Thursday, December 29
Peoria, IL
7 PM
Southern Illinois University
at
Bradley
Men's Basketball opens Valley season at Bradley on Thursday night
12/27/2016 | 2:15:00 | Men's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois (7-6, 0-0) plays at Bradley (5-8, 0-0) on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both schools. Bradley holds a 46-44 edge in the all-time series. However, SIU has dominated the series since 2002 by a 23-11 margin, including an 8-7 mark at Carver Arena. The Salukis have won the last three meetings versus Bradley, including a series sweep last season. They posted a 65-44 win in Peoria last season, as 10-different players scored for SIU, and the Braves committed 28 turnovers.
Sean O'Brien closing on 1,000 points
F Sean O'Brien (6-7, 215, Sr.) needs four points to become the 45th player in school history to reach 1,000 in his career. A preseason Second-Team All-MVC pick, O'Brien is SIU's top returning scorer, rebounder and shot blocker from last season. This year, he is third in scoring (11.0), first in rebounding (7.6) and second in assists (2.8). He has three double-doubles this season and 12 in his career. O'Brien has 102 career starts, including 79-straight. He is the 13th player at SIU to start 100 games. O'Brien has also moved into 15th place all-time in career rebounds (625) at SIU.
Armon Fletcher has made a 3-pointer in 17-straight games
Armon Fletcher (6-4, 190, So.) is SIU's leading scorer (14.5 points) and has made at least one 3-pointer in all 13 games this year. Dating back to last season, he has made at least one trey in 17-straight contests. The school record is 45-straight games by Shane Hawkins (1995-97). To climb into the top 10 all-time, Fletcher needs four more games with a 3-pointer.
Measuring Mike Rodriguez impact on Saluki offense
How big of an impact has PG Mike Rodriguez (5-10, 165, Sr.) had on SIU's offense? Consider these stats.
•He has either scored (48) or recorded an assist (67) on 34 percent of SIU's field goals (338).
•By comparison, All-Conference G Anthony Beane either scored or recorded an assist on 32 percent of SIU's field goals last year.
•Rodriguez has also accounted for 39 percent of the team's made free throws (77/197) and 37 percent of free throw attempts (102/273).
Rodriguez 8th in FT attempts
Rodriguez ranks 8th in the nation in free throw attempts and 15th in free throws made (77-of-102). He also has a 2.09 assist-TO ratio, which currently stands as the third-best single-season mark in school history. Bryan Mullins (3.26 in 2009) and Kent Williams (2.50 in 2003) are ahead of him.
Dawg Bites
•The Salukis shoot .532 from inside the 3-point arc. Last year, they shot .510 from two-point range.
•SIU is 7-0 when it wins the battle of Points in the Paint and 0-6 when it loses.
•In the Salukis' seven wins, they are a combined +136 in Points in the Paint. In the six losses, they are a combined -26.
•SIU's non-conference SOS ranks 95th in the nation. Last year, it was 325th.
•Last year, the Salukis started the season 18-3. They didn't lose their sixth game until Feb. 3 at Wichita State.
•SIU has started the same lineup in all but two games. The only variable was Sean Lloyd starting twice in place of Leo Vincent.
•Armon Fletcher has made 12-straight FTs dating back to Texas Southern.
Thik Bol 51st in blocked shots
F Thik Bol (6-8, 205, Jr.) ranks second in the MVC (behind Missouri State's Obediah Church) and 49th in the nation in blocked shots per game (1.9). His 25 blocks are just four shy of Sean O'Brien's team-leading total of 29 last year. Bol had a career-high six blocks versus Mount St. Mary's.
Tyler Smithpeters to apply for medical redshirt
G Tyler Smithpeters (6-4, 198, Sr.) hurt his knee in the season opener against Wright State and is out for the season. He plans to apply for a medical redshirt. Smithpeters, who turned 23 on Dec. 26, ranks sixth all-time in career 3-point shooting percentage at SIU (.395). He is 20th overall in 3-pointers made (98). In his career, 69 percent of his shot attempts have come from 3-point range.
Sean O'Brien closing on 1,000 points
F Sean O'Brien (6-7, 215, Sr.) needs four points to become the 45th player in school history to reach 1,000 in his career. A preseason Second-Team All-MVC pick, O'Brien is SIU's top returning scorer, rebounder and shot blocker from last season. This year, he is third in scoring (11.0), first in rebounding (7.6) and second in assists (2.8). He has three double-doubles this season and 12 in his career. O'Brien has 102 career starts, including 79-straight. He is the 13th player at SIU to start 100 games. O'Brien has also moved into 15th place all-time in career rebounds (625) at SIU.
Armon Fletcher has made a 3-pointer in 17-straight games
Armon Fletcher (6-4, 190, So.) is SIU's leading scorer (14.5 points) and has made at least one 3-pointer in all 13 games this year. Dating back to last season, he has made at least one trey in 17-straight contests. The school record is 45-straight games by Shane Hawkins (1995-97). To climb into the top 10 all-time, Fletcher needs four more games with a 3-pointer.
Measuring Mike Rodriguez impact on Saluki offense
How big of an impact has PG Mike Rodriguez (5-10, 165, Sr.) had on SIU's offense? Consider these stats.
•He has either scored (48) or recorded an assist (67) on 34 percent of SIU's field goals (338).
•By comparison, All-Conference G Anthony Beane either scored or recorded an assist on 32 percent of SIU's field goals last year.
•Rodriguez has also accounted for 39 percent of the team's made free throws (77/197) and 37 percent of free throw attempts (102/273).
Rodriguez 8th in FT attempts
Rodriguez ranks 8th in the nation in free throw attempts and 15th in free throws made (77-of-102). He also has a 2.09 assist-TO ratio, which currently stands as the third-best single-season mark in school history. Bryan Mullins (3.26 in 2009) and Kent Williams (2.50 in 2003) are ahead of him.
Dawg Bites
•The Salukis shoot .532 from inside the 3-point arc. Last year, they shot .510 from two-point range.
•SIU is 7-0 when it wins the battle of Points in the Paint and 0-6 when it loses.
•In the Salukis' seven wins, they are a combined +136 in Points in the Paint. In the six losses, they are a combined -26.
•SIU's non-conference SOS ranks 95th in the nation. Last year, it was 325th.
•Last year, the Salukis started the season 18-3. They didn't lose their sixth game until Feb. 3 at Wichita State.
•SIU has started the same lineup in all but two games. The only variable was Sean Lloyd starting twice in place of Leo Vincent.
•Armon Fletcher has made 12-straight FTs dating back to Texas Southern.
Thik Bol 51st in blocked shots
F Thik Bol (6-8, 205, Jr.) ranks second in the MVC (behind Missouri State's Obediah Church) and 49th in the nation in blocked shots per game (1.9). His 25 blocks are just four shy of Sean O'Brien's team-leading total of 29 last year. Bol had a career-high six blocks versus Mount St. Mary's.
Tyler Smithpeters to apply for medical redshirt
G Tyler Smithpeters (6-4, 198, Sr.) hurt his knee in the season opener against Wright State and is out for the season. He plans to apply for a medical redshirt. Smithpeters, who turned 23 on Dec. 26, ranks sixth all-time in career 3-point shooting percentage at SIU (.395). He is 20th overall in 3-pointers made (98). In his career, 69 percent of his shot attempts have come from 3-point range.
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