Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Saturday, February 25
Carbondale, Ill.
7:00 PM
Southern Illinois University
16-15, 9-9MVC
72
vs
70
Loyola
18-13, 8-10MVC
1
2
F
Loyola Chicago
31
39
70
Southern Illinois
34
38
72
Photo by: Madison Case
Hot-shooting Salukis top Loyola, 72-70, in thriller on Senior Night
02/25/2017 | 10:58:00 | Men's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — In a shootout at SIU Arena, Armon Fletcher hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 14 seconds left to lift Southern Illinois past Loyola, 72-70, in the regular-season finale on Saturday night.
The Salukis (16-15, 9-9) finished tied for third place with Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley Conference standings and will be the No. 4 seed at next week's tournament. They will play a rematch with No. 5 seed Loyola.
Fletcher entered the game in a deep shooting funk, having made one of his last 15 shots from 3-point range and just six of his last 36. He was on the mark tonight, however, converting 3-of-4 from downtown, helping SIU to its best 3-point shooting night (8-of-14) in conference play. Fletcher's 14 points off the bench were crucial in a nip-and-tuck game where the lead changed hands 17 times.
"Welcome back Armon Fletcher!" declared SIU head coach Barry Hinson.
On Senior Night, Southern's three seniors all came up big. In fact, the trio of Sean O'Brien, Mike Rodriguez and Leo Vincent combined to score the team's first 24 points and 45 altogether.
"Senior Night is a big night for me — it always has been," Hinson said. "I put a huge emphasis on it. It's the second most important game we play all year long. The most important is (next) Friday night."
An energized Saluki team jumped out to a 16-4 lead, keyed by a remarkable string of shot-blocking by Thik Bol. He rejected five shots in the first five minutes and had a career-high seven blocks in the game. Loyola coach Porter Moser said his team didn't adjust to Bol's presence until the second half.
"When you give a shot blocker space, he's just licking his chops," he said. "We were trying to be more physical going to the body in the second half."
Once Loyola adjusted, they found plentiful open shots. Spreading the floor with five players 6-foot-6 or smaller, the Ramblers (18-13, 8-10) took advantage of their quickness, hitting 7-of-16 3-point shots. Clayton Custer led the team with 21 points, while forwards Aundre Jackson (18 points) and Donte Ingram (11 points) were effective slashing to the basket.
"We guarded for eight minutes tonight and for 32 minutes we decided not to guard," Hinson said. "Then it became a HORSE contest. We were fortunate, because we haven't won a lot of HORSE contests."
Vincent's HORSE game was spot-on. He made his first three treys and finished with 15 points.
SIU led, 34-31, at halftime, but the Ramblers took their first lead on a layup by Custer with 17:39 to go. Back and forth the teams traded punches the rest of the way, with neither club able to secure more than three-point lead.
The difference down the stretch was the play of O'Brien. A do-everything 6-foot-7 forward, he led the team with 17 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and three steals. His jumper with 2:37 to go put the Salukis up, 67-66. After Milton Doyle scored to give Loyola a 68-67 edge with 1:27 to go, O'Brien made the play of the game. He caught an air-ball by Fletcher with 53 seconds left and laid it in the basket, just beating the shot clock.
"It all comes down to O'Brien," Moser said. "There's no secret who I'm voting for for All-League. He's phenomenal. He got the biggest rebound and put it back. He got the big pass out of the post. There's my ballot — Sean O'Brien — guaranteed."
The Ramblers weren't finished, though. Custer's free throws with 36 seconds put his club up, 70-69, setting the stage for Southern's final possession. As they did all night, the Salukis got the ball in deep to O'Brien. Doubled-teamed, he kicked it out to Rodriguez, who passed to Fletcher for the game-winner.
"You gotta give your Cost of Attendance check to O'Brien," Moser advised O'Brien's teammates. "You guys are feeding off him — he's just a phenomenal passer. He's just throwing dimes out of there and those guys stepped up ready to shoot and knocked it down."
