Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University faced a challenging game against Bradley, resulting in a 78-64 defeat at Carver Arena. Senior guard Ali Dibba was the standout player for Southern Illinois, scoring 29 points. Despite trailing by 21 points midway through the second half, the Salukis managed to reduce Bradley's lead to seven points with three and a half minutes remaining.

The game started as a defensive battle, with both teams struggling offensively. Freshman Drew Steffe's three-pointer put Southern Illinois ahead early in the first half. However, Bradley responded with a series of five consecutive three-pointers during a 15-0 run, led by Duke Deen who scored three of those shots. This run gave Bradley a significant lead.

By halftime, Southern Illinois trailed by seven points after closing the gap slightly before the break. In the second half, Kennard Davis Jr.'s basket reduced the deficit to five points initially, but Bradley extended their lead again shortly thereafter.

A late rally by Southern Illinois brought them within striking distance thanks to contributions from Dibba and others off the bench like Jorge Moreno and Steffe. However, Bradley held firm in the final minutes to secure their victory.

Bradley excelled from beyond the arc with 14 successful three-pointers compared to Southern Illinois' seven out of sixteen attempts. Notably, Deen contributed significantly for Bradley with 25 points overall.

Looking ahead, Southern Illinois will return home for an important game against Belmont on Saturday evening at Banterra Center. The team encourages fans to attend and take advantage of no added fees on tickets throughout the season.

Southern Illinois' upcoming schedule includes their annual Blackout Cancer game against Valparaiso on February 22nd at Banterra Center.

For more updates on Southern Illinois basketball activities and schedules, fans can visit SIUSalukis.com or follow their social media accounts across various platforms.