Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
15-5, 6-2
Missouri St.
9-8, 3-6
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Illinois | 39 | 38 | 77 |
| Missouri State | 43 | 49 | 92 |
Men's Basketball Loses at SMS, 92-77
01/26/2005 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 26, 2005
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - SMS handed Southern Illinois its worst loss in Missouri Valley Conference play in four years, 92-77, Wednesday night at the Hammons Student Center in front of a crowd of 7,100.
The Bears (9-8, 3-6) carved up Southern's defense by shooting 57 percent from the field as six players scored in double figures, including two double-double performances from Tamarr Maclin (16 points, 12 boards) and Nathan Bilyeu (11 points, 12 rebounds).
The Salukis (15-5, 6-2) were hot in the first half, knocking down eight 3-pointers, yet they still trailed by four at the intermission, 43-39.
Jamaal Tatum led SIU with 24 points, including five 3-pointers, his second-straight career-high effort after pouring in 21 points at Wichita State last Saturday.
Darren Brooks scored 20 points, along with eight boards and three assists, while freshman Matt Shaw added 12 points.
It wasn't enough as the Saluki post was shut down by the tough interior play of SMS. The Bears outrebounded SIU 43-35, scoring 48 points in the paint compared to the Salukis 24.
"They are a great interior team with Maclin," Brooks said. "It was a big test for us and their big guys won the battle tonight."
Tatum's second trey of the game put the Salukis up 17-16 nine and a half minutes into the contest, but that was the last lead SIU would capture.
A jumper by Brooks with just under six minutes left in the half tied the game at 28, but two quick buckets by Maclin and Bilyeu put SMS up for good.
The Bears pulled away in the second half, outscoring SIU 23-11 through the first nine minutes. The Dawgs were held to 31 percent from the field in the second half compared to the Bears 68 percent.
"Scoring points changes the momentum of the game," Saluki head coach Chris Lowery said. "The crowd got into it and they were rowdy, but that's what you have to deal with on the road when you are a good team. You got to be able to separate and go out and play."
With eight minutes left in the game SMS led by 23, the largest margin of the game, before SIU scored 10 unanswered points. That was the closest SIU would get, pulling the gap to 12 with a free throw from Shaw with 4:40 left in the game.
The 15-point loss was SIU's worst conference defeat since losing to Creighton by 15 on Jan. 31, 2001.
"When you don't come ready to play, when you don't get anything out of your post and their post just dominate with special performances you can't win," Lowery said. "Their post guys played at the magic level tonight."
The 92 points allowed by Southern was the most its defense has yielded to a conference opponent in seven years. Illinois State rang up 105 against Rich Herrin's Saluki team on Jan. 10, 1998.
The Salukis return to conference play Saturday as the host Evansville Saturday at SIU Arena with a 7:05 p.m. tip-off.
