Football Tops West Virginia Tech, 76-21

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#10/#9 Illinois State

Normal, IL

Sept. 21, 2002

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CARBONDALE, Ill. - In his first career start, Southern Illinois running back Muhammad Abdulqaadir had 331 yards combined rushing and receiving and tied the school record with six touchdowns, as the Salukis defeated Division II West Virginia Tech, 76-21, Saturday night at McAndrew Stadium.

The game resembled a track meet, as Southern Illinois (2-2) racked up a school-record 606 total yards, while West Virginia Tech (1-3) tallied 414 total yards.

Abdulqaadir, playing in place of the school's injured career-rushing leader, Tom Koutsos, piled up 264 yards rushing on 26 carries. It was the second-most rushing yards in a game by a Saluki back in school history. Andre Herrera set the record with 319 yards against Northern Illinois on Oct. 23, 1976.

Abdulqaadir scored SIU's first five touchdowns of contest. He started the scoring with a one-yard plunge with 8:03 remaining in the first quarter that capped off an eight-play, 80-yard drive. The drive included a 35-yard completion from quarterback Joel Sambursky to Kellen Allen.

Abdulqaadir's next score was a dynamic 67-yard reception late in the first quarter, in which he caught the ball near midfield and outran two defenders down the sideline for a TD.

After a West Virginia Tech touchdown cut the Saluki lead to 14-7, Abdulqaadir scored from 30 yards out on a sprint draw to give SIU a 21-7 advantage with 8:42 left before halftime.

Tech cut the Saluki lead to 21-14, but Abdulqaadir answered with a 59-yard touchdown scamper on SIU's first play of its next possession to take a 28-14 lead with 4:17 remaining in the second quarter.

SIU exploded for 41 points in the third quarter to put the game well out of reach.

Abdulqaadir started thesecond-half action with a 25-yard TD run. Courtney Abbott caught a 60-yard pass from Sambursky to extend the Salukis' lead to 42-14.

Sambursky finished with a career-high 256 yards passing with three TDs.

Abdulqaadir scored his sixth TD on a 27-yard run midway through the third quarter, and Sambursky hooked up with Allen for an eight-yard TD strike on back-to-back possessions to build SIU's lead to 55-21.

Linebacker Royal Whitaker contributed a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown, and Curtis Jones capped off the third quarter scoring with a seven-yard TD run.

Postgame Quotes
RB Muhammad Abdulqaadir: "It builds momentum for the next game, which will definitely be against a higher caliber team, no disrespect to West Virginia Tech." "It was business as usual. It's my job. It's not that I'm getting paid, but I have a scholarship to do this.'' "I'm a football player, I play for the game, not for other people.'' On TD record _ "I din't (think about it), people commented on it, but I didn't really worry about it. I just want to win.''

WRCourtney Abbott: "I was just pleased because we put things together (on offense and defense) for the first time this year." "Playing with him in JUCO I knew what he could do. He had a great night and I think that he will have a good career.''

DB Cortez McBerry: "It was good for us (getting to see the passing game). Being a young secondary, we needed that work.''

QB Joel Sambursky: "Showing off my arm (sarcasticly)....if that's what you want to call. Really, the receivers did a great job.'' "Abdulqaadir did an unbelievable job tonight. It didn't shock me, I always thought he was a stud and could play the game.''

Coach Kill: "I thought Muhammed (Abdulqaadir) played well tonight and that's what I expected from him after recruiting him. He's a good back."

"Offensively we have to score points with a young defense and Joel (Sambursky) did a good job leading the offense tonight. I saw some good things tonight, but I was disappointed in the fumbles we had on offense."

"Defensively we played without three players in the secondary and without five starters overall including our best player, Tom Koutsos. We had a slow start but it was a good game overall for our young team. We just have to play through the injuries."

"This is a great experience for our young players and West Virginia Tech is a good team that will win some games in Divsion II."

"Eastern Michigan is good and that's an area I coached in before so I want to go up there and play well."

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