Southern Illinois University
12-2, 1-0MVC
Loyola
7-6, 0-1MVC
Men's Basketball opens MVC play with win at Loyola
12/30/2015 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
CHICAGO, Ill. - Southern Illinois continued its road mastery this season, beating Loyola, 72-62, in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both schools on Wednesday night at Gentile Arena.
The Salukis (12-2, 1-0) are 5-0 on the road and off to their best overall start since the 2006-07 squad also opened the season with a 12-2 mark. They snapped a 10-game road losing streak in MVC games that dated back to February of 2014, and won a league opener for the first time since the 2009-10 season.
"I can't even describe right now how bad our kids want to play for our university and how fed up they are with what's happened in the past," said SIU head coach Barry Hinson. "They're ready for the future."
Senior guard Anthony Beane dominated the action with 26 points. He was hot from the start, draining 4-of-5 shots from 3-point range in the first half. Although Beane did the heavy lifting and was Southern's only player in double figures, there were some unlikely heroes off the bench for Southern as well.
Seldom-used senior center Deng Leek entered the game midway through the first half and made a major impact on the defensive end, swatting away four Loyola shots, while scoring his first two baskets of the season on the offensive end. Prior to tonight, he had totaled only one point and one blocked shot on the year.
"We were in a little bit of a foul situation with Bola (Olaniyan), and Ibby (Djimde) was worn out," Hinson said. "This is a game he could make an impact in because they don't have any big guys."
In the second half, reserve guard Leo Vincent came up big, scoring all eight of his points. After a slow start due to foul trouble, junior center Bola Olaniyan totaled eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds for SIU.
"I think (the team) has bought in," Hinson said. "Everybody who came on the floor contributed and had a big play at one point or another."
When Beane rose up and drained his fourth 3-ball of the night with 3:11 to go in the first half, he gave SIU a 34-21 advantage, and the predominantly Saluki crowd of 1,624 filled the arena with chants of, "SIU, SIU."
The Ramblers (7-6, 0-1) countered, however, with nine unanswered points to make 34-30 at halftime. Montel James, a slippery 6-foot-7 forward, had a dozen first-half points to keep his team in it. Hinson said the staff had a lively debate at halftime about how best to stop James.
"We were arguing about it as coaches what to do," he said. "We decided to change our ball-screen coverage and we did, and it helped us."
Olaniyan scored the first four points of the second half and a Beane jumper pushed the lead to double figures, 43-32. The Ramblers cut the deficit to six points, but again it was Beane who snuffed out the rally with a driving layup and conventional three-point play. It was the final field goal of the night for Beane, but he went 8-of-9 from the free throw line. After not attempting a free throw in the first half, the Salukis were 15-of-22 in the second.
"Anthony made big baskets and down the stretch he only missed one free throw," Hinson praised.
Loyola was 4-of-8 from 3-point range in the first half but only 1-for-10 in the second and did not make a trey until less than a minute remained.
"There wasn't any (3-point) defense in the first half and you look at what we did in the second half, that's phenomenal," Hinson said. "We guarded. It wasn't offense that turned the game around."
The Salukis host Northern Iowa on Saturday night and Saluki Athletics is offering $10 holiday discount tickets.
"We can't beat Northern Iowa without a crowd," Hinson said. "We need our sixth man. I think there's a buzz in Carbondale now. I think everybody has been sitting on there hands and saying, `Ok - 11-2, that's nice, that's good, but they still haven't won a road game in conference.' Now we have. Now they can come see us."
With tonight's win Barry Hinson moved into fifth place all-time among Missouri Valley Conference head coaches. Now in his 13th year in the MVC, Hinson has 221 career wins, surpassing Wichita State's Ralph Miller. He is four wins shy of tying SIU's Rich Herrin for fourth place.
