TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Southern Illinois continues its conference season on Saturday when it travels to Indiana State for a 1 p.m. game televised live on ESPN3. The Salukis have a five-game winning streak against Indiana State, having swept the season series from the Sycamores the last two seasons. Southern is 24-18 all-time against Indiana State at the Hulman Center. Head coach Barry Hinson is 21-7 lifetime against ISU, including 7-5 while at Southern Illinois.
In the first meeting between the teams in Carbondale on Jan. 24, Aaron Cook poured in a career-high 25 points and Southern Illinois held off a late ISU rally to win, 82-77. Both teams shot better than 50 percent in the second half, but the difference in the game was at the free throw line where the Salukis were 22-of-31, compared to 10-of-13 for ISU.
Armon Fletcher goes up for a dunk in a home win against Indiana State
Four Salukis average double figures
The Saluki have four players averaging double figures in scoring this season — Armon Fletcher, Sean Lloyd, Kavion Pippen and Aaron Cook. The last season this happened was in 2002-03, when Kent Williams, Jermain Dearman, Darren Brooks and Stetson Hairston were all double-figure scorers. Since 1950, there have been 13 Saluki teams that have had four or more double figure scorers.
Kavion Pippen second in scoring among MVC newcomers
Juco transfer C Kavion Pippen (6-10, 240, Jr.) ranks second in scoring (12.6) among MVC newcomers, trailing only Illinois State’s Milik Yarbrough (16.5). Pippen leads the team in field goal percentage (.560) and blocked shots (38), and has scored in double figures in all but six games this season. The nephew of NBA legend Scottie Pippen is a four-time winner of the MVC Newcomer of the Week (Nov. 12, Dec. 4, Feb. 5, Feb. 12). He is 45-of-66 (.682) from the field in the last six games.
Armon Fletcher increases output after move to “hybrid forward”
Since the Salukis switched to a four-guard offense on Dec. 13, and moved G Armon Fletcher (6-5, 207, Jr.) to the “hybrid forward” position, the team is 14-6 and his stats have shot up.
Position GP PPG RPG FG% 3FG%
Guard 8 11.9 4.7 .460 .296
Hyrbrid 20 15.3 5.4 .512 .362
Fletcher had a career night at Valparaiso on Jan. 6 with 32 points and 14 rebounds. He made the game-winning basket at Missouri State with six seconds left, and the go-ahead 3-pointer versus Valparaiso with less than a minute left on Feb. 3.
Aaron Cook hits game-winning FTs
G Aaron Cook (6-2, 185, So.) made the game-winning free throws in overtime of Wednesday’s win over Missouri State. He hit both ends of a 1-and-1 with 4.1 seconds left to give SIU an 81-80 win. Cook has made significant improvement in his offensive game as a sophomore.
2016-17 2017-18
Scoring 3.0 PPG 10.0 PPG
FG Percentage .333 .461
3FG Percentage .185 .415
Dawg Bites
•The highest SIU has finished in the MVC standings in the last 10 years is 3rd (2008 and 2017). It last won the MVC title in 2007.
•The last time SIU won 11 games in conference play was 2016. The last time it won more than 11 was in 2007 (15).
•SIU has swept the series from two MVC foes so far (Northern Iowa and Missouri State). That’s the most sweeps since the 2016 team swept four opponents (Missouri State, Bradley, Drake, Indiana State).
•The Salukis need one more road win to match last year’s road win total of five. They had nine in 2016.
•Tyler Smithpeters is 12-for-25 (.480)from 3-point range during his career vs. Indiana State (8 games).
•The Salukis have out-scored their last six opponents in Points in the Paint by an average of 12.6 points per game.
•11 of SIU’s 15 conference games have been “one-possession games” (three points or less) during the final three minutes of regulation.
•SIU has shot better than 50 percent during the second half in nine of its last 10 games.
•F Jonathan Wiley has played the last two games after missing 11 games with a knee injury.
•The Salukis are 7-2 in games decided by five points or less this season.
•The Salukis are 14-1 when they hold an opponent under 70 points and 3-9 when an opponent scores 70 or more.
•SIU has gone 111-consecutive games with at least one 3-point field goal.
•The Salukis have two injured players who are out for the season — F Thik Bol and G Eric McGill.
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