Southern Illinois University
North Dakota State University
Salukis continue road swing with trip to NDSU
11/15/2025 | 8:37:00 | Men's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — After a tough overtime loss at Nevada, SIU men's basketball returns home briefly before heading to Fargo for a road matchup against North Dakota State at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17.
The Salukis (2-1) will need to regroup quickly against the Bison (2-2), who have won two straight after opening the season 0-2.
Game DetailsDate & Time: 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17
Opponent: North Dakota State Bison (Summit League)
Location: Scheels Center, Fargo, North Dakota
Live Stats: Follow along
Watch: Summit League Network
Listen: The Varsity Network or listen locally on 101.5 CIL FM
Southern Illinois has played fast and physical early, as promised by head coach Scott Nagy. The Salukis are averaging 88.3 points per game. In Wednesday's overtime loss at Nevada, SIU was outrebounded for the first time this season, 52-49, and posted a season-low 13 assists. On the plus side, the Salukis committed only eight turnovers, their fewest this year.
Quel'Ron House leads SIU with 19.3 points per game through three contests. The Jacksonville State transfer scored 22 points and logged 44 of 45 minutes in Reno, adding a season-high seven assists. Isaiah Stafford and Drew Steffe had season-best scoring nights with 14 and 10 points, respectively. Jorge Moreno (9 rebounds), Davion Sykes (8) and Prince Aligbe (7) handled most of the work on the glass.
Free throws remain a concern. SIU is shooting just 62 percent from the line, and several misses in overtime proved costly against Nevada. Improving at the stripe is a focus during the team's three practices before the trip to Fargo.
Scouting the Bison
North Dakota State dropped road games at Oregon State and UC Davis before earning home wins over Cal State Northridge and Division III St. Scholastica. The Bison averaged 66.5 points in their losses but 100.5 in their wins, along with 13.5 steals and 7.5 blocks per game in those victories.
Markhi Strickland, a 6-foot-6 guard and Western Michigan transfer, leads NDSU with 15.8 points per game on 71.8 percent shooting—all inside the arc. Damari Wheeler-Thomas (11.3 ppg) and Tay Smith (10.8 ppg) also score in double figures. Wheeler-Thomas is hitting 40 percent from 3-point range.
Head coach David Richman is in his 12th season at the helm and 18th overall with the program. He owns a 213-144 record. Last season, the Bison finished 21-11 and placed fourth in the Summit League. They were picked fourth in this year's preseason poll. SIU has already faced one Summit League opponent, defeating UMKC 101-78 on Nov. 7 in Carbondale.
Upcoming Schedule
After Monday's game, SIU continues its road swing with two games at the Jacksonville Classic and a Thanksgiving Eve contest in Memphis:
- Sunday, Nov. 23: vs. Delaware, 2 p.m. (Jacksonville Classic)
- Monday, Nov. 24: vs. UAB, 12:30 p.m. (Jacksonville Classic)
- Wednesday, Nov. 26: at Memphis, 7 p.m.
The Salukis return home Saturday, Nov. 29, to face Arkansas-Little Rock for Kids Club Night at Banterra Center. All kids receive free admission with the purchase of an adult ticket. Tickets are available at Saluk.is/4i3okOe.
