Salukis Hang On to Win Exhibition Over Lindenwood - Southern Illinois University Athletics

Tuesday, October 20

Carbondale, IL

6 PM

Southern Illinois University

0-0,0-0MVC

Lindenwood

0-0,0-0OVC

Team	1	2	F
Lindenwood	34	37	71
Southern Ill.	36	39	75

Game Book

Jalen Haynes attempts a floater during Southern Illinois' 75-71 exhibition win over Lindenwood Tuesday night at the Banterra Center in Carbondale, Ill.

Photo by: Josh Benjamin

10/20/2026 | 10:20:00 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Jordan Kruse, SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois men's basketball held on to defeat Lindenwood 75-71 in its first public exhibition of the 2026-27 season Tuesday night in Carbondale.

Coach Scott Nagy said the close game was not something he wanted to see, but he knows the team is still in the early stages of settling its rotation. Eleven players saw significant minutes in the win.

"Certainly not a situation I want to get into in this exhibition game," Nagy said. "It's not going to be normal for us to play that many guys that many minutes. We're still trying to figure some people out and where they belong."

Freshman Luke Susko and junior Brock McClure helped fuel a 7-0 run off the bench midway through the first half, helping SIU build an 11-point lead at 30-19. Jalen Haynes carried the offense with 13 points in just under 15 minutes in the first half, including a highlight-reel dunk with one minute to go.

Despite the dunk sending the Banterra Center into a frenzy, the Lions cut the deficit to two at halftime, thanks in large part to a first-half double-double from Marsai Mason.

Haynes kept his foot on the gas in the second half and powered another 7-0 Saluki run to regain control. Southern's lead hit its game-high of 12 with 6:31 to go, but Lindenwood would not go away.

In need of buckets late, freshman Jeremiah Jackson came alive, scoring eight of his 12 points in the second half. Nagy said his team had "jitters" in the postgame interview with Saluki radio's Luke Martin, but Jackson was unfazed with the game on the line.

"At the end of the day, it's basketball," Jackson said. "I've been having confidence since I was born."

Lindenwood's Malek Archie was at the free-throw line for two with eight seconds to go and his team trailing 73-71, but he could not hit either. Susko all but iced the game by grabbing the second miss and making two free throws of his own.

Haynes led Southern with 25 points, and is appreciative of what these exhibitions can do for the team.

"This showed us what we need to get better on," Haynes said. "Playing a team like this shows us where we can improve, and then go on film and watch."

UP NEXT

Southern Illinois hosts Tennessee Tech in its final exhibition matchup before the regular season Sunday at 3 p.m. The game is free to attend and will stream exclusively on the Varsity Network App, and with Saluki radio's Behind the Mic feature on Facebook, X, and YouTube.

SEASON TICKETS

Season tickets are on sale now! Visit saluk.is/MBBTickets for more information. Single-game tickets will be available soon. For ticket inquiries, call 618-453-2000.

FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by visiting SIUSalukis.com as well as following the team on X at @SIU_Basketball, Instagram at @SIU_Basketball, and Facebook at Facebook.com/SIUBasketball. Fans can also download the "Salukis" mobile app from the App Store or Google Play Store.