ROSEMONT – Comparing last season’s Northern Illinois men’s basketball team to this year’s squad was difficult for coach Mark Montgomery after the Huskies’ 70-65 loss to DePaul on Sunday because the two teams have little in common.

Early last season, the Huskies couldn’t have dreamed of hanging with the Big East team, and they didn’t in a 75-52 loss in mid-December, their ninth consecutive loss to start the season.

On Sunday, NIU (2-7) led 56-54 with 4:20 remaining after Abdel Nader drained a 3-pointer in his second game back from suspension before DePaul (8-3) finally took over.