Feb. 1, 2008

DeKALB, IL --- As expected, Northern Illinois University All-Century frontcourt star T. J. Lux is still No. 1.

   The 6-foot-9, 230-pound three-time Academic All-America selection was the top selection Thursday's (January 31) player draft for the Eighth Annual NIU / Varsity Club Men's Basketball Cardinal and Black Alumni Game Saturday (February 2) morning in the Convocation Center.

   Lux---returning to campus for the first time since October, 2000, after playing professional ball in Europe---will play for head coach Bill Finucane's Cardinal squad. Renown as the "King of the Double Double" in his Huskie days, Lux graduated with a school-record 1,996 points, 1,110 rebounds, and 59 point-rebound "double doubles" in his storied 116-game Northern Illinois career (1995-2000). No. 35 led the Huskies to a 20-10 record and their last NCAA Tournament appearance in 1995-96.

   A three-time CoSIDA Academic All-America selection, Lux (Merillville, IN) became the program's first four-year, first-team all-league performer in the school's hardwood history under former head coach Brian Hammel. Drafted by the CBA and USBL in 2000, Lux played in Germany and France the next six years.

   With the Dijon, France, quintet, Lux won tourney MVP honors for a team that captured the French Cup in the Pro A Division in 2005-06 and earned an appearance in the FIBA All-Star Game during 2006-07. In 2003-04, Lux was named the league MVP for a Reims, France, unit in the Pro B Division level.

   This year's Huskie alum gathering starts Saturday's Alumni Day festivities at the Convocation Center. The doors open at 10 a.m. and the alumni game starts at 11 a.m. with two running 20-minute halves. Admission to the NIU alumni game is free.

   In the headline event, first-year head coach Ricardo Patton's Northern Illinois quintet hosts Mid-American Conference rival Ohio University in a 2:05 p.m. tipoff. All the Huskie cage alumni---over 40 have RSVPed for the event---will be feted at halftime of the NIU-Ohio game and at a reception afterwards at Johnny's Charhouse in Sycamore Road.

   This year's Northern Illinois Alumni Game features three 1,000-point career scorers. In addition to Lux, swingman Todd Peterson (Pekin)---who was the No. 1 pick for Black team head coach and SID Emeritus Mike Korcek---rolled up 1,070 career points during 2002-06 for coach Rob Judson prior to a stint in the defunct American Basketball Association.

   Forward Marcus Smallwood (Elgin) produced 1,274 career markers and was picked on Finucane's Cardinal unit.

   The "senior" roster player in this year's alumni contest will be Cardinal swingman Art Rohlman (Streator / Ottawa-Marquette)---a 6-foot-3, 196-pounder from the coach Tom Jorgensen era and an assistant coach on the 1971-72 Hall of Fame Huskie team that cracked the nation's Top 20 and finished 21-4. Rohlman is currently the athletics director at Elgin High School.

   In addition to the NIU alums, Patton's four current assistant coaches will augment the player rosters

   Finucane and the Cardinal group gained the top draft pick by the virtue of the fact that his team lost last year's Alumni Game to Korcek's Black squad by a 97-94 score. Guard Jay Bates (Chicago / Robeson) will perform on the Black squad after producing an alumni game record 45 points last winter.

The 2008 Northern Illinois Alumni Game teams:
CARDINAL SQUAD: T. J. Lux (1995-2000), Ephraim Eaddy (1998-2000), Marcus Smallwood (2000-04), Walter Thompson (2000-04), Phiffney Dukes (1997-99), Shawn Thrower (1977-81), Art Rohlman (1967-71), Chuck Schramm (1980-81), John Anderson, and Dennis Gates. Head Coach: Bill Finucane (Northern Illinois, 1974).

BLACK SQUAD: Todd Peterson (2002-06), Andre Williams (1997-98), Jonathan Byrd (2003-05), Jay Bates (2001-03), Al Sewasciuk (2000-04), Jerry Williams (1983-87), Dave Pygon (1987-88), Brad Waller (1982-85), Sundance Wicks, and Will Smith. Head Coach: Mike Korcek (Northern Illinois, 1970).

-NIU-