Salukis host #25 Buffalo in mid-major top-10 showdown

The Southern Illinois men's basketball program hosts No. 25 Buffalo on Monday night at SIU Arena for the Charles Helleny Tip-Off Classic. The matchup is one of the top mid-major matchups nationally early in the season--Buffalo is ranked No. 25 nationally, its first national ranking in program history. Southern Illinois is receiving votes in the national top-25. In the mid-major top-25, Buffalo is ranked No. 2 and SIU ranked No. 10. Both teams are coming off impressive games against ranked high-major competition--Buffalo beat No. 13 West Virginia and SIU led No. 2 Kentucky for more than 19 minutes of game time before falling. SIU and Buffalo will square off at 7 p.m. on Monday night (Nov. 12) in SIU Arena. The Salukis will wear special American flag uniforms in honor of Veterans Day.

(RV) Buffalo (2-0) at SIU (0-1) || Carbondale, Ill. (SIU Arena) || Monday, November 12 || 7 p.m. CT

Tickets » SIUSalukis.com/tickets or call 877-SALUKIS
Watch » ESPN+ with Darren Kinnard and Mike Trude
Listen » Saluki Sports Network with Mike Reis and Connor Onion (Stream available through TuneIn)
Stats » SIUSalukis.com/MBB/LiveStats
Game Notes (PDF) » Southern Illinois | Buffalo

Coach Hinson on Buffalo

After SIU's 71-59 loss at No. 2 Kentucky, SIU head coach Barry Hinson addressed the game against Buffalo: "We're going to have to play our tails off. (UK fans) know, they played them in the NCAA Tournament last year. We play Buffalo at our place. We're going to get ready to play. We said all along we're going to find out a lot about our basketball team in the first two games. I think we will. I hope we found out a lot tonight. We have to get better for Monday."

Charles Helleny Tip-Off Classic

The game is the inaugural Charles Helleny Tip-Off Classic. Charles Halleny (Class of '57) donated the fourth-largest gift in Saluki Athletics history and is a proud Saluki season-ticket holder and donor, and a top contributor to the program for more than 60 years.

"Charles has been loyal to SIU since the day he walked into this place; he never misses a game; he supports every program; he's a special person," said SIU Director of Athletics Jerry Kill. "I don't know if I've ever met a more giving guy than Charles. I appreciate the tremendous gift, because not many people are willing to step up and do that, and the more who can, the more we can solve problems."

Season Kick-Off Concert Series

Saluki Athletics is kicking off the exciting 2018-19 Saluki Basketball season with pregame concerts before the first two home games of the season. Tawl Paul will perform before Southern's home opener on November 12 vs. Buffalo, and The Phonics will perform before the November 17 game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Both groups will play from 5-6:30 p.m. prior to each night's 7 p.m. tip-off. For season tickets, mini-plans, or single-game tickets, visit SIUSalukis.com/tickets or call us at 877-SALUKIS.

GAME PREVIEW

Southern Illinois and No. 25 Buffalo are meeting for the first time. The Salukis and Bulls are playing a home-and-home series this year, with SIU returning the game on Dec. 15 in Buffalo.
The Buffalo Bulls beat No. 13 West Virginia on Friday night in Morgantown. CJ Massinburg had 43 points and 14 rebounds for Buffalo in the win. He went 9-for-15 from 3-point range, while the rest of the team was 2-for-22 from deep.
SIU is 126-45 against teams currently in the Mid-American Conference, with the majority of those games coming against Northern Illinois.
- SIU is 64-20 against NIU and 62-25 against everyone else.
- In games played at SIU Arena, SIU is 71-6 against the MAC -- 36-3 against NIU and 35-3 against everyone else.
Buffalo is ranked No. 25 in the AP top-25 poll, the first national ranking for the Bulls all-time.
SIU junior guard Aaron Cook had a game-high 18 points at No. 2 Kentucky.
Facing preseason All-American Reid Travis, SIU center Kavion Pippen had 16 points and 7 rebounds while holding Travis to 6 points and 5 boards.

DAWG BITES

SIU is one of 15 Division I programs with a coach-player family connection. Freshman guard Darius Beane is the son of assistant coach Anthony Beane, Sr.
Since the start of the 2017-18 season, Southern Illinois is 15-1 when holding an opponent under 70 points.
The Salukis have made at least one 3-point field goal in 116 consecutive games.
Abby Myers, SIU's graduate assistant, is the only female graduate assistant in Division I men's basketball. She joins four other women serving in operations for Division I men's basketball. Myers is a Du Quoin, Ill., native and grew up with season tickets to Saluki Basketball games.
SIU has improved its final MVC standing in each of the last three years: (4th in 2015-16, 3rd in 2016-17, and 2nd in 2017-18).
Three all-time great Salukis went into the SIU Hall of Fame in the Class of 2018. Jermaine Dearman, Bruce Weber, and Bryan Mullins all were inducted in October 2018.
Armon Fletcher enters the game just 44 points shy of becoming SIU's 46th 1,000-point scorer.

For a complete set of game notes in PDF format, click here.

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Darius Beane

Aaron Cook Jr.

Armon Fletcher

Kavion Pippen

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