Illinois State Redbirds (8-3) at Southern Illinois Salukis (6-5)
Carbondale, Illinois; Thursday, 9 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Illinois State visits Southern Illinois after Ty Pence scored 21 points in Illinois State’s 83-78 loss to the Utah State Aggies.
The Salukis are 4-0 on their home court. Southern Illinois ranks second in the MVC with 26.5 defensive rebounds per game led by Rolyns Aligbe averaging 4.3.
The Redbirds have gone 1-1 away from home. Illinois State is third in the MVC allowing 67.5 points while holding opponents to 41.1% shooting.
Southern Illinois scores 80.6 points, 13.1 more per game than the 67.5 Illinois State allows. Illinois State has shot at a 48.8% rate from the field this season, 7.3 percentage points greater than the 41.5% shooting opponents of Southern Illinois have averaged.
The matchup Thursday is the first meeting this season for the two teams in conference play.
TOP PERFORMERS: Drew Steffe is shooting 35.1% from beyond the arc with 1.8 made 3-pointers per game for the Salukis, while averaging 9.4 points. Quel’Ron House is averaging 14.1 points over the last 10 games.
Johnny Kinziger is averaging 13 points and 1.5 steals for the Redbirds. Boden Skunberg is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Salukis: 5-5, averaging 80.4 points, 35.4 rebounds, 15.0 assists, 7.8 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 49.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 76.6 points per game.
Redbirds: 8-2, averaging 82.5 points, 35.1 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 6.2 steals and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 67.0 points.
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