DeKALB | Preparation is the name of the game when it comes down to exhibitions.

NIU finishes its preseason tonight against Marygrove College at the Convocation Center at 7 p.m.

The Huskies are only playing two exhibition games, but they are using them as building blocks for the season.

“It gives you an opportunity to compete against someone other than each other,” said NIU head coach Ricardo Patton. “Guys get a little worn out from banging against each other every day. The exhibition games really give you an opportunity to see where some of your weaknesses are, like blocking out or rebounding or containing dribble penetration.”

Both teams came up on opposite ends in their first exhibition matches. The Huskies defeated Aurora 93-59 while the Mustangs lost to fellow MAC West team Central Michigan 85-38 on Sunday.

Junior guard Xavier Silas left a very good first impression with 30 points and six rebounds.
The team from Detroit finished last season with a 14-16 record and went 8-11 on the road. With the recent event of Le Moyne defeating Syracuse being in the national spotlight, it leads some to believe that teams may not take exhibition games too seriously, but Patton thinks his team is focused.

“Coaches don’t take anything lightly, but sometimes you can experience it with players,” Patton
said. “We’ve been pretty fortunate; so far, that hasn’t been the case.”

As the team heads for the start of a promising season, the team is progressing on schedule.

“I think we are probably where we should be with the length of time we’ve had to practice,” Patton said. “They’ve worked hard. I think they’ve had a terrific attitude so far. Our progress is more qualitative than quantitative. We don’t need to do more things; we need to do what we do and do it better.”

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