Southern Illinois University
24-5, 16-2MVC
Missouri St.
17-12, 12-6MVC
Salukis Advance To Conference Championship
03/09/2003 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
March 9, 2003
ST. LOUIS - In a physical game that resembled wrestling more than basketball at times, Southern Illinois defeated Southwest Missouri State Saturday afternoon, 64-55, and advanced to Monday night's championship game of the Missouri Valley Conference.
Jermaine Dearman continued his dominated inside play by scoring 17 points to lead Southern Illinois (24-5).
The points didn't come easy for Dearman or any of the Salukis. SMS (17-12) leads the conference in field goal percentage defense, and the Bears put the clamps down on SIU and its top scorer, Kent Williams, in the first half.
Southern shot 39 percent in the first half, and Williams missed all three of his shots as the Salukis trailed by two, 27-25.
In the second half, the Salukis pounded the ball into Dearman, who either scored or was fouled almost every time he touched the ball. SMS was over the limit on fouls with 14:36 left in the contest.
Trailing by four, 37-33, Bryan Turner nailed a 3-pointer from the left corner to pull Southern within a point with 12:40 remaining.
After Shelton Colwell missed a jumper for SMS, Darren Brooks found Brad Korn open for a 3-pointer on the other end, and Korn drilled it to give SIU its first lead, 39-37, since early in the first half.
The team's traded buckets on each of their next three possessions as SMS answered Southern shot for shot. Williams finally got loose for a 3-pointer that he knocked down at 9:17 to put SIU up 44-41. However, Terrance McGee responded with a triple for the Bears to tie the game at 44-44 with 8:54.
A Sylvester Willis tip-in gave Southern a 46-44 lead, however Monwell Randle made a conventional 3-point play to put SMS back up by one.
After a timeout, Williams buried his second 3-pointer to put the Salukis ahead, 49-47, at the 7:03 mark, and SIU never trailed thereafter. It was the start of a 13-1 run and sealed the Saluki victory.
Darren Brooks scored 14 for SIU, and Williams added nine.
Southern Illinois has won 24 games for just the fourth time in school history. In the last two years, the Salukis are a combined 52-13.
Head Coach Bruce Weber:
On the game... "It wasn't pretty but we're happy with the outcome. Barry [Hinson] has done a great job of really turning that team around. But our kids really stepped up. It was a real gut check. I told our guys at the time-out that it's not about them individually, it's about the team, winning the whole dang thing. We got some big rolls and some great athletes who got it done. We defended down the stretch. It was a heck of a gut-check win. We're happy that we're in the championship game. We just have to do a better job finishing."
On the NCAA Tournament...
"We're definitely close, on the verge. It really depends on what Creighton does. I said before the tournament that we would like to play Creighton again in the finals. It's kinda crazy, we had a goal to win the tournament and they beat us last year. Hopefully our experience will help and we'll finish it better tomorrow night."
On Jermaine Dearman's play...
"Down the stretch the last three weeks, he has really stepped up his game. He's really playing under control. He's made big strides. There's no secret that late in the game, our goal was to get it to Jermaine [Dearman] or Kent [Williams], although the other kids really kept us in the game. Jermaine really steps up in the crunch time. He makes the big shots. I think we broke their spirit."
Kent Williams:
On the team's NCAA chances...
"We don't plan on sweating it (this year). We're hoping we win tomorrow so we don't have to worry about it. I think the fact that we have been in that situation helps a little bit. We know how bad we felt last year, and hopefully that helps to motivate us and get us ready for tomorrow's game. At the same time, there's no telling what can happen. Every year it's something different. There's always teams that get left out. There's never anything that says you're in. That week will still be tough if we don't win tomorrow, but we're hoping to win tomorrow so we don't have to worry about it."
On persevering after his rough start...
"I was basically trying not to force things. If I had my shot, I was going to take it. They were on me the whole game. I knew they were going to be on me pretty tight. They were watching wherever I went. The main thing I try to do is to keep running and keep them worried about me so that other guys can get some things going. I knew if I drove, that they were going to be right there too, so that I could kick it out and get some other things going."
Jermaine Dearman:
On whether there should have been more fouls called when his shots were blocked...
"I don't want to dispute the refs. There was a lot of physical play down low I kind of expected it. It's been like this all year during the other two times we played them. The one on the baseline was a pretty clean block. I didn't even see him, to be truthful. But I don't know about the other ones. I just tried to keep going."
On taking a lot of shots in the second half...
"I don't know if that was the plan. It depends on who's getting hot at times. Sometimes it might be Darren Brooks; sometimes it might be Kent [Williams]. I got a couple baskets to go my way and a couple roll-ins. It's my senior year and it's my and Kent's job to try and take over for the team when it comes down to crunch time. I'm willing to take that shot and, if I miss, I willing to take everything on my shoulders."
