Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University (SIU) secured a narrow victory over Southern Indiana with a score of 73-70 at Banterra Center. This win improved SIU's record to 4-6 overall and 3-1 at home.

Ali Dibba led the Salukis with 19 points, while Jarrett Hensley achieved his second consecutive double-double, contributing 16 points and 11 rebounds. Kennard Davis Jr. added 11 points, marking his ninth double-digit scoring game this season.

Head coach Scott Nagy commented on the performance, stating, "For us, it still wasn't pretty. I thought when plays needed to be made our guys did that." He highlighted Davion Sykes' crucial three-pointer and Davis' clutch two-point shot as key moments in the game.

Antwaun Massey played a significant role by scoring 10 points and grabbing eight rebounds. His aggressive play early in the second half led to foul trouble for USI's Stephen Olowoniyi, who scored only four points in the second half after an impressive first-half performance.

The first half saw six lead changes before SIU took a narrow lead into halftime. Hensley was pivotal during this period with 11 points and three assists. Dibba's steal and dunk helped maintain SIU's lead going into the break.

In the second half, SIU's defense proved decisive as they dominated rebounding with a 22-13 advantage. Dibba scored 11 of his total points during this period, initiating a critical run that put SIU ahead by eight points.

Despite USI narrowing the gap to two points late in the game, Davis secured the win for SIU with a fading shot from 15 feet. Free throws from Hensley sealed their victory.

SIU outperformed USI on rebounds (35-24) and shooting efficiency (48.2 percent). Drew Steffe and Hensley each provided four assists for their team.

Olowoniyi led Southern Indiana with 24 points while Jayland Randall added another 22 for USI.

Looking ahead, Southern Illinois will face Austin Peay on December 14 in Tennessee at 4 p.m. CT.

Fans can follow updates on SIUSalukis.com or through social media platforms like X (@SIU_Basketball), Instagram (@SIU_Basketball), Facebook (Facebook.com/SIUBasketball), or via the "Salukis" mobile app available on App Store or Google Play Store.