Salukis have five players score in double figures, led by Xavier Johnson with 16 points
By Jim Beers
CABONDALE – The Southern Illinois University Salukis hosted the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles Friday December 22, 81-50, to finish the 2023-24 non-conference portion of the schedule with an overall record of 8-4.
When people hear and think of the term “Screaming Eagle”, thy typically are thinking of the Six-Flags amusement park roller coaster ride, “The Screaming Eagle”. At SIU on Friday night, instead of Southern Indiana giving Southern Illinois a ride, it was the basketball Salukis that gave the “Screaming Eagles” a horrifying ride to the tune of an 81-50 loss in front of 6,024 fans.
The game was titled, “Blizzard of Egypt” night and the event was centered on a snow theme. As fans entered the Banterra Center, the first 2,500 people received a beautifully carved wooden Christmas ornament that featured a snowflake with a Saluki head in the center.
At halftime of the game, six strategically-placed machines blew artificial snow around the audience. The Saluki Spirit Teams, including the Saluki Shakers Dance Team and the Saluki Cheerleaders, performed a “Rockettes-Style” dance and gymnastics routine for the enjoyment of everyone in attendance.
Finally, at halftime, the various concession stands offered s choice of three different,delicious, Christmas Eve-Eve-Eve holiday beverages to help celebrate the upcoming Christmas holiday. The atmosphere in the Banterra Center was “electric” as one of the biggest crowds of the season had fun watching the Salukis enjoy a comfortable, 39-14 lead at halftime!
The game started off with Southern Indiana drawing “first blood” on a layup by AJ Smith at the 19:15 mark. SIU’s Clarence Rupert scored the Saluki’s first basket at the 18:08 mark on a short jumper. The score was tied, 2-2.
The Dawgs took their first lead, 3-2, at 17:23 when Clarence Rupert hit a free throw. Three-seconds later, Saluki Trent Brown drained a 3-pointer to extend SIU’s lead to 6-2 with 17:20 to play in the first half. The Dawgs never looked back as they finished the half on a 33-12 run to lead, 39-14, at halftime.
Saluki Head Coach, Bryan Mullins played all 12 eligible players in the game with 11-of-those 12 players scoring to complete the 81-point effort. AJ Ferguson and Cade Hornecker are still on the injured reserve list, but hope to return soon.
The Dawgs had another great defensive game in the first half, holding Southern Indiana to just 6-of-32 from the field (18.8%). This was the best defensive effort of the 2023-24 season and ranked in the top-10 best in SIU’s history.
In the second half, SIU outscored Southern Indiana, 42-36, to continue adding to its 22-point first-half lead. SIU’s leading scorer, Xavier Johnson, only scored five points in the first half as he was heavily guarded. Johnson has been very unselfish throughout the first half of the season and chose to dish 5 assists to fellow teammates. For the game, he recorded 8 assists.
In the second half against the Screaming Eagles, Johnson added another 11 points to have a total of 16 points to lead all scorers. When it was all said and done, Johnson recorded 16 points, 3 steals, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds.
Other Saluki offensive contributors included Jarrett Hensley (12), Troy D’Amico (11), Scottie Ebube (11), Trent Brown (10), Clarence Rupert (5), Jovan Stulic (5), Trey Miller (4), Sheridan Sharpe (3), and RCJ McGee (2).
In the win, the Dawgs recorded 33 rebounds (USI had 37); 16 assists (USI had 8); 5 blocks (USI had 4); and 3 steals (USI had 4).
SIU shot 25-of-48 from the field (52.1%); 9-of-22 from behind the 3-point arc (40.9%); and made 22-of-29 free throws (75%).
The lead only changed one time. That one time was at the 17:23 mark when SIU took the lead, 3-2 and never looked back. The score was tied, 2-2, at the 18:08 mark when SIU scored its first basket. That was the only time the score was tied.
The Dawgs scored 17 points off of turnovers; 37 points from their bench; 32 points in the paint; 8 second-chance points; and 12 fast-break points.
The Salukis held the Screaming Eagles to 14-of-55 shooting from the field (25.5% shooting from the field (25.5%); 4-of-18 from 3-point range (22.2%); and 18-of-26 from the free throw line (69.2%).
USI had 13 second-chance points; 8 points from turnovers; 16 points in the paint; 5 fast-break points; 14 points from their bench; and two technical fouls, one from the team and one from the Head Coach.
The Salukis will return to the Banterra Center at SIU on Saturday December 30 to begin the Missouri Valley Conference race. The Dawgs will host University of Illinois Chicago tipping off at 6:00 p.m.
SIU has already played one conference game on Tuesday November 28 when they traveled to Indiana State and fell to the Sycamores, 77-48, to begin the quest of the MVC with a 0-1 record. Overall the Dawgs are now 8-4.
Photos:
Trent Brown (24) a 6’2″. 188 Lb. Saluki shooting guard drains one of his two first-half 3-pointers in the win over Southern Indiana Friday December 22 at the Banterra Center at SIU. Brown, from Scottsdale Arizona, had stepped up this season and had=s become a key part of the Saluki offense. Against the :”Screaming Eagles” Brown scored 10 points, one of five Salukis to score in double figures, He also grabbed 1 rebounds, and dished out 1 assist, Jim Beers Photo
Santa Claus and SIU’s Grey Dog fire T-shirts into the crowd Friday December 22 during time-out. The Salukis won, 81-50 over Southern Indiana. Jim Beers Photo
Sheridan Sharp (5) drains a free throw in the second half of the SIU vs Southern Indiana game Friday December 22. Sharp, is a 6’3″. 180 Lb., freshman ball handler from Indianapolis, Indiana. He has just been released from the disabled injury list and is slowly being introduced to Division I basketball. Against the Screaming Eagles, Sharp scored 3 points and recorded 1 assist in his 6-minutes of play. Jim Beers Photo
Raylan Cross,16-month son of Ryan and Emily Cross of Carbondale (formerly from Chester) gets into the game Friday December 2 when the Salukis of Southern Illinois, hosted the Screaming Eagles of Southern Indiana. The Dawgs gave little Raylan a lot to cheer about as SIU defeated Southern Indiana, 81-50 in front of a crowd of 6,024. Jim Beers Photo
The SIU Spirit Squad entertained at halftime of the SIU vs Southern Indiana game Friday December 22. As can be seen, the evening featured a holiday theme as the SIU Cheerleaders and Shakers combined to put on a “Rockettes-Style” dance and gymnastics routine to the delight of the 6,024 fans in attendance. Jim Beers Photo
SIU had one of the best defensive games of the season Friday December 2 when the Salukis hosted Southern Indiana. The Salukis held USI to just 25.5% shooting and won the game 81-50 in front of 6,024 fans. Shown here, four of SIU’s key players, Troy D’Amico (0) a Scottie Ebube (2), Jovan Stulic (33) and Xavier Johnson (10) totally “cage” one of the “Screaming Eagles” as he attempts to pit up a shot in the second half of the game. It was the 8th-best defensive performance in SIU history as the Salukis held Southern Indiana to just 14-of-55 shooting. The Dawgs also grabbed 33 rebounds (7 offensive and 26 defensive), blocked 5 shots, and recorded 3 steals. Jim Beers Photo
During halftime of the SIU vs Southern Indiana game, a blizzard struck the Banterra Center at SIU. The evening was themed, “Blizzard of Egypt” and keeping within the theme, six artificial snow-makers showered the grandstands at the Banterra Center to cap-off all of the other activities associated with the holiday themed evening! Jim Beers Photo