Preview | Salukis Take On Missouri State Wednesday Night at Banterra Center

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois basketball will look for its third-straight win when the team plays host to Missouri State Wednesday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Banterra Center.

GAME PROMOTIONS

It's Autism Awareness Night, and First Southern Bank will present a check to support the work of the SIU Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders.
- Use code CASD at SIUSalukis.com/Promo for $10 tickets.

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 on ESPN Plus with Noah Reed (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

Southern Illinois is ranked 105 in the NET, while Missouri State ranks 141.
SIU is holding opponents to 29.1 percent from 3-point range -- 17th-best nationally.
Southern is shooting 37.1 percent from behind the arc -- ranking 41st nationally.
The Salukis rank 58th nationally in effective field goal percentage at 54.4 percent.
SIU's scoring defense ranks 29th in the nation -- holding opponents to 64.5 points per game.
SIU is shooting 75.3 percent from the free throw line which is second in the MVC and 41st nationally.
SIU has won its last two games after trailing at halftime. SIU was 0-4 before the Valpo game.
SIU is 28-0 under Bryan Mullins when scoring 75 points or more and 52-6 when scoring 70 or more.
Bryan Mullins is tied for the fourth-fastest coach in program history to reach 80 wins -- 142 games.
SIU has nine double-digit wins this season out of the 14 overall. The most wins in one season by 10+ points SIU has had under head coach Bryan Mullins is 10 in 2019-20, with three of them being MVC wins.

XAVIER JOHNSON...

has been named to two Mid-Season Watch List: Lute Olson (National Player of the Year) & Lue Henson (Mid-Major Player of the Year).
is third in the nation in scoring at 23 points per game and has scored 16 or more in all 21 games.
is 21st nationally and leading the MVC with 6.0 assists per game.
is sixth nationally with 147 free throws made and 11th nationally in free throw attempts with 163.
is the only player in the nation averaging 20+ points, shooting better than 40 percent or better from the field, 40 percent or better from three, 85 percent or better from the free throw line, and averaging five or more assists per game.

NUMBERS WATCH

Xavier Johnson is one of seven players in SIU history with five 30+ point games in a season. He has five of the 14 30+ point games in the MVC. His 12 20+ point games lead the MVC.
Xavier Johnson has dished out 127 assists (11th in SIU history) this season -- 6.0 apg -- Bryan Mullins holds the season record with 154 assists during the 2007-08 season.
Sharpshooter Trent Brown enters the game with 150 career 3-pointers -- 12th in program history. Brown ranks 12th in program history with 428 3-point attempts.
Forward Clarence Rupert has three double-doubles this season -- exceeding the number of double-doubles SIU had last year in total.

THE SERIES

Southern Illinois leads the series with Missouri State 53-43, including a 29-11 record in Carbondale. SIU has won the last three games with the Bears, all three of which came last season. The Salukis won on the road 61-57, at home 73-53, and once more when SIU knocked the Bears out of Arch Madness, 54-51. Before last season, SIU had dropped its previous five games to Missouri State.

THE MATCHUP

Missouri State enters the game at 12-9 overall and 4-6 in the MVC.
MSU was picked to finish sixth in the MVC Preseason Poll.
The game will be the only matchup between the two programs barring a meeting in St. Louis during Arch Madness.
Following a stretch of five losses in six games, the Bears have won their last two outings -- at home against Drake and at Valparaiso.
Alston Mason leads Missouri State in scoring with 18.4 points per game while Donovan Clay (13.7) and Chance Moore (10.4) also score over 10 points per game for the Bears.

LAST TIME OUT

Southern Illinois rallied back from a 20-point second-half deficit to defeat Murray State on the road, 60-58.
The Salukis reeled off a 25-3 run over the final 14 minutes to secure the win, allowing just one field goal during the stretch.
Xavier Johnson scored the game-winning layup with 2.9 seconds on the clock.
Johnson and Trent Brown led the Salukis with 16 points each and AJ Ferguson had 14 for SIU.
SIU outrebounded MSU 36-22 and allowed only one offensive rebound in the win.
Scottie Ebube was a major factor in the win, securing eight rebounds, three steals, and blocking two shots.

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.

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