Preview | Salukis Face Illinois State in Blackout Cancer Game Saturday at Banterra Center

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois basketball plays host to in-state rival Illinois State Saturday night inside Banterra Center at 6 p.m. for its annual Blackout Cancer game.

GAME PROMOTIONS

The game will serve as SIU's annual Blackout Cancer game with the team wearing custom black jerseys. Funds raised benefit the SIH Coach Kill Cancer Fund. More information can be found HERE.
Fans can bring a canned or non-perishable food item on gameday to the SIU Ticket Office to receive a discounted lower-bowl corner chairback seat for just $10. The food drive was organized by the SIU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and will benefit the SIU Food Pantry.
It is Faith and Family Night at Banterra Center. Use code "FAITH" for discounted tickets HERE.
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 109 in the NET, while Illinois State is ranked 218.
SIU is holding opponents to 28.9 percent from 3-point range -- 11th-best nationally.
Southern is shooting 36.5 percent from behind the arc -- ranking 55th nationally.
The Salukis rank fourth in the MVC in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.21.
SIU's scoring defense ranks 47th in the nation -- holding opponents to 66.4 points per game.
SIU is shooting 76.4 percent from the free throw line which is second in the MVC and 27th nationally.
The Salukis rank 64th nationally in effective field goal percentage at 54.0 percent.
SIU is 29-2 under Bryan Mullins when scoring 75 points or more and 53-8 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 15 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 second in the nation in scoring at 24 points per game and has scored 16 or more in all 24 games.
is 18th nationally and leading the MVC with 6.0 assists per game.
is fifth in the MVC with 1.5 steals per game.
is second nationally with 170 free throws made and seventh nationally in free throw attempts with 189.
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.
shot a program record 20 free throws against UIC, surpassing Charlie Vaughn's record of 18 attempted vs Belmont in 1960. Johnson also set a school record for free throw makes with 18 of the 20. Charlie Vaughn made 16 against Villa Madonna in 1960.

NUMBERS WATCH

Xavier Johnson is one of five players in SIU history with six or more 30+ point games in a season. He has six of the 19 30+ point games in the MVC. His 15 20+ point games lead the MVC.
Xavier Johnson has dished out 144 assists (4th 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 161 career 3-pointers -- 10th in program history. Brown ranks eighth in program history with 458 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

It will be the 168th meeting between SIU and Illinois State when the two teams face off Saturday night. The Salukis lead the all-time series with ILS, 88-79, winning five of the last six matchups. Overall, SIU is 53-20 at home against Illinois State, 27-52 on the road, 7-8 on neutral courts, and 8-6 when matched up in the MVC Tournament. Head coach Bryan Mullins is 7-2 in his coaching career against the Redbirds.

THE MATCHUP

Illinois State enters play at 11-13 overall and 5-8 in the MVC.
The Redbirds come in after two consecutive home losses -- first to Bradley before falling to UIC Wednesday night.
ISU is led by Darius Burford with 13.2 points per game. Myles Foster averages 11.1 points and 7.3 rebounds while former SIU guard Dalton Banks is scoring 9.2 points per game for ISU.

LAST TIME OUT

Forty minutes was not enough as SIU came up just short of snapping Drake's 17-game home win streak with a 92-88 overtime loss on the road Wednesday night.
Xavier Johnson scored a game-high 35 points while Trent Brown (14) and Troy D'Amico (13) also scored in double digits.
Drake shot 32-40 from the free throw line while SIU was 20-22.
It was the second overtime game of the season for SIU (0-2).

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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