Southern Illinois University
2-2,0-0MVC
Northeastern
3-2,0-0CAA
Huskies fend off Salukis, 59-47
11/21/2021 | 11:56:00 | Men's Basketball
Southern and Creighton will meet for the first time since 2013 in tomorrow's third-place game.
The Southern Illinois University men's basketball came up just short in a 59-47 loss to the Northeastern Huskies Sunday evening in the 2021 Paradise Jam semifinals. The Huskies advance to Monday's title game, where Colorado State awaits, while the Salukis and the Creighton Bluejays will tangle for third-place tomorrow at 4:45 p.m. CT.
"Disappointed in the result tonight," head coach Bryan Mulins said. "I thought our guys were ready to play and looked forward to this opportunity but we also knew that Northeastern was going to be one of the better teams that we play this year. They are an extremely well-coached and disciplined team that is both long and athletic. We knew coming into tonight's game that it was going to be a 40-minute battle. Obviously, we didn't play our best offensively. Defensively, we guarded well enough. We just need to execute better and convert more of the chances that we get."
Northeastern, who was picked to finish second in the annual Colonial Athletic Conference Preseason Poll, shot 56.5-percent (13-for-23) from the floor in the second half to pull away late from the Salukis (2-2), who were vying for their first MTE title game appearance since 2007. 10 of Northeastern's 13 second-half field goals came in the paint, as it gashed SIU at one point with a high-ball screen to set up three-straight layups over a two-minute stretch to go ahead six with under seven to play in what had already shaped up to be a low-scoring, defensive battle. Lance Jones answered with a pair of layups to get Southern to within two with five to play, but it marked the final time that it was a one-possession game.
"We guarded their high-ball screen well until there was that stretch where they were able to set it and we got caught on it for six points," Mullins said. "When it's such a low scoring game, those six points mean a lot. Walters did a good job of keeping his body on our guys and we didn't get back in front of the ball."
Jones finished with a game-high 21 points despite not getting a three-pointer to fall. The Evanston, Ill. native was 8-for-13 on his two-point attempts but couldn't get any of his six attempts from three to go down. Jones' luck from behind the arc was unfortunately a trend for Salukis, who made just 3-of-18 from behind the arc on the night. Marcus Domask had a rare off night, as he couldn't get a three to drop either and had just six points on 14 attempts. With the three-ball not falling, Southern was forced into attack mode, much to the delight of Northeastern's bigs.Â
"I think we took some tough shots when we were attacking the basket," Mullins said. "I thought our threes were all pretty good shots. We challenged their bigs a little too much at the rim when we had some kick outs that we could've made plays for."
Ben Coupet Jr. finished with a season-high 10 points on an efficient 3-of-5 shooting to join Jones in double figures.Â
The Salukis will quickly turn their attention to an old foe in the Bluejays, as the two former heated rivals will meet for the 90th time Monday, but for the first time since Creighton left for the Big East in 2013. The significance wasn't lost on Mullins, who played Creighton eight times as a player, which included his school-record tying eight steal performance in SIU's 74-67 win on Feb. 11, 2006.Â
"What a great rivalry for both programs," Mullins said. "We get a chance to not only play each other again but we get an opportunity to play a Big East opponent on a neutral floor, which means our guys have to turn the page quickly. Creighton is a NCAA Tournament program and we know how good they are offensively."
Up Next: Salukis will take on Creighton at 4:45 p.m. CT tomorrow.Â
Notes
Creighton leads the all-time series 53-36 … It will mark just the seventh meeting between the two teams on a neutral floor … Indicative of the rivalry, of the 25 times that Banterra Center has sold out, four have come against Creighton, which is the most for any one opponent … One of those sellouts came on Jan. 26, 2008 when ESPN's College Gameday came to Carbondale in a game in which Mullins helped the Salukis rally from down 10 for a 48-44 win … Southern last played, and defeated, a Big East foe a year ago when it went to Hinkle Fieldhouse and snapped Butler's 59 game non-conference home win streak with a 76-73 win … Of the 20 games in which Jones has been held without a three-pointer in his 63 career games as a Saluki, his 21 points were the most without making a trey in his career … It marked the 10th time that Jones has scored 20-plus in a game in his career …
