Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University (SIU) will kick off its men's basketball home season with a special event, the "Banterra Center 60th Birthday Bash," on November 8. The game against Missouri S&T is scheduled for a 7 p.m. CT tipoff at the Banterra Center in Carbondale, Illinois.

The Banterra Center, originally opened as SIU Arena on December 1, 1964, has been a significant venue for both sports and entertainment over the past six decades. Saluki Athletics plans to celebrate this milestone throughout the season, starting with Friday's game. Fans can purchase $6 tickets using the promo code "BIRTHDAY" through SIUSalukis.com/Promo.

David Lee from the original 1964-65 Saluki Basketball team will be honored during the event. Attendees can expect music and historic photos from past concerts held at the arena over its long history.

The Salukis are led by first-year head coach Scott Nagy, who brings three decades of coaching experience to his new role. Nagy has previously coached teams to winning seasons at South Dakota State and Wright State.

Southern Illinois returns players Kennard Davis Jr., Jarrett Hensley, and Sheridan Sharp from last year's roster while adding 11 new players before summer access. Among them are notable transfers like Elijah Elliott from Texas-Rio Grande Valley and Ali Dibba from Abilene Christian.

In their previous outing, SIU faced a defeat against College of Charleston with a score of 90-80 but saw strong performances from guard Elijah Elliott and other key players.

Missouri S&T enters Friday's matchup after playing Tulsa in late October. Under fifth-year head coach Bill Walker, they bring back starters Lovell Williams and Andrew Young for another season.

Broadcast coverage includes ESPN Plus with Dominic Hoscher, Mike Trude, and Jamaal Tatum providing commentary. Local radio broadcasts will be available on 101.5 CIL-FM among other platforms.

Tickets for upcoming games range in price with various packages available including season tickets starting at $125 and mini-plans offering flexibility for fans' preferences.

Fans can follow updates about Southern Illinois basketball via their official website or social media channels such as X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.