VALPARAISO, Ind. (Interstat) — Two Missouri Valley Conference teams seeking momentum will meet Wednesday when the Valparaiso Beacons host the Southern Illinois Salukis at the Athletics-Recreation Center.

Both teams enter with nearly identical records, as Valparaiso sits at 9-10 overall while Southern Illinois is 8-11. The matchup is a quick rematch from Jan. 1, when the Salukis earned a 75-70 home victory. In that game, Southern Illinois guard Drew Steffe filled the stat sheet with nine points, five rebounds and four assists, while Valparaiso forward Owen Dease scored a game-high 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Steffe and Dease remain the focal points for their respective squads. Steffe is coming off a career-high 24-point performance in a 73-68 loss to Belmont on Saturday. Over his last five games, the Salukis’ guard is averaging 11.8 points and 3.2 assists. For the Beacons, Dease has been on a scoring tear, averaging 21.3 points over his last four contests. He led Valparaiso with 20 points in a 54-44 defensive win over Northern Iowa last Saturday, snapping a two-game skid.

Southern Illinois has struggled recently, losing three straight since their win over Valparaiso earlier this month, with each defeat by six points or fewer. The Salukis’ offense has been inconsistent, failing to reach 70 points in three of those losses.

Valparaiso has shown resilience at home, winning three of its last four at the ARC, including the recent victory over Northern Iowa. The Beacons’ defense held the Panthers to just 44 points, a season-low for a Valparaiso opponent.

The game will feature a contrast in recent trends. Southern Illinois will look to break its streak of close losses and replicate its earlier success against Valparaiso, while the Beacons aim to build on their defensive momentum and protect their home court. The outcome could provide a crucial swing in the tightly packed middle of the Missouri Valley standings.