Tuesday, November 12th, 8:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: SIU Arena (9,409) -- Carbondale, Illinois. Television: None. Home Record: UMass 0-0, S. Illinois 1-0. Away Record UMass 0-0, S. Illinois 0-0. Neutral Record UMass 1-0, S. Illinois 0-0. Conference Record UMass 0-0, S. Illinois 0-0. Series Record: Southern Illinois leads, 1-0.

GAME NOTES: The Massachusetts Minutemen and Southern Illinois Salukis will meet in second round action of the 2K Sports Classic Benefiting Coaches vs. Classic this evening, with the winner moving on to New York City next week for the semifinals.

UMass gave new head coach Derek Kellogg a big win in his debut on the bench, as the Minutemen made light work of Arkansas-Monticello, 90-71 on Tuesday. UMass was considered the heavy favorite in the game after coming off a 2007-08 season in which the team won 25 games and advanced to the title game of the NIT.

The host Salukis also won their opening round game, although California (PA) certainly didn't make it easy, with Southern Illinois posting a 66-52 decision. Chris Lowery's team is trying to get back in NCAA Tournament form, as the Salukis had their streak of six consecutive appearances in the Big Dance end with last year's 18-15 finish.

This is just the second time that these two teams have met on the hardwood. SIU posted a 65-63 victory over UMass in the 1999 Puerto Rico Holiday Classic.

It was a complete team effort for UMass, which shot a healthy 46.3 percent from the floor and nailed 12 three-pointers in a 19-point romp of the Boll Weevils. Star guard Ricky Harris scored 22 points, thanks in large part to five three-pointers and got plenty of help from his backcourt partner Chris Lowe, who recorded a double-double with 18 points and 11 assists. Forward Tony Gaffney had a double-double of his own, with 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Anthony Gurley chimed in with 14 points of his own. Harris is simply picking up where he left off last year, as he averaged over 18 points per game (18.2). The combination of Harris and Lowe will be tough for most opponents to shutdown, as they represent one of the most productive backcourt tandems around. With support up front, this could be a dangerous team to contend with all season long.

The Salukis let the Vulcans stick around into the second half, as the two teams were tied at 25 at the break. However, Southern Illinois took control over the final 20 minutes to earn a 14-point victory and move on in the tournament. Carlton Fay played a big part in the win, as he recorded a double- double with team-highs of 16 points and 11 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass. Wesley Clemmons added 10 points in support, followed by Kevin Dillard's nine. The Salukis shot just 41.3 percent from the floor and turned the ball over 19 times, but forced California (PA) into 22 turnovers and held the Vulcans to a mere 40.9 percent shooting.

The Salukis had enough to get by California (Pa), but will need a much better effort to knock off the Minutemen. UMass has come out of the gate at full speed and behind another superb performance from Harris and Lowe, they should be the ones heading to the Big Apple next week.

Predicted Outcome

Massachusetts 75, Southern Illinois 66