Missouri State Bears Look to Upset Southern Illinois Salukis in Key Conference Matchup

Game outlook

The content highlights an upcoming matchup between the Missouri State Bears and the Southern Illinois Salukis in the Missouri Valley Conference. Both teams are coming off road wins and have performed well recently. This will be their only meeting this season, and Southern Illinois has historically had the upper hand. The game is scheduled for 8:00 PM EST at the Banterra Center in Carbondale, Illinois, with Southern Illinois initially favored by 7.5 points, but the current line stands at -6.

Betting Odds

Moneyline: Bears +220 | Salukis -273

Spread: Bears +6 (-110) | Salukis -6 (-110)

Total: Over/Under 135 (-110)

Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Southern Illinois will win straight-up is 73%.

Missouri St. Bears

The Missouri State Bears recently improved their conference record from 2-6 to 4-6 with two hard-earned wins. As the Missouri Valley Conference is projected to only receive one bid to the NCAA Tournament, seeding is crucial. Guard Alston Mason has been a key player for the Bears, currently ranking as the fourth leading scorer in the MVC with 18.4 PPG. Mason is also the team's leading shooter, with 51 made threes on 37.8% shooting from deep. Other notable players include Donovan Clay, a 6'8 senior guard averaging 13.7 PPG and 5.8 RPG, and Chance Moore, a 6'6 junior guard contributing 10.4 PPG and 5.3 RPG. NJ Benson, a 6'8, 235-pound sophomore, is the team's top interior player, averaging 7.9 PPG and 7.3 RPG. Missouri State currently holds a ranking of 156th overall according to KenPom, with their offensive and defensive efficiencies ranked at 224th and 109th, respectively. They play at the 166th fastest tempo in Division I basketball. In terms of statistics, the Bears have a field goal percentage of 43.04%, rank 272nd in three-point shooting with a percentage of 31.74%, and have a free throw percentage of 70.18%. They average 38.90 rebounds per game and have an average of 12.35 offensive assists and 12.40 turnovers per game. Defensively, Missouri State allows opponents to shoot 41.18% from the field, 30.45% from three-point range, and 71.69% from the free-throw line. They average 34.75 defensive rebounds per game and have an average of 11.55 defensive assists and 9.55 turnovers per game. No injuries have been reported for the team. Edwards on 🎯 pic.twitter.com/S40Q43Btzi