The Southern Illinois men’s basketball team will host San Jose State on Dec. 2 as part of the Missouri Valley Conference-Mountain West Challenge series. The game will mark the first meeting between the schools.
San Jose State returns three starters from last year’s team that finished 14-16, including a 7-11 mark in league play, in which the Spartans tied for eighth place. SIU also returns three starters from a club that finished 17-16, including a 9-9 record in Valley play. The Salukis tied with Northern Iowa for third place.
The agreement between the two conferences is in the third year of a four-year term. Last year, the leagues split 10 games, 5-5. In six previous Challenge seasons, the Mountain West has a 33-22 advantage. Annual matchups for the teams are based upon factors including the previous year’s achievements, records and RPI rankings, as well as projected rankings/strength of teams in the upcoming season. Each season is considered separately in terms of matchups, therefore, games from the previous year’s Challenge may not be returned.
Southern Illinois is 2-3 all-time in the Challenge series with wins over Air Force and Fresno State, and losses to UNLV, New Mexico and Nevada.
2017 MVC-Mountain West Challenge
San Jose State returns three starters from last year’s team that finished 14-16, including a 7-11 mark in league play, in which the Spartans tied for eighth place. SIU also returns three starters from a club that finished 17-16, including a 9-9 record in Valley play. The Salukis tied with Northern Iowa for third place.
The agreement between the two conferences is in the third year of a four-year term. Last year, the leagues split 10 games, 5-5. In six previous Challenge seasons, the Mountain West has a 33-22 advantage. Annual matchups for the teams are based upon factors including the previous year’s achievements, records and RPI rankings, as well as projected rankings/strength of teams in the upcoming season. Each season is considered separately in terms of matchups, therefore, games from the previous year’s Challenge may not be returned.
Southern Illinois is 2-3 all-time in the Challenge series with wins over Air Force and Fresno State, and losses to UNLV, New Mexico and Nevada.
2017 MVC-Mountain West Challenge
| Tuesday, N28 | Loyola at Boise State | Boise, ID |
| Tuesday, N28 | Utah State at Valparaiso | Valparaiso, IN |
| Tuesday, N28 | Colorado State at Missouri State | Springfield, MO |
| Wednesday, N29 | UNLV at Northern Iowa | Cedar Falls, IA |
| Wednesday, N29 | Air Force at Indiana State | Terre Haute, IN |
| Wednesday, N29 | Illinois State at Nevada | Reno, NV |
| Wednesday, N29 | Evansville at New Mexico | Albuquerque, NM |
| Saturday, D2 | San Jose State at Southern Illinois | Carbondale, IL |
| Saturday, D2 | Drake at Wyoming | Laramie, WY |
| Sunday, D3 | Bradley at San Diego State | San Diego, CA |
