SIU beats Little Rock 94-63 in season opener in front of 5,199 rowdy fans
By Jim Beers, contributing writer
CARBONDALE — The Southern Illinois University Saluki Basketball team opened its 2022-23 season in great fashion Monday November 7 at the Banterra Center (formerly the SIU Arena) in front of 5,199 excited and rowdy fans!
Lance Jones (5) far right, drains one of his back-to-back-to-back 3-ponters as Saluki guard, A.J. Ferguson (14) watches the result in the Salukis 94-63 win over Little Rock of the Ohio Valley Conference. Jones hit three, 3-pointers in-a-row Monday November 7 at the 9:19 mark, 8:44 mark and 8:14 mark to boost SIU’s lead to 33-13 to give the Dawgs a 20-point lead in the first half. In the win, Jones co-led the Salukis in scoring with 14 points, dished out 1 assist, and got 1 steal. Jim Beers Photo
The Dawgs led from the opening tip-off and never looked back. A completely full “Dawg Pound” (student section) and overflowing Saluki Pep Band helped to make the scene complete as 11 different Saluki players chipped-in to complete the task of dismantling Little Rock.
Saluki junior, 6’2″, guard, Dalton Banks (3), sinks his first free throw out of two at the 12:39 mark in the first half against Little Rock Monday November 7. Banks co-led the Salukis in scoring with 14 points for the night along with 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal. Jim Beers Photo
In the post-game radio interview, fourth-year coach, Bryan Mullins said, “It was an electric atmosphere. The team fed off that energy and our guys never let up, and the Dawg Pound was awesome. Overall, I thought we got off to a great start and I thought our effort was constant for 40 minutes!” (In college basketball they play two, 20-minute halves for a total of 40 minutes in the game).
The Saluki players were extremely appreciative of the SIU Dawg Pound as the entire team raced to the student section the second that they finished shaking hands with Little Rock in the ceremonial post-game “good-game” greetings. Once positioned in front of all of the hundreds of Saluki student-supporters, they posed for photographs with the Dawg Pound in appreciation for their support!
Scottie Ebube (2), a newcomer for the Salukis, scores his first points as a Dawg at the 12:04 mark of the first half Monday November 7 in the game against Little Rock. His basket gave the Dawgs a 10-point, 18-8 lead. Ebube, a 6’10”, 265-pound red-shirt freshman center, comes from Mundelein, Illinois. He scored 9 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and blocked 1 shot in the 94-63 win over Little Rock. Jim Beers Photo
Not only did the SIU students show up to kick off the 2022-23 season, but the largest opening day crowd in the history of the Banterra Center since 2014 (5,199) came to see what the Dawgs looked like this season.
The 65 member SIU Pep Band entertained throughout the game Monday November 7 in the Saluki season opener. The Dawgs won against Little Rock, 94-63 to start the season, 1-0. Coach Bryan Mullins gave much praise to the Pep Band for the spirit and excitement created by the Pep Band which currently has two former Chester High School band members performing with the group including senior Blake Zappa and freshman Lillith Lochhead. Jim Beers Photo
Fans got their money’s worth too as the Salukis demonstrated what a true “team” effort can do in their 94-63 defeat of the team that handed them a loss to start last year’s season. In that effort, the Salukis showed off their talent, depth and quickness as 11 different Salukis chipped-in to achieve the opening day success.
The Saluki scoring was led by two veterans, Lance Jones (14) and Dalton Banks (14), however two other Dawgs contributed double-figure scoring including senior Marcus Domask (11), and newcomer, 5th year player Jawaun Newton (10).
A total of 11 Salukis contributed to the scoring effort in addition to the four double-figure players, including Scottie Ebube, a 6’10’ 265 pound forward, who scored 9 points, and Clarence Rupert, a 6’8”, 245 pound forward, who also scored 9 points. Both “big men” are going to be hard to handle down low for the Dawgs.
Four other Salukis added 6-points apiece including veteran Troy D’Amico, newcomer Xavier Johnson, veteran Trent Brown, and newcomer Foster Wonders. Rounding out the 94-point outing was sophomore A.J. Ferguson who added 3 points.
SIU led 11-2 early in the game behind the hot hands of Trent Brown, Marcus Domask and Lance Jones who each popped 3-pointers in the opening minutes. The Dawgs led by 27-points to end the first half, 54-27. Trent Brown’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer brought the house down to end the first half.
The second half was equally impressive as SIU scored an additional 40 points to seal the win. In the win, the SIU bench contributed 51 of SIU’s 94 points, giving fans an indication of the depth and fire power of this year’s squad!
More than 2,000 SIU students responded to a challenge put forward by the SIU Administration that if 2,000 students packed the Saluki Dawg Pound Monday night November 7 in the season opener against Little Rock, one student would be randomly selected at halftime to receive FREE Tuition for the Spring semester. The students responded and “packed the pound” and one student, a female, was selected to receive the FREE TUITION for the Spring Semester. More importantly, Coach Bryan Mullins and the entire Saluki team praised the efforts of the Dawg Pound in helping them ease past Little Rock, 94-63 and start the season at 1-0. Mullins praised the spirit and positive motivation provided by the Dawg Pound and encouraged continued support throughout entire 2022-23 season! Jim Beers Photo
Head Coach, Bryan Mullins addressed the contributions of his bench saying, “Our bench came in and gave us a huge lift throughout the game. We had different guys step up on both ends of the floor. I’m pleased. I’m happy for these guys, for the amount of work they have put in to play in front of that type of atmosphere tonight. I know they enjoyed it!”
The Salukis also played well on defense and on the boards. SIU outrebounded Little Rock, 48-25, led by Rupert (8), Newton (7), Domask and Ebube with 6, Johnson and Ferguson with 4, D’Amico and Banks with 3, Brown (2) and Wonders (1).
SIU was 32-of-55 from the field (58%), 12-of-28 from the 3-point arc (43%), and 18-of-24 from the free throw line (75%). The Dawgs dished out 20 assists, but committed 19 turnovers. Each team recorded 3 blocks with 3 block assists.
With the win, the Salukis start the season 1-0. Last week in exhibition against No. 20 ranked Alabama, the Dawgs lost by just 9 points. Next up for the Salukis is Oklahoma State this Thursday November 10, and Sunday November 13 SIU travels to Southern Indiana for a 3 pm tip-off.
The Salukis will return home next Thursday November 17 when they host Tennessee State at the Banterra Center at 7 P.M.