GAME NOTES: With each team looking to extend a winning streak, the Western Illinois Fighting Leathernecks and Memphis Tigers will collide in a non- conference battle at FedEx Forum Tuesday night.

Western Illinois is sporting a record below .500 at 4-5 entering the matchup, but the Leathernecks have won two in a row with recent wins over Idaho (78-75) and Alabama State (78-68).

Memphis is in the midst of a three-game win streak, and has won four of its last five to get to 6-4 on the season. The Tigers will host the Leathernecks in the seventh game of a nine-game homestand. They took care of Oral Roberts this past weekend, 78-63.

These two programs have never met on the basketball court before in their histories.

Western Illinois took a 45-31 lead over Alabama State in the team's most recent outing, and was able to fend off a second-half Hornets' comeback that included a 51.6 shooting percentage by the visitors to still earn a 10-point victory. Garret Covington was at it again against Alabama State, pacing his Leathernecks with 18 points in the win. J.C. Fuller contributed 15 points off the bench, Mohamed Conde added 14 points with eight rebounds, and Jabari Sandifer beefed up his stat line with 11 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, although he did turn the ball over six times. Mike Miklusak nearly tallied a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds.

Western Illinois has struggled from time to time this season, especially on the defensive end. The Leathernecks enter this clash giving up 69.8 ppg on 42.5 percent shooting, while the team manages a 66.0 ppg average itself. Covington has been the only trustworthy scorer on the team this season, netting 17.8 ppg on 44.3 percent shooting. Sandifer tops the squad with 5.1 apg, and Conde's 5.1 rpg mark is a team best.

Memphis hosted Oral Roberts on Saturday evening, and it turned into a Tigers' runaway pretty quickly. The home squad held the Golden Eagles to 33.8 percent shooting from the floor, including 3-of-15 from 3-point range, and connected on 42.6 percent of its shots from the floor itself in the win. Austin Nichols netted 15 points with nine rebounds to pace the team, while Pookie Powell chipped in with 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Trahson Burrell netted 12 with seven boards, and Avery Woodson contributed 10 points in the win.

The Tigers have performed well at home this season, owning a 5-2 mark at FedEx Forum without a single true road game having been played yet. Memphis has put the clamp down defensively, allowing opponents to net just 61.8 ppg this season on a mere 37.6 percent shooting from the floor. Nichols (11.3 ppg) and Burrell (10.9 ppg) have been the key contributors to a Memphis offense that is scoring 67.4 ppg. Shaq Goodwin's 6.2 rpg mark is the best on the squad, while Powell's 30 assists is the most through 19 games.

Western Illinois may be riding a bit of a high wave considering the team has won two straight, but the Leathernecks will likely be knocked down a few pegs when they take on the stingy Memphis defense at the FedEx Forum.