Banterra Center | Southern Illinois University Athletics
Banterra Center | Southern Illinois University Athletics
Southern Illinois emerged victorious in a closely contested game against Indiana State, winning 86-85 in the opening round of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Enterprise Center. The match saw numerous lead changes and ties, with Southern Illinois ultimately securing the win through Davion Sykes' decisive layup with just 4.1 seconds remaining.
The game was marked by significant contributions from both teams. For Southern Illinois, Ali Dibba stood out with a 30-point performance and nine rebounds. Kennard Davis Jr., despite facing foul trouble, added 22 points, while Drew Steffe and Jarrett Hensley each contributed 10 points.
Indiana State's Aaron Gray led his team with 27 points on efficient shooting. Samage Teel, K'mani Doughty, and Bruno Alocen each scored 10 points for the Sycamores.
Both teams showcased strong offensive efforts throughout the game. Southern Illinois shot 53.7 percent from the field and excelled from beyond the arc at 42.9 percent. Indiana State maintained a solid shooting percentage of 50 percent overall and 38.5 percent from three-point range.
Rebounding played a crucial role in Southern Illinois' victory as they outrebounded Indiana State 37-29.
Looking ahead, Southern Illinois will face top-seeded Drake on Friday at noon in their next tournament matchup.
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