A LOOK AT DENVER: The Pioneers enter Thursday's tilt with a 13-12 overall record, and 6-4 mark in Summit League play. Denver was selected to finish second in the conference according to the league's annual preseason poll. DU is 3-2 in home league games, and 3-2 in road conference contests. Denver has won six of its last eight games, most recently winning at Fort Wayne last Saturday (Feb. 15), 73-62, after losing to IUPUI in Indianapolis (Jan. 23), 59-49. Brett Olson is averaging a team-best 15.2 points per game, while Chris Udofia is the only other DU player averaging more than 10 points per game (12.7). Udofia and Olson also lead the team in assists per game, averaging 3.8 and 3.5, respectively. Cam Griffin averages a team-high 6.0 rebounds per game, and Udofia leads the team in blocks, swatting away 2.5 per game. Denver ranks in the 'Top 50' of seven NCAA stat categories, including #13 in assist/turnover ratio (1.5), #15 in turnovers per game (10.2), #28 in scoring defense (63.1), #29 in turnover margin (2.9), #33 in three-pointers per game (8.1), #39 in assists per game (15.2) and #41 in three-point percentage (38.2)

SERIES HISTORY WITH THE PIONEERS: Denver leads the all-time series 2-1. The Leathernecks won the first meeting on January 30, 1978, by a score of 84-78. Denver won the second meeting on December  7, 2002, by a score of 75-48. The first Summit League meeting between the two teams came earlier this season on January 25 in Macomb with Denver winning 67-55. 

Denver • Western trails 2-1
Date • Result • Result • Score • Location 
Jan 30, 1977 • W • 84-78 • Away
Dec 7, 2002 • L • 48-75 • Neutral
Jan 25, 2014 • L • 55-67 • Home   

SANDIFER'S ASSISTS: Freshman guard Jabari Sandifer leads Western (8th in the league) in assists this season, averaging 3.0 per game. The Naperville, Ill. native has dished out a season-high six assists twice, first in Western's game at North Dakota State (Jan. 18) and again when WIU played host to the Bison (Feb. 13). He also dished out five helpers at UTEP (Dec. 21), and has recorded four assists twice, first versus Greenville (Nov. 30) and then again versus Alcorn State (Dec. 29). Sandifer has 11 games this season with exactly three assists. Overall on the year, Sandifer has recorded three or more assists in 18 of 25 games.

CHARITY STRIPE: Western kicked off the season struggling from the free throw line, shooting just 60.5% during the nonconference season. Since then the Leathernecks have improved their shooting percentage from the charity stripe, connecting on 72.6% of their attempts in Summit League play.

300...MILESTONE REACHED: Western Illinois head coach Jim Molinari reached a career milestone versus South Dakota at home on January 23rd, earning his 300th career victory as a head coach. The Leathernecks head coach is in his sixth year at Western, and 20th season as a NCAA Division I head coach and currently has 301 wins. Molinari's career win totals look like this: 78 at Western Illinois, 7 at Minnesota, 174 at Bradley, and 42 at Northern Illinois.

SUMMIT LEAGUE GAMES: Since head coach Jim Molinari became the head coach at Western before the 2008-09 season, WIU is 39-59 in Summit League action. Over the last three seasons, Molinari and the Leathernecks are 25-19 in conference play.

LAST TIME OUT: The Western Illinois men's basketball team dropped its Summit League contest at home Saturday evening (Feb. 15) to South Dakota State, 62-50. Three Leathernecks, all freshmen, scored in double figures led by Garret Covington and Mike Miklusak who each recorded 12 points. Jabari Sandifer, who led WIU with four assists, finished with 11 points. Senior's Michael Ochereobia and Adam Link led Western in rebounds, pulling down seven and six, respectively. Ochereobia also tallied a game-high three blocks. Ochereobia, sophomore Tate Stensgaard, and Miklusak each fouled out in the second half leaving the Leathernecks with a depleted bench.

TEAM LEADERS: Freshman Garret Covington leads Western in games started (22), minutes per game (32.4), points per game (14.2), field goals (105), three-pointers (55), three-point field goal percentage (37.4), free throws (75), free throw percentage (79.8), and defensive rebounds (98). Senior Michael Ochereobia leads the team in rebounds per game (5.1), blocks per game (1.5) and offensive rebounds (39). Senior Adam Link leads the team in field goal percentage (59.9). Freshman Jabari Sandifer leads Western in assists per game (3.0) and steals per game (1.3).

