Sunday, January 1
Carbondale, Ill.
4 PM
Southern Illinois University
vs
Drake
Men's Basketball hosts Drake at 4 p.m. on New Year's Day
12/31/2016 | 9:50:00 | Men's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois (7-7, 0-1) hosts Drake (3-10, 1-0) on New Year's Day at 4 p.m. at SIU Arena. General admission tickets are priced at just $10.
The Salukis have won the last three meetings and four of the last six versus Drake. Last year, they swept the season series, winning by 15 at home and by five in Des Moines. In the win at SIU Arena on Feb. 13, 2016, Anthony Beane scored 31 points, including 20 points in the second half alone, as he became just the second player in school history to score 1,000 points in MVC games (joining Kent Williams).
Salukis 7-1 on New Year's Day
The Salukis are 7-1 all-time in games played on New Year's Day. The only loss was to Murray State in 1943. Most recently they've beaten Wichita State (2007), Bradley (2010), Northern Iowa (2011) and Illinois State (2012) on New Year's Day.
Sean O'Brien surpasses 1,000 career points
F Sean O'Brien (6-7, 215, Sr.) is the 45th player in school history to reach 1,000 in his career. He currently stands 43rd in scoring at SIU with 1,006 points. O'Brien is also 15th in career rebounds (635) at SIU.
A preseason Second-Team All-MVC pick, O'Brien is third in scoring (10.9), first in rebounding (7.8) and second in assists (2.7). He has four double-doubles this season and 13 in his career. O'Brien has 103 career starts, including 80-straight. He is just the 13th player at SIU to start 100 games.
Armon Fletcher leads Salukis in scoring, 3-pointers, steals
Armon Fletcher (6-4, 190, So.) is SIU's leading scorer (13.8 points) and has made at least one 3-pointer in all but the game at Bradley. He is shooting a team-best .375 from outside the arc. Fletcher also leads the club and ranks fourth in the MVC in steals (1.9).
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 (50) or recorded an assist (69) on 33 percent of SIU's field goals (356).
•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 (81/208) and 37 percent of free throw attempts (110/294).
Rodriguez 3rd in nation in free throw attempts
Rodriguez ranks 3rd in the nation in free throw attempts and 14th in free throws made (81-of-110). 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
•43 percent of Rodriguez' points have come from the free throw line. For the rest of the team, only 16 percent of their points come from the line.
•The Salukis shoot .522 from inside the 3-point arc, compared to .301 outside the arc.
•SIU's non-conference SOS ranks 134th in the nation. Last year, it was 325th.
•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 13-straight FTs in a streak that started seven games ago versus Texas Southern.
Thik Bol 49th 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 27 blocks are just two 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.
Rodriguez to Bol connection
The biggest beneficiary of Mike Rodriguez passing prowess has been C Thik Bol. Of Rodriguez' 69 assists this season, 34 percent (24) have led to baskets by Bol. Bol has shown he can finish with authority — 31 of his 59 field goals (53 percent) have been dunks.
Salukis versus the Power Five
SIU has played three Power Five opponents already this season. The Salukis lost to Arkansas, Minnesota and Louisville by an average margin of 20 points. Those three teams have a combined record of 34-6. The last time the Salukis beat a Power Five program was in 2008, when they defeated Oklahoma State in the first round of the NIT. Since that game, they have lost 10 straight.
School-record 17 home games at SIU Arena
The Salukis will host a school-record eight non-conference home games for a total of 17 home games this season — the most in school history. The Salukis have a 528-185 (.743) record all-time at SIU Arena, which opened in 1964, including a 12-4 mark last season. The arena underwent a $29.9 million renovation prior to the 2010-11 season.
Leo Vincent returns to starting lineup
G Leo Vincent (6-1, 192, Sr.) played in all 32 games last year, never started, but was the team's fourth-leading scorer (8.1 points) and was named to the MVC's All-Bench team. This season, he started the first 10 games, came off the bench for two, and then back to starter. He averages 9.3 points.
made (98). In his career, 69 percent of his shot attempts have come from 3-point range.
The Salukis have won the last three meetings and four of the last six versus Drake. Last year, they swept the season series, winning by 15 at home and by five in Des Moines. In the win at SIU Arena on Feb. 13, 2016, Anthony Beane scored 31 points, including 20 points in the second half alone, as he became just the second player in school history to score 1,000 points in MVC games (joining Kent Williams).
Salukis 7-1 on New Year's Day
The Salukis are 7-1 all-time in games played on New Year's Day. The only loss was to Murray State in 1943. Most recently they've beaten Wichita State (2007), Bradley (2010), Northern Iowa (2011) and Illinois State (2012) on New Year's Day.
Sean O'Brien surpasses 1,000 career points
F Sean O'Brien (6-7, 215, Sr.) is the 45th player in school history to reach 1,000 in his career. He currently stands 43rd in scoring at SIU with 1,006 points. O'Brien is also 15th in career rebounds (635) at SIU.
A preseason Second-Team All-MVC pick, O'Brien is third in scoring (10.9), first in rebounding (7.8) and second in assists (2.7). He has four double-doubles this season and 13 in his career. O'Brien has 103 career starts, including 80-straight. He is just the 13th player at SIU to start 100 games.
Armon Fletcher leads Salukis in scoring, 3-pointers, steals
Armon Fletcher (6-4, 190, So.) is SIU's leading scorer (13.8 points) and has made at least one 3-pointer in all but the game at Bradley. He is shooting a team-best .375 from outside the arc. Fletcher also leads the club and ranks fourth in the MVC in steals (1.9).
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 (50) or recorded an assist (69) on 33 percent of SIU's field goals (356).
•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 (81/208) and 37 percent of free throw attempts (110/294).
Rodriguez 3rd in nation in free throw attempts
Rodriguez ranks 3rd in the nation in free throw attempts and 14th in free throws made (81-of-110). 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
•43 percent of Rodriguez' points have come from the free throw line. For the rest of the team, only 16 percent of their points come from the line.
•The Salukis shoot .522 from inside the 3-point arc, compared to .301 outside the arc.
•SIU's non-conference SOS ranks 134th in the nation. Last year, it was 325th.
•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 13-straight FTs in a streak that started seven games ago versus Texas Southern.
Thik Bol 49th 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 27 blocks are just two 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.
Rodriguez to Bol connection
The biggest beneficiary of Mike Rodriguez passing prowess has been C Thik Bol. Of Rodriguez' 69 assists this season, 34 percent (24) have led to baskets by Bol. Bol has shown he can finish with authority — 31 of his 59 field goals (53 percent) have been dunks.
Salukis versus the Power Five
SIU has played three Power Five opponents already this season. The Salukis lost to Arkansas, Minnesota and Louisville by an average margin of 20 points. Those three teams have a combined record of 34-6. The last time the Salukis beat a Power Five program was in 2008, when they defeated Oklahoma State in the first round of the NIT. Since that game, they have lost 10 straight.
School-record 17 home games at SIU Arena
The Salukis will host a school-record eight non-conference home games for a total of 17 home games this season — the most in school history. The Salukis have a 528-185 (.743) record all-time at SIU Arena, which opened in 1964, including a 12-4 mark last season. The arena underwent a $29.9 million renovation prior to the 2010-11 season.
Leo Vincent returns to starting lineup
G Leo Vincent (6-1, 192, Sr.) played in all 32 games last year, never started, but was the team's fourth-leading scorer (8.1 points) and was named to the MVC's All-Bench team. This season, he started the first 10 games, came off the bench for two, and then back to starter. He averages 9.3 points.
made (98). In his career, 69 percent of his shot attempts have come from 3-point range.
Players Mentioned
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