GAME THIRTEENÂ
MEN'S BASKETBALL: WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS AT SOUTH DAKOTA COYOTES
Jan. 3, 2017 • 7 p.m. (CT) • Vermillion, S.D. • Sanford Coyote Sports Center
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MACOMB, Ill.- The Leathernecks (8-4) head to Vermillion, S.D. to open up Summit League action on Wednesday (Jan. 3). The Leathernecks look to win back-to-back Summit League openers for the first time since 2013-14 and 2014-15. Last season, Western Illinois won at Fort Wayne 93-91 in a contest that was guided by C.J. Duff's career-high 21 points.
LAST TIME OUT: Â The Leathernecks (8-4) capped off 2017 with a 91-57 win over Lincoln Christian (4-10) on Dec. 31 on their home court. Five Leatherneck players ended in double figures (Dalan Ancrum-17, C.J. Duff-16, Brandon Gilbeck-16, Kobe Webster-13, Jalen Morgan-12) and the WIU defense held the Red Lions to 28.6 percent from the field.
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NOTHING BUT NET: WIU has been extremely effective from the field through nine contests this season, shooting at a 50.1 percent clip. The Leathernecks rank 20th in the NCAA and first in The Summit League in field goal percentage. Western is led by Brandon Gilbeck, who is fourth in the country in field goal percentage (70.4).
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ONE OF A KIND: Brandon Gilbeck is the only player in the NCAA who averages 12.5 points, eight rebounds and 3 blocks while shooting 70 percent from the field.
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FRESHMAN PHENOM: Kobe Webster ranks among one of the best freshman in the country and best in The Summit League in many statistical categories. Webster is only one of eight players in the country to average 14.5 points, 4.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds while shooting above 40 percent from 3-point land. If he continues throughout the entire season, he will end as the only Leatherneck in the last 26 years to average these numbers, regardless of class.
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DROPPIN' DIMES: Kobe Webster leads The Summit League in assists per game this season, dishing out 4.9 assists per contest. This figure ranks ninth around the country among freshman players.
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BOTH ENDS OF THE COURT: Western Illinois is in the top-50 nationally in both field goal percentage (20th, 50.5) and field goal percentage defense (47th, 39.9). The Leathernecks are only joined by Michigan State, Purdue, Xavier and Kansas as the five teams this year that shoot over 50 percent from the field and hold opponents under 40 percent.
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SWAT CITY: The Leathernecks lead The Summit League in blocks per contest by swatting 4.8 blocks per contest. Individually, Brandon Gilbeck is leading the way with 3.1 blocks per game and is rejecting 12.9 percent of opponents attempts. Out of 2,167 ranked players in the country, Gilbeck is 14th in the NCAA in defensive block percentage.
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BOARD GAMES: The Purple and Gold average 37.33 rebounds per game with 29.5 coming from the defensive end of the court. The Leathernecks are 17th in the country in defensive rebounding, while ranking 328th in offensive rebounding by bringing down only 7.83 a night.
KEEP YOUR HANDS ON THE BALL: The Leathernecks look to limit turnovers against South Dakota, as WIU has committed 17 or more turnovers in seven of its last nine contests. In its last contest versus Lincoln Christian, WIU only committed nine turnovers, the second-fewest this season (Saint Mary's of Minn., 8, 11/11/17)
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KEEPING THE WHISTLE QUIET: Out of all 351 teams in D-I, WIU has committed the fewest personal fouls of any team in the land. The Leathernecks have only fouled opponents 164 times through twelve games this season.
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SCOUTING THE COYOTES: South Dakota comes in the contest atop The Summit League and boasting a 13-4 record. This will be the Coyotes' second League matchup of the year, as they beat Denver 82-71 in Vermillion. South Dakota is led by Matt Mooney, who is third in The Summit League in both scoring (17.6 ppg) and steals (2.1 per game).
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LOOKING AHEAD: The Leathernecks head to Tulsa, Okla. for a bout versus Oral Roberts on Jan. 6Â at 7 p.m. WIU then returns home to open home league play versus Omaha.
Tip-Ins
-This will be the 17th meeting Western Illinois and South Dakota, with the Coyotes claiming a 9-7 advantage in the all-time series.
-Western Illinois will open up Summit League play in Vermillion, S.D. for the first time since the 2012-13 season. WIU won that meeting 73-71.
-The Leathernecks have already tied last year's mark by scoring at least 90 points five times this season through twelve games. Last year in 28 games, WIU only netted 90 points on five occasions.
-These programs met three times last season with South Dakota sweeping the series, which included an overtime thriller in the first round of The Summit League Championships.
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