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Leathernecks Face Iowa in Final Non-League Game

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

The team will face Summit League opponents the rest of the season.

Who | Western Illinois (10-3, 1-1) at Iowa (9-3, 0-2)
When | Wednesday (Dec. 29), 7 p.m.
Where | Carver-Hawkeye Arena – Iowa City, Iowa
Social media | Instagram + Twitter + Facebook + #TRADITIONofTOUGH

Matchup history: Western Illinois men's basketball has faced off with the Iowa Hawkeyes ten times in program history, a matchup which dates back to Dec. 15, 1943. The Leathernecks and Hawkeyes played last season, a game which Iowa won comfortably. Tamell Pearson led the Leathernecks in scoring that game with 12, and Will Carius chipped in ten points and five rebounds in his Division-I debut.

Scouting the opponent: The Hawkeyes are 9-3 and have won their last two games, defeating Southeastern Louisiana 93-62 on Dec. 21 and Utah State 94-75 on Dec. 18. Keegan Murray has been stellar for the Hawkeyes, averaging 23 points and eight rebounds per game while leading the team in blocks (21) and shooting 57.6% from the field. Iowa also has two players who have hit at least 40% of their triples this season (minimum 30 attempts), so the Hawkeyes are able to beat opponents utilizing a strong inside presence combined with quality shooting from the perimeter.

Players to watch: A junior from Wapello, Iowa, Trenton Massner averaged 28.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game across two appearances last week and was named Summit League Men's Basketball Player of the Week. Against Denver on Dec. 20, he played arguably his best game as a collegiate athlete and led the team to victory with 31 points (10-20 from the field), nine rebounds, four assists, a block and three steals in 45 minutes of action. Two days later against Omaha, Massner scored 26 to go with four rebounds, two assists one block and two steals. Playing against a quality opponent in his home state, Massner is one Leatherneck worth keeping an eye on.
 
Will Carius has been a steady presence for Western Illinois this season, playing a team-high 33.4 minutes per game and scoring 17.8 points per game, which is also the top mark among Leathernecks. A graduate student in his second year with the program, Carius is shooting over 43% from deep this season on 3.67 makes per game, which is good for 11th best in the country - all while shooting 44% from the field and 77% from the line. Defensively, his size (6-7) on the wing will be an important factor for a Leatherneck defense tasked with slowing down an Iowa offense that is currently outscoring opponents by 20 points per game. 

What's next: The Leathernecks will stay on the road for the next game, facing St. Thomas on Saturday (Jan. 1). Tip-off against the Tommies is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Schoenecker Arena in St. Paul, Minn.
 
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