Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Basketball at SMS Game Preview
02/14/2004 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
Feb 14, 2004
Now that the Southern Illinois won its first game as a ranked team, the Salukis can get back to their top priority - a third straight conference title and NCAA tournament appearance.
The 23rd-ranked Salukis (19-2, 13-0 Missouri Valley) hold a three-game lead in the conference over Creighton and look to extend that when they visit SW Missouri State on Saturday.
Southern Illinois remained perfect in conference play with its 11th straight win, a 96-76 rout of Drake on Wednesday in its first game as a ranked team since 1976. The streak is its longest since Walt Frazier led the team to 19 straight wins and a NIT Championship in 1966-67, while their conference start is the best in school history.
The Salukis set out to prove their new status with a strong offensive performance that set season bests for points in a game, the first half and halftime lead.
"I told those guys 'You're ranked 23rd in the country, now go out and play like it,"' first-year Salukis coach Matt Painter said.
Five players finished in double figures led by freshman reserve Jamaal Tatum who scored a career-high 19 points. The 6-foot-1 guard hit 5-of-7 3-pointers as Southern Illinois finished with a season-best 11 from behind the arc.
Guard Darren Brooks, who averages a league-best 16.5 points per game, followed with 15 while reserve forward LaMar Owen added 13 as the Salukis shot 50 percent from the floor.
"We get a game under our belt while being ranked, and you kind of lessen the questions about being ranked and get back to the real race, which is the Valley championship," Painter said. "That's the only thing we're concerned with right now."
SW Missouri State (15-9, 7-6) has split its last eight games, scoring an average of just 55 points in that span. It surrendered a 9-0 run in a little over 60 seconds left to play to fall 64-59 at Northern Iowa on Wednesday.
Seniors Merrill Andrews and Monwell Randle scored 10 points apiece while Randle had eight boards as the Bears outrebounded the Panthers 31-29 in the loss.
Blake Ahearn, who leads the team with 11.2 points a contest, finished with just seven points in the loss. The freshman guard, who went 5-for-5 from the foul line, has made 91 of his 92 attempts this season and is on pace to break the NCAA record of 95.9 percent set by Penn State's Craig Collins in 1985.
Southern Illinois holds a 29-21 advantage in the all-time series and has won five straight over Southwest Missouri State, including a 59-52 decision on Feb. 3.
