Preview: Northern Illinois Huskies at Bradley Braves PEORIA, Ill. (Interstat) — The Bradley Braves look to build on a signature win and continue their home-court advantage when they host the struggling Northern Illinois Huskies in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at Carver Arena. Bradley (5-4) is coming off a 64-60 victory over Washington State on Tuesday, a defensive-minded win that showcased the team’s resilience. The Braves have won four of their last five games, with all four victories coming at home in Peoria. The Braves are led by guard Demarion Burch, who is averaging 18.3 points over his last three contests. He scored a game-high 23 points in the win over Washington State and had 21 points and eight rebounds in a victory over Liberty on Nov. 26. His backcourt mate, Montana Wheeler, added 15 points and three assists against the Cougars. Northern Illinois (3-5) arrives seeking to halt a two-game skid, including a 99-64 home loss to Lindenwood on Tuesday. The Huskies have struggled defensively, allowing an average of 86.3 points in their five losses this season. The Huskies will rely on guard Makhai Valentine, their most consistent offensive threat. Valentine is averaging 14.5 points per game and scored 17 in the loss to Lindenwood. He has reached double figures in scoring in five of the Huskies’ eight games, including a 17-point performance in a road win at Loyola Chicago on Nov. 21. Bradley holds a distinct experience edge, having played a tougher schedule that includes Power Five opponent Washington State and a narrow loss at San Francisco. Northern Illinois’ three wins have come against lower-division Benedictine, Louisiana-Monroe, and Loyola Chicago. Historically, Bradley has dominated the series, winning 12 of the last 13 meetings. The teams last met in 2022, a 70-54 Braves victory. Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon. Bradley will look to protect its home floor before a challenging stretch of Missouri Valley Conference play begins in January. Northern Illinois aims to find a defensive rhythm before its Mid-American Conference slate opens next month.