On Loyola's last possession, Doyle dribbled to the baseline, was trapped and found Custer open for a jumper with two seconds remaining. It fell short.
"Anybody want to talk about how we're tied for third?" Hinson asked the media afterward. "It's the best finish for this program since 2008."
The Salukis (16-15, 9-9) finished tied for third place with Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley Conference standings and will be the No. 4 seed at next week's tournament. They will play a rematch with No. 5 seed Loyola.
Fletcher entered the game in a deep shooting funk, having made one of his last 15 shots from 3-point range and just six of his last 36. He was on the mark tonight, however, converting 3-of-4 from downtown, helping SIU to its best 3-point shooting night (8-of-14) in conference play. Fletcher's 14 points off the bench were crucial in a nip-and-tuck game where the lead changed hands 17 times.
"Welcome back Armon Fletcher!" declared SIU head coach Barry Hinson.
On Senior Night, Southern's three seniors all came up big. In fact, the trio of Sean O'Brien, Mike Rodriguez and Leo Vincent combined to score the team's first 24 points and 45 altogether.
"Senior Night is a big night for me — it always has been," Hinson said. "I put a huge emphasis on it. It's the second most important game we play all year long. The most important is (next) Friday night."
An energized Saluki team jumped out to a 16-4 lead, keyed by a remarkable string of shot-blocking by Thik Bol. He rejected five shots in the first five minutes and had a career-high seven blocks in the game. Loyola coach Porter Moser said his team didn't adjust to Bol's presence until the second half.
"When you give a shot blocker space, he's just licking his chops," he said. "We were trying to be more physical going to the body in the second half."
Once Loyola adjusted, they found plentiful open shots. Spreading the floor with five players 6-foot-6 or smaller, the Ramblers (18-13, 8-10) took advantage of their quickness, hitting 7-of-16 3-point shots. Clayton Custer led the team with 21 points, while forwards Aundre Jackson (18 points) and Donte Ingram (11 points) were effective slashing to the basket.
"We guarded for eight minutes tonight and for 32 minutes we decided not to guard," Hinson said. "Then it became a HORSE contest. We were fortunate, because we haven't won a lot of HORSE contests."
Vincent's HORSE game was spot-on. He made his first three treys and finished with 15 points.
SIU led, 34-31, at halftime, but the Ramblers took their first lead on a layup by Custer with 17:39 to go. Back and forth the teams traded punches the rest of the way, with neither club able to secure more than three-point lead.
The difference down the stretch was the play of O'Brien. A do-everything 6-foot-7 forward, he led the team with 17 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and three steals. His jumper with 2:37 to go put the Salukis up, 67-66. After Milton Doyle scored to give Loyola a 68-67 edge with 1:27 to go, O'Brien made the play of the game. He caught an air-ball by Fletcher with 53 seconds left and laid it in the basket, just beating the shot clock.
"It all comes down to O'Brien," Moser said. "There's no secret who I'm voting for for All-League. He's phenomenal. He got the biggest rebound and put it back. He got the big pass out of the post. There's my ballot — Sean O'Brien — guaranteed."
The Ramblers weren't finished, though. Custer's free throws with 36 seconds put his club up, 70-69, setting the stage for Southern's final possession. As they did all night, the Salukis got the ball in deep to O'Brien. Doubled-teamed, he kicked it out to Rodriguez, who passed to Fletcher for the game-winner.
"You gotta give your Cost of Attendance check to O'Brien," Moser advised O'Brien's teammates. "You guys are feeding off him — he's just a phenomenal passer. He's just throwing dimes out of there and those guys stepped up ready to shoot and knocked it down."
On Loyola's last possession, Doyle dribbled to the baseline, was trapped and found Custer open for a jumper with two seconds remaining. It fell short.
"Anybody want to talk about how we're tied for third?" Hinson asked the media afterward. "It's the best finish for this program since 2008."
Team Stats
LOY
SIU
FG%
.491
.560
3FG%
.438
.571
FT%
.917
.533
RB
25
28
TO
10
11
STL
5
8
Game Leaders
Pts
17
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
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