Sports Zone 12.2.23: SIU men’s basketball blows out Saint Louis

CARBONDALE, Ill. (KBSI) – The Southern Illinois University men’s basketball team hosted Saint Louis at the Banterra Center on Saturday afternoon.

These schools are only about 100 miles apart, and St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Lance Lynn and broadcaster Mike Claiborne were in the building, as well.

Late in the first half with the Salukis up by eight, Xavier Johnson stepped back and drilled a 3-pointer to extend the Salukis lead to 38-27.

On the final possession of the first half, Johnson drained a contested mid-range jumper to give the Salukis a 15-point halftime advantage, and they would keep the foot on the gas pedal coming out of the locker room.

A minute and 25 seconds into the second half, Kennard Davis Jr. knocked down a 3 in the corner, and there was a foul away from the ball, but the shot counts, and it’s 50-29.

A couple minutes later, it’s Johnson again. He slashed through the defense from the left wing and kissed the ball off the glass and in to extend the lead to 25.

When I say the Salukis kept the foot on the gas pedal, I mean they mashed that puppy to the floor and sped away from the Billikens. Just seconds later, after a turnover on an inbounds pass, the Salukis got out in transition. Johnson drove and kicked to Trent Brown, who passed to Davis for the triple, one of a record-tying 18 3-pointers for the Salukis on the afternoon.

SIU would lead by as many as 42 and blast the Billikens, 101-62.

“When it’s a 10-point game, 12-point game, it can go either way there, and the guys had a great maturity about them and we were able to score because we were able to get stops,” Salukis head coach Bryan Mullins said. “We were able to push the ball in transition, create open threes and get good looks, so that’s got to be our identity, that’s got to be our staple.”

The Salukis (5-2) host Big 12 foe Oklahoma State on Tuesday at 8 pm.