Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's basketball team faced a tough challenge on Sunday afternoon, falling to Illinois State University with a final score of 85-54 at CEFCU Arena in Normal. This defeat moved the Salukis to an overall record of 5-10 and 0-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Illinois State improved their record to 10-5 overall and 2-2 in the MVC, showcasing impressive shooting by hitting 13 three-pointers and finishing the game with a field goal percentage of 60.8% (31 out of 51). Johnny Kinziger led the Redbirds with 17 points on efficient shooting, going six for seven from the floor, while also contributing three assists.

Off the bench, Jack Daugherty matched Kinziger's point total with 17 points, including five successful three-point attempts. Jordan Davis added another strong performance for Illinois State with 13 points and ten rebounds.

The Salukis struggled offensively for the second consecutive game, managing only a 35.7% field goal percentage (20 out of 56) and converting just four three-pointers. Free throw shooting was another area of difficulty as they hit only ten out of twenty-three attempts from the line.

Illinois State established control early in the contest by scoring the first two baskets and maintaining a double-digit lead from nearly halfway through the first half until the end. At halftime, Southern Illinois trailed by a margin of 44-23 with Jarrett Hensley leading his team with seven points at that point.

Davion Sykes emerged as SIU's top scorer off the bench with eleven points—a season-high for him—while Sheridan Sharp and Jarrett Hensley each contributed ten points. Freshman guard Drew Steffe made his first career start and scored nine points.

In terms of rebounding, Illinois State held an advantage over Southern Illinois, outrebounding them by twelve boards (38-26). The Redbirds also had significant contributions from their bench players who collectively scored forty-eight points compared to Southern’s twenty-one.

The Salukis will look to regroup as they continue their road trip on Wednesday when they face Belmont in Nashville.

For updates on Southern Illinois University basketball news, fans can visit SIUSalukis.com or follow their social media accounts on X (@SIU_Basketball), Instagram (@SIU_Basketball), Facebook (Facebook.com/SIUBasketball), or download their mobile app available on both App Store and Google Play Store.