Valparaiso faces Southern Illinois after Wright’s 24-point performance

By Canadian Press on February 21, 2025.

Valparaiso Beacons (12-16, 5-12 MVC) at Southern Illinois Salukis (12-16, 7-10 MVC)

Carbondale, Illinois; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Valparaiso visits Southern Illinois after All Wright scored 24 points in Valparaiso’s 66-64 win against the Missouri State Bears.

The Salukis have gone 6-6 in home games. Southern Illinois leads the MVC with 37.6 points in the paint led by Ali Abdou Dibba averaging 10.2.

The Beacons have gone 5-12 against MVC opponents. Valparaiso is sixth in the MVC scoring 75.8 points per game and is shooting 43.1%.

Southern Illinois’ average of 6.5 made 3-pointers per game this season is only 0.9 fewer made shots on average than the 7.4 per game Valparaiso allows. Valparaiso has shot at a 43.1% clip from the field this season, 1.0 percentage point less than the 44.1% shooting opponents of Southern Illinois have averaged.

TOP PERFORMERS: Kennard Davis averages 2.0 made 3-pointers per game for the Salukis, scoring 15.7 points while shooting 36.8% from beyond the arc. Dibba is shooting 49.3% and averaging 18.2 points over the past 10 games.

Cooper Schwieger is shooting 48.3% and averaging 14.9 points for the Beacons. Wright is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Salukis: 5-5, averaging 70.9 points, 33.1 rebounds, 13.4 assists, 4.8 steals and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 69.7 points per game.

Beacons: 2-8, averaging 72.0 points, 26.1 rebounds, 10.7 assists, 5.7 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 42.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 78.8 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

The Associated Press

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