Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's basketball team is set to face Austin Peay on Saturday, December 14. The game will take place at F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, Tennessee, with a scheduled tipoff at 4 p.m.

Fans can follow the game through various platforms. The ESPN Plus broadcast will feature Barry Gresham and Ethan Schmit. Locally, the radio broadcast will be available on 101.5 CIL-FM and other digital platforms with Luke Martin and Rodney Watson providing commentary.

The Salukis have seen notable performances this season. Kennard Davis Jr., who received Third Team Preseason All-MVC honors, leads the team with an average of 14.8 points per game. Ali Dibba has consistently scored over ten points in most games this season and achieved a career-high of 26 points against Eastern Kentucky.

Jarrett Hensley has achieved back-to-back double-doubles for the first time in his career. Southern Illinois ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) for rebounding, averaging 38.6 per game.

Austin Peay enters the matchup with a record of 4-5 after losing five of their last six games following a strong start to their season. They were predicted to finish second in the ASUN Preseason Poll and are coached by Corey Gipson.

In their previous encounter last season, Austin Peay managed to defeat Southern Illinois after a late-game rally ended SIU's home nonconference winning streak.

Recently, Southern Illinois secured a victory over Southern Indiana with key contributions from players like Ali Dibba and Jarrett Hensley.

Sophomore Sheridan Sharp has stepped up due to an injury sidelining Elijah Elliott for the rest of the season.

Coach Nagy continues his long-standing success with 14 consecutive winning seasons across his coaching career at South Dakota State and Wright State.

Updates on Southern Illinois basketball can be accessed via their official website or social media channels.