Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
12-17 (5-12)
Missouri St.
22-7 (14-3)
Missouri State defeats Men's Basketball, 76-58
02/23/2011 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 23, 2011
By Tom Weber
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Missouri State moved one game closer to a Missouri Valley Conference championship on Wednesday night, dispatching Southern Illinois, 76-58, behind a career-high 26-point performance from center Will Creekmore.
The Bears (22-7, 14-3) will host Wichita State on Saturday in the regular-season finale in a winner-take-all matchup for the league title.
Meanwhile, the loss ensured the Salukis (12-17, 5-12) will be the No. 8 seed at next week's State Farm MVC Tournament. They will play a first-round game versus Illinois State next Thursday at 6 p.m. in St. Louis.
The game was competitive until the waning moments of the first half. After a 3-pointer by Saluki guard John Freeman drew SIU to within 31-28 with 1:37 remaining in the half, the Bears scored the next 10 points to blow the contest open. Missouri State led by double digits the rest of the way and by as many as 23.
Creekmore was a beast in the paint, exposing a weakness in Southern's front line. The Salukis declined to double-team the fifth-year senior and he responded by converting 10-of-15 shots from the field.
"The game plan was to go inside, to get post touches between Will and Kyle (Weems)," said Missouri State head coach Cuonzo Martin. "We felt like we had an advantage on the block tonight."
Senior Night was unkind to the quartet of Salukis who played their final home game at SIU Arena. Carlton Fay, the second-leading scorer in the Valley in league games was held to a season-low five points. Guards John Freeman and Jack Crowder combined to go 3-for-14 from the field.
Fay drew the unenviable task of guarding Creekmore, and he accepted the blame for being unable to stop the Bears' big man.
"That was my fault," admitted Fay. "I was in outer space. He's a huge dude and you have to be ready to play right away. He smelled the weakness and he went right at it."
While Creekmore was a load inside, the Bears showed whey they are the Valley's top 3-point shooting team by making 8-of-13 from beyond the arc. Adam Leonard made 3-of-4, while Jermaine Mallett and Nathan Scheer were each 2-of-3.
"We didn't really get after them like we needed to pressure-wise," said Saluki head coach Chris Lowery. "They got us over the top. Defensively, we weren't where we needed to be from the guard spot."
There were several bright spots for Southern. Junior forward Mamadou Seck led the Salukis with 17 points and 13 rebounds, his sixth double-double of the season.
"Seck brought energy and enthusiasm and played very hard," Lowery said. "He was all over the floor and made good decisions."
Justin Bocot, who has battled ankle and knee injuries this season, scored 13 points in 20 minutes and showed some of the explosiveness he's been known for throughout his career.
"His ankle has gotten better," Lowery said. "He's running and jumping and dunking again. He's slowly coming back to where he was."
The loss snapped a six-game home winning streak against the Bears. Lowery had never lost at home against Missouri State. The Salukis finished with an 8-8 mark at SIU Arena this year, the first time since 1997 that they were unable to post a winning record at home.
"(This game) was probably one of the more disappointing things I've ever been a part of and I apologize to them," Lowery said. "We were not ready to play and that's on us."
Southern wraps up its regular season at Indiana State on Saturday with a noon tipoff.
