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Luka

Men's Basketball Starts Regular Season

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

The Leathernecks are headed on the road to face Nebraska on Tuesday (Nov. 9).

Who | Western Illinois (0-0) at Nebraska (0-0)
When | Tuesday (Nov. 9), 7 p.m.
Where | Pinnacle Bank Arena – Lincoln, Neb.
Social media | Instagram + Twitter + Facebook + #TRADITIONofTOUGH

Matchup history: The Leathernecks and Cornhuskers have played six times in program history, with the last matchup coming on Nov. 24, 2018. Each of the six games were played in Lincoln, and the series' first matchup was in December 1977.

Players to watch: A graduate transfer from Monmouth College, Will Carius earned Second Team All-Summit League honors during his first year at Western Illinois last season. The Bettendorf, Iowa, native averaged 14.7 points per game while shooting 42.1% from the field, 39.8% from deep and 76.1% from the free throw line. Ahead of the 2021-22 season, Carius was named to Preseason Second Team All-Summit League.
 
The team returns Tamell Pearson, who led the team in rebounding (offensive, defensive and total) and blocks last season. Person's 6.9 rebounds per game was seventh best in the conference, and his average of 0.9 blocks per game led the team and ranked fourth in the Summit League.
 
Tuesday's game will be the first in a Leatherneck uniform for Luka Barisic, who joined the program last offseason. A graduate transfer who last played at the University of Texas-San Antonio, Barisic averaged 14 points per game through two preseason exhibitions. 

Scouting the opponent: The Cornhuskers went 2-0 in their two exhibitions, beating Peru State and Colorado by a combined 179- 125. Alonzo Verge joined the program ahead of this year after spending the last two seasons at Arizona State and winning the Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year award in 2019-20. The Cornhuskers also added Bryce McGowens, who was ranked a 5-star recruit by both ESPN and 247 Sports.

What's next: After Tuesday's game, Western will head back to Macomb for two games against Culver-Stockton and Iowa Wesleyan. Tip-off against Culver-Stockton is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 12), and tickets can be purchased here. 

 
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