Preview: Northern Illinois at Buffalo BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Buffalo Bulls, riding a key road victory, return home to Alumni Arena on Tuesday night to host the struggling Northern Illinois Huskies in a Mid-American Conference men’s basketball matchup. Buffalo (15-9) enters the contest after a 63-53 win at Ball State on Feb. 11, a performance anchored by forward Tim Oboh’s 20 points and four blocked shots. The Bulls have split their last six games but hold a clear advantage in the standings over the Huskies. Northern Illinois (8-16) seeks to halt a two-game skid, including a lopsided 88-46 defeat at Central Michigan on Saturday. The Huskies have lost four of their last five and rank near the bottom of the MAC. The teams’ previous meeting this season resulted in an 81-67 Buffalo victory in DeKalb on Dec. 31. A primary focus will be the interior battle between two standout forwards. Oboh has been a force for Buffalo, averaging 13.3 points and 3.3 blocks over his last three contests. His defensive presence will be critical against Northern Illinois’ top threat, Makhai Valentine. Valentine is coming off a 13-point, six-rebound effort against Central Michigan and has been the Huskies’ most consistent scorer. He averaged 18.3 points in a three-game stretch from Jan. 27 to Feb. 7, including a 23-point outing in a win at Georgia State. Buffalo’s supporting cast, including Angelo Brizzi (17 points vs. Ball State) and Ryan Sabol (12 points, five assists), provides balance. Northern Illinois will need additional production beyond Valentine, as the team has failed to reach 70 points in five of its last six games. The Bulls are 9-2 at home this season, while the Huskies are 2-9 on the road. Buffalo aims to solidify its conference positioning, while Northern Illinois looks to salvage a road split in the season series. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST Tuesday at Alumni Arena.