Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
9-9, 3-4MVC
Northern Iowa
13-6, 4-3MVC
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Illinois | 18 | 34 | 52 |
| Northern Iowa | 33 | 39 | 72 |
Northern Iowa breezes by Men's Basketball, 72-52
01/15/2011 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 15, 2011
By Tom Weber
SIUSalukis.com
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Northern Iowa made it look easy on the offensive end, shooting 59 percent from the field and breezing to a 72-52 win over Southern Illinois on Saturday night.
Two players did the majority of the damage for the Panthers (13-6, 4-3). Point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe led all scorers with 21 points, while center Lucas O'Rear added 18. Each player was nearly perfect from the field, both making 6-of-7 attempts.
For the Salukis (9-9, 3-4), it was their worst defensive performance since the season opener against Illinois, as UNI became just the second team this season to shoot better than 50 percent from the field against SIU.
"It was extremely frustrating," said Saluki head coach Chris Lowery. "We take pride on that side of the ball. They got stuff on us which was basically our meltdowns. It was our guards breaking down mentally. We have to get those guys better."
The Panthers got off to a great start as Ahelegbe knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to begin the game. They led 12-5 after six minutes and by 15 at the half. SIU came as close as 11 points early in the second half after a pair of free throws by Carlton Fay, but Ahelegbe answered with his third 3-pointer of the night on UNI's next possession, snuffing out any hopes of a comeback.
Ahelegbe's big game came as no surprise to the Salukis. The senior was at the top of the team's scouting report. But O'Rear is not known as a scorer, and he was nearly unstoppable.
"Lucas was as sharp as he's been all season," said UNI coach Ben Jacobson. "He may have had his best game of the year."
The burly, bearded senior was matched up against true freshman Davante Drinkard. It was no contest as Drinkard was quickly out of the game with two fouls. Southern tried different players on O'Rear, including former walk-on Nate Mitchell, to no avail.
"His baskets are going to come either right at the rim or the free throw line -- high percentage shots," Jacobson said. "When he's scoring, our offense is going to look a little better, because they're such high percentage plays."
Lowery was disappointed in the number of uncontested shots for UNI, including a couple of buckets in transition, three back-door lay-ups and a handful of point-blank attempts.
"They had easy baskets and we had tough baskets," he said. "They executed, we didn't. We were in the wrong spots all night."
There were a couple of bright spots for Southern. Fay maintained his hot hand, making 6-of-12 shots and finishing with 19 points. Mamadou Seck added a dozen points and Kendal Brown-Surles chipped in 11 off the bench. The rest of the team combined for just 10 more points.
Still absent from the Saluki lineup is sophomore center Gene Teague, who continues to nurse a tender ankle. Lowery said X-rays on the ankle were negative, but there is no timetable for his return. He has missed all of five conference games and most of two others.
"Obviously, Southern misses Gene Teague," said Jacobson. "Fay and Seck and the other guys that are playing, they're good players that really work. Fay's been a handful for everybody. But Teague at 6-9 and 280 is a real force inside."
Lowery would not pin the loss on Teague's absence, however.
"We weren't ready, and as a coaching staff, we have to take the blame for that," he said. "We got out-coached, out-toughed."
