Saturday, December 30
Carbondale, IL
6 PM
Southern Illinois University
vs
UIC
Preview | Salukis Host UIC Saturday for Second Annual New Year’s Bash
12/29/2023 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois basketball opens Missouri Valley Conference play Saturday as UIC comes to Carbondale for the second annual New Year's Saluki Bash. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. from Banterra Center.
GAME PROMOTIONS
• SIU will once again break a record for the largest balloon drop in Banterra Center history at halftime! Specialty New Year's drinks and food items will be available at concessions for the game.
• Fans can purchase tickets by using codes "FOUR or FIVE" at SIUSalukis.com/Promo. Fans can also get 50% off select lower bowl seats, including a $5-off drink coupon with code "FIFTY".
• Remember, at all Saluki men's basketball games, kids are invited down to the court for pregame starting lineups. To participate, bring your child to the floor in front of Section 107 10 minutes before tipoff and look for Brown or Grey Dawg.
WHERE TO WATCH AND LISTEN
The game will be available nationally on ESPN Plus with Dominic Hoscher (play-by-play) and Mike Trude (analyst) calling the action.
The radio broadcast can be heard on the Saluki Radio Network, SIUSalukis.com/Listen, the Saluki Mobile App, and the Varsity Network App with Luke Martin (play-by-play) and Rodney Watson (analyst) on the call.
QUICK HITS
• SIU enters the game ranked 89 in the NET, while UIC sits at 126.
• Southern is shooting 40.3 percent from behind the arc -- ranking ninth nationally. UIC leads the country in 3-point defense, holding opponents to 24.1 percent from deep.
• The Salukis rank 28th nationally and third in the MVC in effective field goal percent at 56.6 percent.
• SIU is holding opponents to 27.4 percent from 3-point range -- 15th-best nationally.
• Xavier Johnson is one of 11 players in SIU history with four 30+ point games. All four have been this season. He has four of the nine 30+ point games in the MVC. His seven 20+ point games lead the MVC.
• Xavier Johnson is second in the nation in scoring at 24.1 points per game.
• Xavier Johnson has scored 16 or more in all 12 games this season -- the longest stretch of his career.
• In the three games he has been available, Jarrett Hensley is second in scoring with 11.3 points per game.
NUMBERS WATCH
• With 25 points against North Dakota State, Xavier Johnson surpassed 1,000 career points.
• Graduate Trent Brown enters the game with 133 career 3-pointers -- ranking 16th in program history.
• Clarence Rupert has two double-doubles this season -- matching the number of double-doubles SIU has produced in the last two seasons combined.
LAST TIME OUT
• Southern Illinois defeated Southern Indiana 81-50. Five Salukis scored in double-figures led by Xavier Johnson's 16 points.
• USI scored the first bucket of the game, but the lead would be short-lived as SIU scored the next six points and never looked back.
• SIU put together one of its best defensive performances of the season in the first half of action, holding USI to just 18.8 percent shooting (6-of-32) – the lowest shooting percentage of the season and just out of the top 10 in school history. SIU held the Screaming Eagles to just 14 points – the sixth fewest points SIU has held an opponent to in the first half ever.
• Overall, SIU held Southern Indiana to 25.4 percent shooting (14-of-55) which tied for the eighth-best defensive performance in SIU history.
THE MATCHUP
• UIC enters Saturday's contest at 7-5 overall, finishing their nonconference slate 7-4. The Flames are 2-1 away from Chicago.
• UIC was picked to finish 10th in the MVC Preseason poll, one spot behind SIU.
• UIC is outscoring opponents 72.8 to 62.9 in 12 games.
• UIC leads the nation with 6.9 blocks per game. Toby Okani ranks seventh nationally with 2.6 blocks per game.
• Toby Okani was a Preseason All-MVC Third Team selection and is averaging 13.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game for the Flames.
• Isaiah Rivera leads the charge for the Flames with 14.8 points per game while shooting a team-best 47.9 percent from behind the arc.
• Flames assistant coach Tony Wills began his coaching career at SIU in 2022-23 as the Director of Player Development.
THE SERIES
• The Salukis lead the series with UIC 8-4 all-time and have won the last four meetings. SIU swept the Flames in their first season in the MVC last season -- but by a combined five points. Southern is 5-0 against UIC at home.
FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on Twitter at @SIU_Basketball, on Instagram at @SIU_Basketball, and on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiAthletics. Fans can also download the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.
GAME PROMOTIONS
• SIU will once again break a record for the largest balloon drop in Banterra Center history at halftime! Specialty New Year's drinks and food items will be available at concessions for the game.
• Fans can purchase tickets by using codes "FOUR or FIVE" at SIUSalukis.com/Promo. Fans can also get 50% off select lower bowl seats, including a $5-off drink coupon with code "FIFTY".
• Remember, at all Saluki men's basketball games, kids are invited down to the court for pregame starting lineups. To participate, bring your child to the floor in front of Section 107 10 minutes before tipoff and look for Brown or Grey Dawg.
WHERE TO WATCH AND LISTEN
The game will be available nationally on ESPN Plus with Dominic Hoscher (play-by-play) and Mike Trude (analyst) calling the action.
The radio broadcast can be heard on the Saluki Radio Network, SIUSalukis.com/Listen, the Saluki Mobile App, and the Varsity Network App with Luke Martin (play-by-play) and Rodney Watson (analyst) on the call.
QUICK HITS
• SIU enters the game ranked 89 in the NET, while UIC sits at 126.
• Southern is shooting 40.3 percent from behind the arc -- ranking ninth nationally. UIC leads the country in 3-point defense, holding opponents to 24.1 percent from deep.
• The Salukis rank 28th nationally and third in the MVC in effective field goal percent at 56.6 percent.
• SIU is holding opponents to 27.4 percent from 3-point range -- 15th-best nationally.
• Xavier Johnson is one of 11 players in SIU history with four 30+ point games. All four have been this season. He has four of the nine 30+ point games in the MVC. His seven 20+ point games lead the MVC.
• Xavier Johnson is second in the nation in scoring at 24.1 points per game.
• Xavier Johnson has scored 16 or more in all 12 games this season -- the longest stretch of his career.
• In the three games he has been available, Jarrett Hensley is second in scoring with 11.3 points per game.
NUMBERS WATCH
• With 25 points against North Dakota State, Xavier Johnson surpassed 1,000 career points.
• Graduate Trent Brown enters the game with 133 career 3-pointers -- ranking 16th in program history.
• Clarence Rupert has two double-doubles this season -- matching the number of double-doubles SIU has produced in the last two seasons combined.
LAST TIME OUT
• Southern Illinois defeated Southern Indiana 81-50. Five Salukis scored in double-figures led by Xavier Johnson's 16 points.
• USI scored the first bucket of the game, but the lead would be short-lived as SIU scored the next six points and never looked back.
• SIU put together one of its best defensive performances of the season in the first half of action, holding USI to just 18.8 percent shooting (6-of-32) – the lowest shooting percentage of the season and just out of the top 10 in school history. SIU held the Screaming Eagles to just 14 points – the sixth fewest points SIU has held an opponent to in the first half ever.
• Overall, SIU held Southern Indiana to 25.4 percent shooting (14-of-55) which tied for the eighth-best defensive performance in SIU history.
THE MATCHUP
• UIC enters Saturday's contest at 7-5 overall, finishing their nonconference slate 7-4. The Flames are 2-1 away from Chicago.
• UIC was picked to finish 10th in the MVC Preseason poll, one spot behind SIU.
• UIC is outscoring opponents 72.8 to 62.9 in 12 games.
• UIC leads the nation with 6.9 blocks per game. Toby Okani ranks seventh nationally with 2.6 blocks per game.
• Toby Okani was a Preseason All-MVC Third Team selection and is averaging 13.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game for the Flames.
• Isaiah Rivera leads the charge for the Flames with 14.8 points per game while shooting a team-best 47.9 percent from behind the arc.
• Flames assistant coach Tony Wills began his coaching career at SIU in 2022-23 as the Director of Player Development.
THE SERIES
• The Salukis lead the series with UIC 8-4 all-time and have won the last four meetings. SIU swept the Flames in their first season in the MVC last season -- but by a combined five points. Southern is 5-0 against UIC at home.
FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on Twitter at @SIU_Basketball, on Instagram at @SIU_Basketball, and on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiAthletics. Fans can also download the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.
Players Mentioned
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