FROM THE FIELD: Western Illinois is 8-3 this season when shooting better than 48% from the field, and 2-16 when shooting worse than 48%.

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 percentage from the charity stripe, connecting on 72% of their attempts in Summit League play. On the season WIU is shooting 66.7% from the free throw line. In seven of Western's league games it shot better than 70% from the free throw line. WIU knocked down a season-best 19-of-21 (90.5%) from the charity stripe at Omaha (Feb. 8). The Leathernecks have also shot better than 80% from the free throw line in five games.

SUMMIT LEAGUE GAMES: Since head coach Jim Molinari became the head coach at Western before the 2008-09 season, WIU is 40-62 in Summit League action. Over the last three seasons, Molinari and the Leathernecks are 26-22 in conference play.

SWAT MACHINE: Senior Michael Ochereobia has 43 blocks on the season, and 56 career blocks. His 43 blocks this season rank eighth all-time in program history, one shy of moving into a tie for 7th (Janthony Joseph - 44) and three away from moving into a tie for 6th (Terell Parks - 46). His 53 career blocks rank 7th all-time.

SANDIFER'S ASSISTS: Freshman guard Jabari Sandifer leads Western (T-6th in the league) in assists this season, averaging 3.1 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), recorded four assists in six games, and has 13 games with three assists. Overall on the year, Sandifer has recorded three or more assists in 22 of 29 games.

SENIORS: Western Illinois has two seniors on this season's squad in Adam Link and Michael Ochereobia. Both joined the Leatherneck family in 2011 and played two full seasons at Western. Link and Ochereobia have each played in every game during their Leatherneck careers (60) with a combined total of 80 career starts. 

TEAM LEADERS: Freshman Garret Covington leads Western in games started (26), minutes per game (32.8), points per game (14.6), field goals (125), three-pointers (67), three-point field goal percentage (38.3), free throws (91), free throw percentage (79.8), and defensive rebounds (111). Senior Michael Ochereobia leads the team in rebounds per game (5.4), blocks per game (1.5) and offensive rebounds (50). Senior Adam Link leads the team in field goal percentage (59.0). Freshman Jabari Sandifer leads Western in assists per game (3.1) and steals per game (1.1).

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 77 led by Garret Covington who has 21 games with 10 or more points. Adam Link ranks second on the team with 14 contests, while Jabari Sandifer has scored in double figures 13 times. Michael Ochereobia has scored 10-plus points 11 times this season. Tate Stensgaard has finished eight games with 10 or more points. Mike Miklusak has finished with 10 or more points five times, Jordan Foster three times, and Remy Roberts-Burnett and Mohamed Conde have each scored 10 or more points in one game this season.

WESTERN IN THE NATION TOP 100 (Last Released 3/3): The Leathernecks ranks in the 'Top 100' of three NCAA statistical categories. Western ranks #24 in scoring defense (62.4) and #99 in field goal percentage (45.8). Individually, Garret Covington ranks #95 in three-pointers made per game (2.39).

A LOOK AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE: South Dakota State has earned back-to-back Summit League Tournament titles (2012 & 2013), and a share of last season's regular season crown with Western. The No. 3 Jackrabbits enter Sunday's tilt with an 18-11 overall mark, and 10-4 conference record. SDSU concluded the regular season with back-to-back wins at home, downing Denver, 78-69, and South Dakota, 75-61. South Dakota State enters the tournament having won 8-of-9 games. Three players are averaging more than 10 points per game in senior Jordan Dykstra (16.4), senior Brayden Carlson (15.1), and junior Cody Larson (13.4). Dykstra and Larson also lead the team in rebounds per game with 7.7 and 6.9, respectively. Averaging the most assists per game on the team are Carlson (2.9) and White (2.3) as well. White (55), Carlson (49) and Dykstra (45) have all connected on 45 or more three-pointers this season. SDSU ranks in the 'Top 100' of three NCAA stat categories, including a #8 ranking in free throw percentage (76.0), #48 in free throws made (525), #37 in rebound margin (4.9), and #57 in personal fouls per game (17.6).

SERIES HISTORY WITH THE JACKRABBITS: South Dakota State leads the 17-game series 14-3. Prior to the Jackrabbits joining The Summit League, the two teams faced each other twice, first on December 31, 1948 when WIU won at home, 64-41, and then again on February 29, 1980 when SDSU won 98-86 on a neutral court. Western won the next meeting in Macomb, the two teams first-ever conference contest, 75-52. Since then SDSU has won 13-of-14, and 10 consecutive. WIU's only other win over the Jackrabbits came on February 7, 2009, when the Leathernecks defeated SDSU at home, 62-59. 

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. The Leatherecks head coach currently has 302 wins. Molinari's career win totals look like this: 79 at Western Illinois, 7 at Minnesota, 174 at Bradley, and 42 at Northern Illinois.

AT HOME: Western is 29-11 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 7-5 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. 

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.

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 and Jason Hawthorne.

WELCOME TO WESTERN: Five 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, and Mike Miklusak, 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.

SEASON ENDING INJURY: Senior guard Billy Molinari, son of head coach Jim Molinari, suffered an injury practicing during the 2013-14 preseason that required season-ending surgery. It marks the fourth consecutive season Billy has suffered an injury that has ended his season. Billy redshirted his freshman season and has only been able to compete in three games during his career at WIU due to injuries.

HOKENSON PROMOTED: Head coach Jim Molinari promoted Wade Hokenson, who is entering his sixth season at Western, to Associate Head Coach during the fall of 2013. Molinari had this to say about Hokenson: “Wade is a big part of the building of last year's championship season from the ground up. He is very efficient, he has tremendous organizational skills, and he commands great respect from our players. I think in the role of associate head coach, you want someone that has seen your philosophy be successful. He has truly earned this promotion.”

OFF THE COURT: The Western Illinois men's basketball team earned a share of the 2013 Men's Basketball Academic Achievement Award based on percentage of list-eligible student-athletes on The Summit League's Commissioner's List. The honor marked the first of its kind in Leatherneck men's basketball program history.

2012-13...A SEASON TO REMEMBER: The Western Illinois men's basketball team concluded its historic season with its second-straight appearance in the College Basketball Invitational. Although The Fighting Leathernecks didn't reach their ultimate goal of advancing to the program's first-ever NCAA tournament appearance, the Leathernecks still made program history by winning a share of the Summit League regular season championship, and earning 22 wins, the most ever in the program's NCAA Division I history.

WHAT IS A LEATHERNECK?: Western Illinois holds the distinction of being the only non-military institution to officially have its nickname derived from a branch of the military service. The school began use of the Marine Corps' official nickname, “The Fighting Leathernecks,” in 1927 when then-athletic director and head baseball, basketball and football coach Ray “Rock” Hanson was granted permission by the U.S. Navy, based on his status as a Marine hero, to use the Marine's official seal, bulldog mascot and nickname.