Southern Illinois at UNLV

Southern Illinois had a great run in the MVC and NCAA Tournament for a few years, but the program has slipped. The Salukis finished under .500 in the MVC a year ago and a home court that dominated opponents for most of the decade wasn't held anymore as they dropped six at home. UNLV had a disappointing season a year ago as they were picked to win the Mountain Conference and finished a distant fifth with no NCAA bid. This team has a couple of big school transfers from UCLA and Kentucky which will immediately make them better. While the potential might not be as great as last year, the prospects of achieving it are. The Salukis are down and UNLV wins this one.