Southern Illinois Edges Valparaiso in Close Contest
Thursday, January 1, 2026, 3:00 PM ET · Banterra Center
Southern Illinois Salukis 75, Valparaiso Beacons 70, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won Valparaiso Beacons vs Southern Illinois Salukis?
Southern Illinois Salukis beat Valparaiso Beacons 75-70 at Banterra Center on January 1, 2026.
Who was favored in Valparaiso Beacons vs Southern Illinois Salukis?
Southern Illinois Salukis were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -345 (about 78% implied). The favorite won.
In a closely contested game, the Southern Illinois Salukis triumphed over the Valparaiso Beacons with a final score of 75-70 at the Banterra Center. This victory marks a crucial win for Southern Illinois, who had been struggling with a four-game losing streak prior to this matchup. The Salukis improved their home record to 2-2 while Valparaiso's away record fell to 1-4.
Both teams entered the game with a record of 7-8 for Southern Illinois and 6-8 for Valparaiso, making this fixture significant in terms of conference positioning. Southern Illinois had averaged 75.5 points per game over their last ten outings, while allowing 74.2 points, indicating a tendency towards high-scoring games. Conversely, Valparaiso averaged 73.5 points scored and 67.9 points allowed, suggesting they had been more defensively sound despite their recent form.
In the lead-up to the game, Southern Illinois had lost their last four matches, including a narrow defeat against Murray State, where they lost 81-84. Valparaiso, on the other hand, also faced a four-game losing streak, with their most recent loss being a 48-58 defeat to Northern Iowa. This game was crucial for both teams to break their respective streaks.
Historically, the matchup between these two teams has been competitive, with the all-time series tied at 1-1 for the current season. Earlier in the season, Southern Illinois won a close game against Valparaiso, 79-75, before losing to them in a later meeting, 79-83. This game was anticipated to be another tightly contested affair, especially given the stakes for both teams.
In terms of player availability, there were no specific injuries reported that would significantly impact either team's performance. Both squads were expected to field their regular lineups, which added to the competitive nature of the game.
The betting market reflected the competitive nature of the matchup, with DraftKings listing Southern Illinois as 7.5-point favorites. The total for the game was set at 145.5, indicating expectations for a moderately high-scoring affair. Southern Illinois was favored with a moneyline of -345, while Valparaiso was positioned at +275.
The conditions at the Banterra Center were conducive for basketball, with a supportive home crowd that likely played a role in Southern Illinois' performance. As the game unfolded, viewers were treated to a back-and-forth battle, with key moments in the second half where free throws became pivotal. Notably, Quel'Ron House and Owen Dease made crucial free throws in the closing minutes, helping to seal the victory for Southern Illinois.
Overall, this game showcased the resilience of Southern Illinois as they managed to secure a much-needed win while Valparaiso continued to search for answers amidst their ongoing struggles.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | SIU -7.5 | 145.5 o -115 / u -105 | Valparaiso Beacons +275 · Southern Illinois Salukis -345 |
Leaders
- PointsQuel'Ron House12Southern Illinois Salukis
- AssistsDrew Steffe4Southern Illinois Salukis
- ReboundsRolyns Aligbe12Southern Illinois Salukis
- PointsOwen Dease26Valparaiso Beacons
- AssistsJT Pettigrew3Valparaiso Beacons
- ReboundsShon Tupuola8Valparaiso Beacons
Recent form
Southern Illinois Salukis
Last 10: 4-6Streak L475.5 scored · 74.2 allowed per game2-2 at home
- L81-84at Murray State RacersDec 30
- L69-73at Bradley BravesDec 21
- L68-75vs Illinois State RedbirdsDec 19
- L84-93at Richmond SpidersDec 13
- W83-54vs UT Martin SkyhawksDec 11
- W86-84at High Point PanthersDec 4
- W74-65vs Little Rock TrojansNov 30
- L58-74at Memphis TigersNov 27
- L73-81vs UAB BlazersNov 24
- W79-59at Delaware Blue HensNov 23
Valparaiso Beacons
Last 10: 4-6Streak L473.5 scored · 67.9 allowed per game1-3 away
- L48-58at Northern Iowa PanthersDec 30
- L79-85vs Murray State RacersDec 21
- L70-86at Northwestern WildcatsDec 17
- L70-73vs UNC Wilmington SeahawksDec 13