WESTERN IN THE NATION TOP 100 (Last Released 2/17): The Leathernecks ranks in the 'Top 100' of three NCAA statistical categories. Western ranks #18 in scoring defense (61.4), #43 in three-point field goal percentage defense (31.0), and #79 in field goal percentage defense (41.2). 

DOUBLE FIGURES: Nine Western Illinois men's basketball players have had at least one game this season with 10 or more points. The total numbers of 10-plus points games for WIU is 64 led by Garret Covington who has 17 games with 10 or more points. Adam Link ranks second on the team with 12 contests, while Jabari Sandifer has scored in double figures nine times. Tate Stensgaard and Michael Ochereobia have each scored 10-plus points eight times this season. Mike Miklusak has finished with 10 or more points six times, Jordan Foster three times, and Remy Roberts-Burnett and Mohamed Conde have each scored 10 or more points in one game this season.

HOME SWEET HOME: Western is 28-10 inside Western Hall since the beginning of the 2011-12 season. The Leathernecks went 10-4 during their 2011-12 campaign, 12-2 during last season's conference championship run, and are 6-4 so far this year.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Western Illinois freshman guard Garret Covington was named The Summit League's 'Player of the Week' after finishing the Fighting Leathernecks' final nonconference game of the season against William & Mary (Jan. 4) with a career-high 26 points. Covington also knocked down a career-best five three-pointers in the contest.

ALL-TOURNAMENT NOD: Western Illinois played in two nonconference tournaments this season, the Basketball Travelers Classic at Utah State and the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Classic at UTEP. Adam Link was named to the all-tournament team at Utah State after averaging 14 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in the invite. Link also shot 60% from the floor, and 66.7% from the free throw line. Mike Miklusak earned all-tournament honors at UTEP after averaging 9.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game in the two games. Miklusak also knocked down a team-best four three-pointers in the tournament. 

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Newcomer Tate Stensgaard recorded the team's first double-double of the season versus Eureka (Nov. 21) at home by scoring a game-high 14 points and pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds. He then earned his second double-double of the season against Omaha (Jan. 11) when he recorded 12 points and 11 rebounds. On December 7th Garret Covington, who is the only other player to tally a double-double, totaled 15 points and a season-high 11 rebounds for Western in a win over Grace Bible.

SHUTTING DOWN EIU: The Leathernecks defeated the Panthers of Eastern Illinois 60-32 on December 4 this season. Eastern's 32 points was the lowest point total the Leathernecks have given up in their program's NCAA Division I history, and the lowest point total WIU has given up since January 10, 1948 when Western defeated Concordia-Missouri, 60-32. EIU's 32 points was also the Panthers' lowest point total since EIU became a Division I program in 1981. 

BLOCK PARTY: Senior Michael Ochereobia tallied a career-high eight blocks for the Leathernecks on December 4 versus Eastern Illinois. As a team, WIU finished with 10 blocks. 

RETURNING TO THE TEAM: Western has six players returning to the team this season in seniors Adam Link,Michael Ochereobia and Billy Molinari, junior Remy Roberts-Burnett, and sophomores Jordan Foster andJason Hawthorne.

WELCOME TO WESTERN: Six newcomers joined the Leatherneck family prior to the 2013-14 season. Four freshmen begin their college playing careers this season in: Garret Covington, Jabari Sandifer, Mike Miklusak and Travis Barnes, while sophomore Tate Stensgaard and junior Mohamed Conde transferred to Western.

SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL: Western Illinois was projected to finish fourth in The Summit League this season according to the annual preseason poll of league coaches, SIDs and media. The Leathernecks, who shared the league's regular season championship last season, received a total of 161 points in the poll.

PRESEASON RECOGNITION: Senior Adam Link was tabbed Preseason All-Summit League Second Team by the league's coaches, SIDs and media. The Elbert, Colo. native finished last season third on the squad in points having averaged 9.9 per game, while also tied for second in rebounds having pulled down 4.1 per game. Link was one of two Leathernecks to start all 31 games last season. Link was also tabbed All-Summit League Second Team by College Sports Madness in September.

DIFFERENT AREA CODES: Western is slated to play 12 games on Waste Management Court inside Western Hall, and 17 games away from Macomb in 11 different states. The graphic below highlights each location WIU is slated to travel to.