Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University (SIU) basketball team ended their three-game losing streak with a decisive 81-54 victory over Florida Tech at the Gulf Coast Showcase on Wednesday. The win saw five Salukis players score in double figures, with Kennard Davis Jr. leading the way with 15 points. Jarrett Hensley contributed 14 points, and Sheridan Sharp added 12.

Davion Sykes had an impressive performance, scoring 10 points and securing a team-high nine rebounds. Ali Dibba scored 11 points and provided a team-high five assists for SIU.

The Salukis led from start to finish, taking a halftime lead of 33-25 before extending their advantage in the second half by outscoring Florida Tech 48-29. Davis and Hensley combined for 19 points during this period. SIU concluded the game with a strong 9-0 run to secure their third win of the season.

SIU dominated on the boards with a 39-26 rebounding edge, as all nine players recorded at least two rebounds each. They also outscored Florida Tech in the paint by a margin of 50-24.

The Salukis shot an efficient 54 percent from the field, including hitting six three-pointers at a rate of 33 percent, and converted on nine of eleven free throws for an accuracy of 82 percent. In contrast, they limited Florida Tech to just four successful three-point shots and held them to an overall shooting percentage of only 35 percent.

Florida Tech's Davante Brown led his team with 17 points but struggled from the field, making only five out of eighteen attempts.

Looking ahead, Southern Illinois will begin Missouri Valley Conference play against Bradley on Tuesday, December 3rd at Banterra Center. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 7 p.m. CT.

For updates on SIU basketball news and events, fans can visit SIUSalukis.com or follow them on social media platforms such as X (@SIU_Basketball), Instagram (@SIU_Basketball), and Facebook (Facebook.com/SIUBasketball). Additionally, fans can download the "Salukis" mobile app available on both App Store and Google Play Store.