- W98-58vs Calumet St. Joseph Crimson WaveDec 6
- L72-75at Marquette Golden EaglesDec 3
- W84-55vs Western Michigan BroncosNov 29
- L56-64vs Southern Indiana Screaming EaglesNov 26
- W90-75at Cleveland State VikingsNov 20
- W68-50vs Bryant BulldogsNov 16
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont | 26-6 | - | 16-4 |
| Bradley | 21-13 | 3 | 13-7 |
| Illinois State | 23-13 | 4 | 12-8 |
| Murray State | 20-13 | 4 | 12-8 |
| UIC | 19-16 | 4 | 12-8 |
| Northern Iowa | 23-13 | 5 | 11-9 |
| Valparaiso | 18-15 | 5 | 11-9 |
| Southern Illinois | 16-16 | 6 | 10-10 |
| Drake | 14-20 | 10 | 6-14 |
| Indiana State | 11-21 | 12 | 4-16 |
| Evansville | 7-25 | 13 | 3-17 |
Box score
| Stat | Valparaiso Beacons | Southern Illinois Salukis |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 21-66 | 22-55 |
| Field goal % | 32 | 40 |
| Three-pointers | 4-21 | 6-18 |
| Three-point % | 19 | 33 |
| Free throws | 24-29 | 25-42 |
| Free throw % | 83 | 60 |
| Rebounds | 47 | 43 |
| Offensive rebounds | 14 | 10 |
| Defensive rebounds | 33 | 33 |
| Assists | 8 | 12 |
| Steals | 4 | 6 |
| Blocks | 6 | 6 |
| Turnovers | 10 | 9 |
| Team turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 1 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 1 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 9 | 8 |
| Fast-break points | 8 | 12 |
| Points in the paint | 28 | 32 |
| Fouls | 28 | 21 |
| Largest lead | 6 | 14 |
| Lead changes | 3 | 3 |
| Time in front | 20 | 78 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half39-47Owen Dease makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half39-49Prince Aligbe makes layup (Damien Mayo Jr. assists)
- 2nd Half39-50Prince Aligbe makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half39-51Max Pikaar makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half40-51Owen Dease makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half41-51Owen Dease makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half41-53Jalen Haynes makes 11-foot floating jump shot
- 2nd Half41-55Isaiah Stafford makes 13-foot pullup jump shot
- 2nd Half43-55Brody Whitaker makes layup
- 2nd Half45-55JT Pettigrew makes 7-foot floating jump shot
- 2nd Half45-58Rolyns Aligbe makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jalen Haynes assists)
- 2nd Half46-58Justus McNair makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half47-58Justus McNair makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half49-58Carter Hopoi makes 2-foot dunk (Rakim Chaney assists)
- 2nd Half50-58Carter Hopoi makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half50-59Jorge Moreno makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half52-59Carter Hopoi makes 2-foot dunk (Rakim Chaney assists)
- 2nd Half52-61Prince Aligbe makes 2-foot dunk
- 2nd Half52-62Jorge Moreno makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half54-62JT Pettigrew makes layup
- 2nd Half56-62Owen Dease makes layup
- 2nd Half57-62JT Pettigrew makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half57-64Jalen Haynes makes layup
- 2nd Half57-65Drew Steffe makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half58-65Owen Dease makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half59-65Owen Dease makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half59-67Drew Steffe makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half59-66Drew Steffe makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half61-67Justus McNair makes layup
- 2nd Half64-67Owen Dease makes 24-foot three point jumper
- 2nd Half64-70Damien Mayo Jr. makes 22-foot three point jumper
- 2nd Half66-70Owen Dease makes 22-foot jumper
- 2nd Half66-71Quel'Ron House makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half66-72Quel'Ron House makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half67-72Owen Dease makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half68-72Owen Dease makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half68-73Quel'Ron House makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half68-74Quel'Ron House makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half70-74Owen Dease makes layup
- 2nd Half70-75Isaiah Stafford makes free throw 2 of 2
Win probability
Above the line favours Southern Illinois Salukis, below favours Valparaiso Beacons.
Venue
- Banterra CenterCarbondale, IL
- Attendance5758
- OfficialsBret Smith, Jeff Campbell, Chris Pasci
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