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Gordon, Indiana face defensive-minded Southern Illinois

Dec 1, 2007 - 3:16 PM No. 15 Indiana (5-1) at No. 22 Southern Illinois (3-1) 9:30 pm EST

CARBONDALE, Illinois (Ticker) -- Indiana freshman Eric Gordon can score in bushels, but he may have a tough time against one of the more stingy defenses in the country.

Gordon and the 15th-ranked Hoosiers look for a second straight win when they visit 22nd-ranked Southern Illinois on Saturday.

One of the best players in the country, Gordon leads the nation in scoring at 27.3 points per game, just ahead of Kansas State freshman Michael Beasley (27.2 ppg).

Gordon scored 29 points and hit 13-of-16 free throws to lead the Hoosiers to a 83-79 win over Georgia Tech on Tuesday.

A home grown product from Indianapolis, the 6-4 guard helped Kelvin Samspon's team rebound from a 80-65 loss to Xavier on Saturday.

However, his scoring prowess will be tested by the Salukis, who are allowing an average of 57 .0points. That average would have been a lot lower if Southern Illinois had not lost, 70-45, to O.J. Mayo and Southern California in the championship game of the inagural Anaheim Classic on Sunday.

Randal Falker led the way with 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Salukis, who started the season with three straight wins.