Southern Illinois University
UIC
SIU Brings Momentum into Road Battle Against UIC
01/06/2026 | 12:13:00 | Men's Basketball
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The Salukis (8-8, 2-3 MVC) take on the Flames (5-10, 0-4 MVC) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, Ill.
Game Details
Matchup: SIU at UIC
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Credit Union 1 Arena, Chicago, Ill.
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SCOUTING THE FLAMES
The Flames are on a two-game skid and have started 0-4 in MVC play. They come into the day 5-10 overall after losing 66-59 at Valparaiso.
Ahmad Henderson II leads the Flames, scoring 13.3 points per game, ninth in the MVC.
They average 76.47 points per game as a team, 204th nationally and seventh in The Valley.
Defensively, the Flames allow 73.67 points per game, tied for 188th in the NCAA and ninth in The Valley.
The Flames have found success at the charity stripe, shooting 76.5% which ranks second in the MVC.
The Flames rank No. 235 in the latest NET ratings and No. 207 in KenPom.
THE DAWGS
Eight Salukis average more than 16 minutes per game. Quel'Ron House leads the team with 14.6 points per game. Seven others average seven or more points, including Drew Steffe (9.5), Rolyns Aligbe (9.1), Prince Aligbe (8.8), Davion Sykes (8.2), Damien Mayo Jr. (7.9), Jalen Haynes (7.6) and Isaiah Stafford (7.5).
Sophomore Max Pikaar logged a season-high 25 minutes in an 83-54 win over UT Martin on Dec. 10, and leads the Salukis with 13 blocks on the season.
SIU shot 41% (21-for-51) from three during its recent three-game win streak. (Little Rock, High Point, UT Martin) Southern is shooting 47.9 percent from the field, which is 75th in the nation. They do most of their work inside the arc, making only 4.8 3-pointers per game, which is bottom five in the country.
Freshman Jaylen Haynes has been a bright spot off the bench this season, scoring in double figures in six contests. He had a season-high 13 in the 68-67 win at Belmont on Jan. 4.
SIU has been good on the boards, holding a +3.88 rebounds per game margin on the season. They are in the top 78 overall, averaging 39.12 rebounds per game. The Dawgs split up the work pretty evenly, with Rolyns Aligbe leading the way with 6.6 boards per game. Aligbe notched a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds in the loss at Richmond on Dec. 13, and tallied a career-high 12 rebounds in SIU's win over Valparaiso on Jan. 1.
SIU landed at No. 113 in the most recent NET ratings, fifth in the MVC.
LAST TIME OUT
Southern Illinois defeated the Belmont Bruins in Nashville 68-67 on Jan. 4. Quel'Ron House hit a floater with 0.1 seconds to go, stealing a crucial MVC win on the road. House led the Salukis with 15 points, while Isaiah Stafford and Jalen Haynes scored 14 and 13 points off the bench, respectively, both season-highs.
FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by visiting SIUSalukis.com as well as following the team on X at @SIU_Basketball, Instagram at @SIU_Basketball, and Facebook at Facebook.com/SIUBasketball. Fans can also download the "Salukis" mobile app from the App Store or Google Play Store.
