Carbondale Reporter

The Southern Illinois men's basketball team is set to face Valparaiso on Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Banterra Center in Carbondale, Illinois. This game marks the continuation of Saluki Athletics' partnership with the SIH Foundation for the Blackout Cancer event. The team will don special black jerseys, purchased through an online auction, and fans are encouraged to wear black attire to show their support.

Tickets for the game start at $10 without additional fees and can be acquired via SIUSalukis.com/Tickets or by calling 877-SALUKIS.

Saturday's game also celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Banterra Center with a theme focused on the decade of the 2000s, featuring music and videos from that era. Jermaine Bollinger, an alumnus of SIU's School of Music known for his success on Christian radio charts, will perform the National Anthem.

The ESPN Plus broadcast will feature Joey Lindstrom and Saluki Hall of Famer Jamaal Tatum as commentators. Local radio coverage will be available on 101.5 CIL-FM and other platforms with Luke Martin and Rodney Watson providing commentary. Fans can access live stats through SIUSalukis.com.

Southern Illinois enters this matchup with a record of 12-16 overall and 7-10 in Missouri Valley Conference play, tied for ninth place with Indiana State. The Salukis excel in rebounding within their conference, ranking third overall and second in offensive rebounds per game.

Key players include Ali Dibba and Kennard Davis Jr., who rank third and sixth respectively in MVC scoring averages. Dibba has consistently scored double-digits this season while leading both his conference and ranking nationally in field goals made. Davis recently recorded a double-double against Murray State.

Jarrett Hensley contributes significantly to the team's offense alongside freshman Drew Steffe, who leads in assist-to-turnover ratio among his teammates.

Valparaiso holds a similar overall record of 12-16 but stands at 5-12 within MVC play after winning two out of their last three games. The Beacons average 75.8 points per game led by Cooper Schiweger's scoring efforts.

Historically, Southern Illinois leads their series against Valparaiso with an 11-7 record, having won seven consecutive encounters including recent home victories.

For updates on Southern Illinois basketball news, fans can visit SIUSalukis.com or follow them on social media platforms like X (@SIU_Basketball), Instagram (@SIU_Basketball), Facebook (Facebook.com/SIUBasketball), or download their mobile app from major app stores.