Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois Fans Stunned By Saluki NCAA Win
03/18/2002 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
March 18, 2002
By SUSAN SKILES LUKE
Associated Press Writer
CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) - "Go Dawgs!" replaced "God Bless America" on strip mall signs in this town Monday.
That's because Carbondale is the home of Southern Illinois University, and the Salukis - their nickname is a type of dog - are on an unprecedented roll in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
By stunning No. 3-seeded Georgia 77-75 Sunday in the East Regional in Chicago, the 11th-seeded Salukis reached the final 16 for the first time since 1977, when only 32 teams participated.
SIU hasn't had this sort of basketball success on the national scene since Walt Frazier led it to the NIT championship in 1967.
"It's kind of wild, us getting this far," said Frank Hiller Jr., co-owner of the Mississippi Flyway bar and grill.
"By Wednesday, the whole town will be decorated. But people aren't used to it yet."
The Salukis (28-7) face Connecticut (26-6) in Friday's regional semifinals in Syracuse, N.Y.
"We said we wanted to make the NCAA tournament, we wanted to win our conference and we wanted to go to the Sweet 16," said Jermaine Dearman, who led SIU with 25 points against Georgia.
"We've reached all our previous team goals. Our new goal now is to beat UConn."
Approximately 1,000 fans waited in the Williamson County Airport late Sunday to greet the players when they arrived from Chicago. The university, where students returned Monday from spring break, is holding a pep rally Tuesday night.
