GAME 25
MEN'S BASKETBALL: WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE JACKRABBITS
Feb. 17, 2018 • 1:00 p.m. (CT) • Brookings, S.D.
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MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois men's basketball team concludes it's road schedule with a 2 p.m. tip on Saturday (Feb. 17) at South Dakota State inside Frost Arena. The Leathernecks look to win for the first time inside of Frost Arena, where WIU is 0-10 all time.
LAST TIME OUT: The Western Illinois Leathernecks fell in Fort Wayne 90-74 on Wednesday night and ended the regular season with a 1-1 mark against the Mastodons. C.J. Duff began a 10-0 Leatherneck run with 14:20 to play in the second half that would cut the Mastodon lead to seven points, the closest the game had been since the 9:47 mark in the first half. However, Western Illinois could not complete the comeback.
ALL EYES ON THE NEW KID: Kobe Webster ranks among one of the best freshman in the country in many statistical categories. Webster is only one of nine players, and the only freshman, in the nation to average at least 16.8 points, 3.8 assists and 3.8 rebounds while shooting above 39.9 percent from 3-point land. He is on pace to end the season as the only freshman (seventh player, regardless of class) to post these numbers in The Summit League since 1992-93. The Indianapolis native could go down as the only player in Western Illinois program history since at least 1990 claim this stat line.
ALL AROUND CONTRIBUTION: Kobe Webster ranks third in The Summit League in assists per game this season, dishing out 3.9 helpers per contest. He is only .6 assists behind the league-leader John Konchar. This figure ranks 12th around the country among freshman players. He is the only player in the Summit League to be in the Top-6 (6th, 16.8) in scoring and Top-3 in assists (3rd, 3.8).
THAT'S RIGHT, HE'S ONLY A FRESHMAN: Kobe Webster is one of only two players, and the only underclassman, in The Summit League to average at least 19.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists during league play.
IMPROVING THE STROKE: WIU has struggled from the free throw line during Summit League play this season. WIU has shot below 70 percent in seven Summit League contests this season. Western Illinois has shot above 76 percent in three of its last four contests against South Dakota (77.8), Oral Roberts (89.5) and Fort Wayne (76.5).
GLASS HALF FULL: The Leathernecks crash the boards on defense, averaging 27.83 defensive rebounds per contest, a figure that ranks 35th in country. On the offensive glass, the Leathernecks rank 335th with only 7.46 per game. WIU ranks 349 out of 351 in offensive rebounds percentage this season, pulling down only 19.0 percent of misses, nearly 10 percent less than the NCAA average (28.9 percent).
SPEED IT UP: When the Leathernecks have more than 73 possessions in a game, WIU is 5-4. When only having the ball fewer than 73 times, Western is 6-9.
ISOLATION: Western Illinois is ranked 341st in assist percentage so far this season, assisting on only 41.7 percent of makes. In league play, WIU drops to just 34.3 percent, nearly 20 percent below the national average of 52.6 percent. The Leathernecks have only recorded double digit assists in two of their last eight games.
SWAT TEAM: The Leathernecks lead The Summit League in blocks per contest by swatting 4.0 blocks per games. Individually, Brandon Gilbeck is leading the way with 2.8 blocks per game (15th nationally, first in The Summit League) blocks per game and is rejecting 9.7 percent of opponents' attempts. Out of 2,167 ranked players in the country, Gilbeck is 31st in the NCAA in defensive block percentage.
MACHINE FROM SPRING GREEN: Spring Green, Wisconsin native Brandon Gilbeck is one of two players in the NCAA who averages at least 11.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks while shooting 66 percent from the field.
SHOW YOUR HANDS, MOVE YOUR FEET: Out of all 351 teams in D-I, WIU has committed the fourth-fewest personal fouls of any team in the land. The Leathernecks have only fouled opponents 340 times through 24 games this season. On the offensive end, WIU does not get many of its points from the free throw line, as only 15.6 percent of its points are from the stripe (329th nationally).
SCOUTING THE JACKRABBITS: South Dakota State comes into the game in first place in the Summit League. The Jackrabbits are led by Mike Daum, who is averaging over 24 points per game and 10 rebounds. South Dakota State has only dropped one Summit League game this season and has claimed 10 victories.
