsilanti, MI | First Round | Eastern Michigan | L 69–72 | Mark Montgomery |
- Source:
The Summit League Tournament
- Source:
Horizon League Tournament
| 1995 | 7th | Dayton, OH | First Round Quarterfinal Semifinal | Loyola Illinois-Chicago Green Bay | W 62–57 W 87–83 L 68–65 | Brian Hammel |
| 1996 | 3rd | Dayton, OH | Quarterfinal Semifinal Championship | Milwaukee Illinois-Chicago Detroit | W 80–60 W 95–60 W 84–60 | Brian Hammel |
| 1997 | 6th | Dayton, OH | Quarterfinal | Illinois-Chicago | L 76–65 | Brian Hammel |
- Source:
Postseason
NCAA Tournament results
The Huskies have appeared in the NCAA Tournament three times. Their overall record is 0–3.| 1982 | #12 | Round of 48 | #5 Kansas State | L 77–68 |
| 1991 | #13 | Round of 64 | #4 St. John's | L 75–68 |
| 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 95–101 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 |
Coaching staff
Mark Montgomery was announced as NIU head coach on March 23, 2011. Prior to joining the Huskies, Montgomery served as an assistant to head coach Tom Izzo at Michigan State for ten seasons, the last four as Associate Head Coach.- Mark Montgomery – Head Coach
- Jon Borovich – Associate Head Coach
- TBA – Assistant Coach
- TBA – Assistant Coach
- Chad Pecka – Director of Player Development/Operations
- Chris MacMartin – Graduate Assistant
- TBA – Assistant Director of Basketball Operations