Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's basketball team is set to compete in the Gulf Coast Showcase, starting Monday against Louisiana Tech at Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida. The Salukis will face Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday and conclude the event against Florida Tech on Wednesday.

Jack DeLongchamps and John Vittas will provide the television commentary on FloCollege, while Luke Martin and Rodney Watson will handle radio coverage on 101.5 CIL-FM and other platforms. Live stats are available at SIUSalukis.com.

Scott Nagy, the first-year head coach for Southern Illinois, brings 30 years of experience with a record of 14 consecutive winning seasons. He ranks 17th among active Division I coaches with 579 wins. The Salukis' roster includes 11 newcomers alongside three returning players: Kennard Davis Jr., Jarrett Hensley, and Sheridan Sharp.

The team has been ranked low in Division I experience but has faced a challenging schedule. Key players include Kennard Davis Jr., who earned Third Team Preseason All-MVC honors and leads in steals this season; freshman Drew Steffe, notable for his assist-to-turnover ratio; and Rolyns Aligbe, who achieved a career-high in rebounds recently.

Historically, SIU has an even record against La Tech and limited encounters with Eastern Kentucky. The matchup against Florida Tech marks their first meeting.

In their last game, Southern Illinois was defeated by No. 21 Florida but showed resilience by competing closely in rebounds.

Nagy's coaching staff boasts over 100 years of combined experience. As a player at Delta State University, Nagy was part of two Regional Championships and holds several records there.

The Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), where SIU competes, has a strong NCAA Tournament history with numerous victories over Power conference teams since 1994.

For more updates on the Salukis, fans can visit SIUSalukis.com or follow their social media accounts.