(St. Louis, MO) – One win in the play-in round of Arch Madness doesn’t make for a successful season, but it will do for now. Southern Illinois defeated Missouri State 55-48 on Thursday, and it was good medicine for program dieing for a win.
Three Salukis reached double figures in a low scoring affair, but it might have been more about steals than baskets. SIU took the rock away 11 times and forced 16 Missouri State turnovers.
Energy and passion would be key in this game, according to SIU Head Coach Barry Hinson and his young Dawgs responded to his encouragement to play with passion and have fun. Starting four underclassmen, Hinson told me he has confidence in Alton Marquette freshman Deion Lavender.
Lavender scored the team’s first basket and buried four important free throws late, and finished with 12 points and five rebounds.
SIU can’t celebrate very long. They play 8th ranked Wichita State on Saturday, but on this night the Salukis were a happy and confident bunch.
Coach Hinson said his players loosened up after he got caught ‘doing donuts’ in the SIU parking lot before the trip to St. Louis. The coach earned the citation and the players, started feeling like kids again.
Goliath awaits this young David, but this win helped heal some season-long wounds.
Do Good
Twitter Feed
As we near the closing of the portal window, we've reached 1900. Some of them never to play college basketball again, earn a college degree and some to play at a much lower level than they did last season.
I guess we'll be seeing this in a @RacersHoops uniform this year. Glad AJ is staying in the @ValleyHoops.
