With just four days until the Huskies host Aurora University in an exhibition contest, Ross Jacobson of the Daily Chronicle writes about the increased comfort level for Mark Montgomery and the Huskies heading into the season. As Jacobson notes, expect the Huskies to play with a higher tempo and more pressure defense in year two.

After appearing in two regular season games and two playoff games last season, former Huskie Xavier Silas will rejoin the Philadelphia 76ers for training camp. Silas was one of four free agents signed by the Sixers ahead of the opening of training camp on Tuesday. Silas averaged 5.5 points and 2.0 rebounds during his regular season stint last season with the Sixers, he also averaged 9.8 points during his 39 games with the Maine Red Claws in the NBA Developmental League.

 

Silas and the Sixers begin the preseason next Thursday, Oct. 11, when they travel to Orlando.

Xavier Silas made his first appearance of the playoffs last night in game three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Boston Celtics. Silas played a pair of minutes, scoring two points while also grabbing an offensive rebound. Silas and the Sixers fell to the Boston Celtics last night, 107-91, and trail 2-1 in the series. Game four against Boston will take place on Friday night in Philadelphia.  

Former NIU standout Xavier Silas made his NBA debut on Wednesday for the Philadelphia 76ers against the Milwaukee Bucks. Silas came off the bench for the Sixers, playing a little over 18 minutes while scoring five points. With his first action, Silas became the first Huskie to play in an NBA game since Donald Whiteside's last appearance with the Atlanta Hawks on November 4, 1997.

In his second NBA game on Thursday night, Silas scored six points, grabbed three rebounds and had two assists against Detroit

Scott Powers of ESPN Chicago caught up with Silas to talk about receiving his call from the Sixers.

Men's Basketball Director of Operations Kent Dernbach is leaving NIU to join Wisconsin-Stevens Point as an assistant coach. Dernbach, a native of Almond, Wis., returns to his home state to pursue his goal of coaching on the collegiate level. He joins a Wisconsin-Stevens Point program that has won three NCAA Division III national championships in the last eight seasons. A Director of Operations performs numerous behind the scenes tasks for the program and, while we wish him all the best at UWSP, Kent will be missed at NIU. 

While the beginning of football around the country grabs most of the headlines this time of year, Scott Held of the Southgate (Mich.) News Herald caught up with new NIU basketball head coach Mark Montgomery. A four-year starter at Aquinas High School in Southgate, coaches could see from an early age that Montgomery had the demeanor of a coach on the floor, as Montgomery's high school coach Ernie Price told the News Herald.

With the NBA Draft just two days away, former Huskie Xavier Silas has finished his whirlwind spring and early summer filled with pre-draft camps and workouts. The Austin, Texas native worked out for 10 NBA teams in his preparation for the draft and could become the first NIU player selected in the NBA Draft since Tim Dillon was selected in the third round of the 1984 draft by the Chicago Bulls. Gareth Sleger of the Rockford Register Star caught up with Silas to talk about his workouts and his prospects for Thursday night's draft.

Early morning workouts and a "boot camp approach." Those things are just a part of the makeover going on with the NIU men's basketball program as chronicled by Steve Megargee of Rivals.com. It hasn't been unusual to see new head coach Mark Montgomery join in the squad while lifting weights or jump into a basketball drill, things that are all a part of bringing a new attitude to Huskie Hoops.

The most recent signee for the NIU men's basketball program, Andre Henley, was recently named as the third-best in-state recruit likely to make an immediate impact by ESPN Chicago's Scott Powers. Powers talked about the skill set that Henley will bring to NIU that isn't seen often in the MAC. Elsewhere, Ryan Wood of the Daily Chronicle checked in with head coach Mark Montgomery on the progress that has been made since his hiring in late March.  

Members of the local community had the opportunity to meet new NIU men's basketball head coach Mark Montgomery on Monday night at "Mark Madness" at the NIU Convocation Center. The DeKalb Daily Chronicle spoke to Montgomery following the event to get his reaction to the response he has received from the community. The Daily Chronicle's Ryan Wood also wrote about the excitement the community had for the new head coach. 

Before NIU basketball signee Zach Miller plays for the Huskies at the Convocation Center this fall, Miller will help lead his Glenbard East High School team at the Convo tonight. Miller and the Rams will take on Rockford Auburn in the 4A Super-Sectional at 8 p.m. In the Sectional Final, Miller scored 22 points and dished out 12 assists as Glenbard East defeated East Aurora 80-62.

Already a 1995 NIU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, former NIU men's basketball head coach John McDougal (1976-86) was inducted into the Rockford's (Ill.) Lutheran High School Sports Hall of Fame this week as the school's first inductee.  After a successful run with the Huskies, where he coached the 1981-82 Mid-American Conference Tournament and won 136 total games, McDougal continued coaching at the high school level.  He took Lutheran to the Illinois State Tournament in 1993-94 and 1994-95.  McDougal also had a stellar run at Aurora West High School and is the only coach in Illinois history to place at State in both Class A and AA.  Congrats to Coach McDougal from the Huskie family!

Both the NIU men's and women's basketball teams are in action tonight as they play their last games before starting Mid-American Conference play.  The men face Iowa State on the road at 7 p.m. tonight, while the women host intrastate rival Illinois State at the NIU Convocation Center at 7 p.m.  For a preview of each game, click here: Men | Women.  To follow live stats, click here: Men | Women.  Both Huskie teams will be looking for their second straight win!

After tonight's action, the women have just one day to prepare for their MAC opener against Eastern Michigan at the NIU Convocation Center Wednesday at 7 p.m.  The men will also start the conference schedule at home, doing so Saturday at 3 p.m. versus Ball State.

Don't miss the exciting hardwood action this week!  As always, students can attend for free by showing a valid NIU student ID.  To purchase tickets, click here. 

Didn't get enough coverage of the big win for NIU men's basketball last night?  Check out two other recaps describing Xavier Silas', the nation's leading scorer, NIU Convocation Center record performance.  Here's a recap from the Daily-Chronicle.  Here's the Northern Star's take. 

The NIU men's basketball team opened practice over the weekend. Here's a report from the Huskies' first practice of 2010-11.