Southern Illinois University
Nevada
SIU begins major road test Wednesday against Nevada
11/10/2025 | 9:00:00 | Men's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois heads into West Coast action Wednesday with momentum firmly on its side after opening the season with dominant wins at home.
SIU now begins a five-game, four-stop road trip with Wednesday's 9 p.m. CST matchup at Nevada's Lawlor Events Center. The Wolf Pack (2-0) are coached by Steve Alford, who in his seventh season at the helm in Reno has amassed a 115-75 record and made two trips to the NCAA Tournament.
The upcoming schedule tests the Salukis' depth, poise and stamina:
- Nov. 12 — at Nevada (Reno, Nev.)
- Nov. 17 — at North Dakota State (Fargo, N.D.)
- Nov. 23-24 — vs. Delaware/UAB at Jacksonville Classic (Jacksonville, Fla.)
- Nov. 26 — at Memphis (Memphis, Tenn.)
The Dawgs return home Saturday, Nov. 29, to face Arkansas Little Rock in Banterra Center. Get your tickets at saluk.is/43XgPSU.
Alford began his Division I career in the Missouri Valley Conference at Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State). From 1995-99, he compiled a 78-48 record, earned an NCAA Tournament bid and went 5–2 against SIU. He was succeeded at SWMS by Barry Hinson, who later served as SIU's head coach from 2012-19. That Valley-rooted lineage adds an extra layer to Wednesday's matchup.
Nevada is 2-1 all-time against SIU. The sole loss came in Carbonale in February 2008 in blowout fashion, 74-49. Both wins came in the state of Nevada - one in Reno (64-48, December 2008) and one in Las Vegas (86-64, December 2017).
Game Details
Date and Time: Wednesday, November 12, 2025 | 9 p.m. CST (7 p.m. PST)
Location: Lawlor Events Center - Reno, Nevada
Live Stats: Follow along here
Watch: Mountain West Network
Listen: The Varsity Network or listen locally on 101.5 CIL-FM
Points aplenty
McKendree (Nov. 3): SIU controlled the game from start to finish, securing an 83–42 victory behind 18 points, four rebounds and three steals from guard Quel'Ron House, and 11 points on 4-for-4 shooting with three steals from forward Rolyns Aligbe. The Salukis' bench also made an impact, with all 12 players who saw the floor contributing to the scoring, including freshman Jaheem Webber, who electrified the crowd with a powerful dunk for his first collegiate points.
UMKC (Nov. 7): SIU continued to shine offensively, scoring 101 points in a 101–78 romp over the Kangaroos. The Salukis shot 65.6% from the field, outscored UMKC 53–44 in the second half, and out-rebounded them 40–34. House again led the charge with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while fellow guard Davion Sykes added 14 points. Forward Rolyns Aligbe chipped in 14 points and seven rebounds, shooting 5-of-6 overall. Bench players Damien Mayo Jr. (6 points, 5 assists), Jalen Haynes (8 points), Caden Hawkins (4 points) and Webber (2 points, 4 rebounds) bolstered SIU's depth.
These performances underscore SIU's early strength on both ends of the court and the salience of balanced scoring across the roster.
Wolf Pack running hot
Nevada matched SIU's hot start, opening with consecutive wins. The Wolf Pack defeated Louisiana Tech in their season opener on Nov. 4, then edged Pacific, 78–77, in Reno.
- In the Pacific game, Tayshawn Comer led all scorers with 19 points and five rebounds.
- Guard Tyler Rolison added 14 points and five boards.
- Junior forward Elijah Price and center Joel Armotrading each recorded a double-double; Price had 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Armotrading posted 11 points with 15 boards.
The Wolf Pack shot 43.1 percent from the floor, outrebounded Pacific 49–34, and blocked two shots each from Price and Armotrading, giving them a perfect 2–0 non-conference record heading into Wednesday's game.
