Preview: Massachusetts at Northern Illinois

DEKALB, Ill. (Interstat) — The Massachusetts Minutemen look to continue their climb in the Mid-American Conference standings when they visit the struggling Northern Illinois Huskies on Saturday, January 17, 2026.

Massachusetts (11-7, 2-3 MAC) enters on a two-game winning streak following an 85-82 road victory at Western Michigan on Tuesday. The Minutemen have shown a potent offense, averaging 81.2 points per game, but their conference journey has been uneven with several narrow losses.

A key catalyst is guard Leonardo Bettiol, who is coming off a 21-point performance against Western Michigan. Bettiol has been a consistent scorer, including a 32-point, 14-rebound effort in a heartbreaking 101-100 overtime loss to Bowling Green on Jan. 3. His play will be central to UMass’s efforts.

Northern Illinois (5-11, 1-4) seeks to halt a four-game skid, most recently a 77-59 defeat at Eastern Michigan. The Huskies have found wins scarce, with their lone MAC victory a 74-73 home decision over Central Michigan on Dec. 20. Defense has been a persistent issue, as they allow an average of 76.6 points per game.

The Huskies will rely on guard Makhai Valentine, their leading scorer in conference play. Valentine dropped 27 points at Kent State on Jan. 3 and scored 20 in the loss to Eastern Michigan. His backcourt battle with Bettiol will be a focal point.

This matchup at the Convocation Center presents a contrast in momentum. The Minutemen aim to solidify a winning record and conference positioning, while the Huskies desperately need a home victory to spark their season. UMass won the only prior meeting last season, 78-65, in Amherst.

Following this game, Massachusetts hosts Toledo on Jan. 20, while Northern Illinois travels to face Ohio.