Our opponents and NIU:

Marquette #11
Northwestern #40
Iowa #50
Northern Iowa #98
Akron (2) #102
Depaul #110
Indiana State #111
Ohio (2) #114
Kent State (2) #119
Appalachian State #121
Toledo (2) #155
Georgia State #201
Bowling Green #208
Ball State (2) #228
Miami Ohio #233
Little Rock #241

NIU #252

Buffalo (2) #253
Monmouth #294
Central Michigan (2) #312
Eastern Michigan # 314
Western Michigan #318

Illinois Wesleyan NR
Illinois Tech NR
Calumet College NR


GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Almanac, which is an in-depth college basketball preview publication, has NIU as their Sleeper Team for the MAC.

They have Coit as 1st team All-Conference and Williams 2nd. They are picked 5th in the conference. Akron and Kent are 1/2, as expected.

Looking for a continued upward trajectory from Coach Burno

(10-18-2023 09:33 AM)pantone1935 Wrote:  Our opponents and NIU:

Marquette #11
Northwestern #40
Iowa #50
Northern Iowa #98
Akron (2) #102
Depaul #110
Indiana State #111
Ohio (2) #114
Kent State (2) #119
Appalachian State #121
Toledo (2) #155
Georgia State #201
Bowling Green #208
Ball State (2) #228
Miami Ohio #233
Little Rock #241

NIU #252

Buffalo (2) #253
Monmouth #294
Central Michigan (2) #312
Eastern Michigan # 314
Western Michigan #318

Illinois Wesleyan NR
Illinois Tech NR
Calumet College NR


GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So about 7-20, huh? I'm betting that we are quite a bit better than that.

I haven't been this excited about men's basketball in 20 years. I think Coach Burno has assembled a nice group of talent and has what I call a "fair" OOC schedule with some big challenges along with a couple of cupcakes. I hope they start out the year with some big wins to get some buzz around campus so that student attendence improves.

(10-19-2023 02:25 PM)WreakHammockOnU Wrote:  I haven't been this excited about men's basketball in 20 years. I think Coach Burno has assembled a nice group of talent and has what I call a "fair" OOC schedule with some big challenges along with a couple of cupcakes. I hope they start out the year with some big wins to get some buzz around campus so that student attendence improves.

THIS^

GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You definitely should’ve been excited for men’s basketball going into Geno Germans senior year. There was no doubt that team was going to be one of the best in the MAC that year. This years Huskies should be pretty good hoping they can finish in the top four of the MAC regular season

(10-19-2023 02:25 PM)WreakHammockOnU Wrote:  I haven't been this excited about men's basketball in 20 years. I think Coach Burno has assembled a nice group of talent and has what I call a "fair" OOC schedule with some big challenges along with a couple of cupcakes. I hope they start out the year with some big wins to get some buzz around campus so that student attendence improves.

Same - returning a lot of talent from last year’s team and like the potential upside/pedigree of the transfers we brought in. Opening the season against #5 Marquette is cool, playing that close would help with buzz.

Geno was special and fun to watch - what makes me more excited about this season is really Burno over Monty. Burno beat Washington in game 1 of his tenure with that holdover roster, excited to see what he does year 3 with his guys.

(10-19-2023 02:25 PM)WreakHammockOnU Wrote:  I haven't been this excited about men's basketball in 20 years. I think Coach Burno has assembled a nice group of talent and has what I call a "fair" OOC schedule with some big challenges along with a couple of cupcakes. I hope they start out the year with some big wins to get some buzz around campus so that student attendence improves.

as a MAC fan I'm excited to watch NIU this year. they found something as last season went on. then, had a very good offseason recruiting.

I love your non-conf sched. it's pretty brilliant considering NIU has no leverage in scheduling. there's 4 P6 opponents and they are all local and easy travel. so, the team can play them fresh and a win is more valuable for the fan base and recruiting because it's a local power team. a win vs depaul means more than a win vs Washington. Indiana st, northern Iowa and app st are all picked top 4 in their league, will be good and are known mid majors. so, you got 3 nice home opponents.

NIU also plays all the top 4 MAC teams twice. so, at least half your opponents will be good teams. half at home and most of the rest easy travel. I don't see much of an NIU bball fan base, but what there is should be excited and want to show up.

(10-23-2023 02:05 AM)pono Wrote:  

(10-19-2023 02:25 PM)WreakHammockOnU Wrote:  I haven't been this excited about men's basketball in 20 years. I think Coach Burno has assembled a nice group of talent and has what I call a "fair" OOC schedule with some big challenges along with a couple of cupcakes. I hope they start out the year with some big wins to get some buzz around campus so that student attendence improves.

as a MAC fan I'm excited to watch NIU this year. they found something as last season went on. then, had a very good offseason recruiting.

I love your non-conf sched. it's pretty brilliant considering NIU has no leverage in scheduling. there's 4 P6 opponents and they are all local and easy travel. so, the team can play them fresh and a win is more valuable for the fan base and recruiting because it's a local power team. a win vs depaul means more than a win vs Washington. Indiana st, northern Iowa and app st are all picked top 4 in their league, will be good and are known mid majors. so, you got 3 nice home opponents.

NIU also plays all the top 4 MAC teams twice. so, at least half your opponents will be good teams. half at home and most of the rest easy travel. I don't see much of an NIU bball fan base, but what there is should be excited and want to show up.

There's a lot of excitement within the NIU fan base for basketball this season. We just got a new basketball floor installed and a 4-star Chicago recruit, Chris Riddle, has NIU in his top 5 and will be making an announcement today on his selection. But overall, Burno seems to have NIU in the mix for quality Chicago area players, which surprisingly NIU has not recruited well the last 20 years.

A lot of reasons to be excited for NIU Basketball this year.

Another publication, Locked on College Hoops Podcast, has NIU as their sleeper team in the MAC. That's two tied in groups of College Basketball that are high on NIU.