CARBONDALE, Ill. — Kennard Davis lit up the scoreboard with 24 points, steering Southern Illinois to an 88-79 triumph over Illinois State on Tuesday night.
Davis was pivotal for the Salukis (13-17, 8-11 Missouri Valley Conference), delivering not only points but also dishing out five assists. Ali Abdou Dibba reinforced the team’s efforts, adding an impressive 22 points by making 8 of 16 attempts from the field and capitalizing on 6 of 9 free throws, alongside pulling down six boards. Showing accuracy from beyond the arc, Drew Steffe contributed 18 points, managing to hit 6 of 9 from the field, which included a flawless 5 for 5 from three-point range, while going 1 for 3 at the charity stripe.
On the side of the Redbirds (17-13, 9-10), Dalton Banks was the scoring leader with 18 points and also logged three steals. Johnny Kinziger bolstered Illinois State’s performance with 13 points and six rebounds, and Malachi Poindexter chipped in with 12 points.
Southern Illinois asserted control with 15:02 remaining in the opening half and maintained that lead throughout the contest. Jarrett Hensley paced the first-half effort with 14 points, ensuring the Salukis were ahead 43-35 as they headed into half-time. Clinching the victory with a strong second-half push, Kennard Davis Jr. added 18 points to Southern Illinois’ tally, sealing the game with a nine-point margin.
Looking ahead, both teams are slated for action on Sunday. Southern Illinois will travel to face Indiana State, while Illinois State will host Evansville on home turf.
