GAME ONE
Who | Western Illinois at Indiana
When | Tuesday, November 5 at 6 p.m. CT
Where | Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall - Bloomington, Ind.
TV | BTN+ (A subscription is required; monthly passes available for $10.99)
Radio | WRMS (Danny Frey)
Social Media | Twitter + Facebook #TRADITIONofTOUGH
The Series | The Leathernecks faced Indiana three consecutive seasons from 2004-06, and are in search of their first win (0-3).
11/27/04 | 64-60 | Bloomington
11/26/05 | 102-79 | Macomb
12/6/06 | 92-40 | Bloomington
Scouting the Hoosiers | Indiana finished its 2018-19 season with a postseason appearance in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The team advanced to the quarterfinal round, where it fell in a 73-63 loss to Wichita State.
Indiana University begins its 120th season of competition and third under head coach Archie Miller.
Preseason Accolades | Kobe Webster was a repeat honoree on the Summit League's preseason list, entering his junior year a first-team selection.
In Webster, the Leathernecks have the league's top returning scorer. He averaged a team-high 17.0 points per game and poured it in from downtown to rank seventh in the Summit with 76 3-pointers. Additional stats included: 137 rebounds, 97 assists, and 34 steals.
The league coaches' poll saw Western picked to finish the regular season in seventh place.
The Road to 1K | Kobe Webster begins his junior season with 972 career points. Only 23 have eclipsed 1K in their Leatherneck careers, and Webster currently ranks 27th.
Senior C.J. Duff currently manages 782.
Welcome to Western | The Leathernecks' 2019-20 roster features a few unfamiliar faces, as head coach Billy Wright added seven during the offseason - freshmen Jaeden King (Minneapolis, Minn.), Jack Hallee (Indian Creek, Ill.) and Alex Brantley (Detroit, Mich.), and transfers Anthony Jones (Indianapolis, Ind. / Coffeyville CC), Dre'Shawn Allen (Auburn Hills, Mich. / Gillette College), Roderick Smith (Crystal Springs, Miss. / Southwest Mississippi CC) and Kyle Arrington (Council Bluffs, Iowa / Kirkwood Community College).
A Season Ago
- The Leathernecks made history at the 2019 Summit League Championships as the first No. 8 seed to defeat the No. 1. Western upset the three-time reigning champions, South Dakota State, 79-76 in the quarterfinal round of the tournament before dropping a 76-73 decision in the semis.
- Brandon Gilbeck was named the 2018-19 Summit League Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in as many seasons.
- Western ranked 16th in the nation in fewest fouls (487) and 22nd in fewest turnovers (354).
The Wright Files | Billy Wright enters his sixth season as the head coach of the WIU men's basketball team and his 11th overall with the program.
The coaching veteran maintains 20-plus years of experience, including former stints as the Leathernecks' assistant (2008-10) and associate head coach (2010-13).
Up Next | The Leathernecks will make their debut next Saturday (October 9) for the start of a four-game homestand. Stetson will be the first to visit Western Hall at 7 p.m.
