CARBONDALE (WSIL) -- CARBONDALE, Ill. - Five Salukis scored in double-figures in SIU's 67-64 win over Valpo on Monday night at Banterra Center. SIU won the second game of the league's back-to-back scheduling format for the fourth-consecutive weekend.
"I'm really proud of our guys. These back-to-backs are really difficult, and they have responded the right way when we haven't gotten the result on that first night," SIU head coach Bryan Mullins said. "Valpo is an extremely physical, tough, long, and athletic team. After our slow start, I thought our guys were really determined to get this win. They played with great toughness and physicality. It was a team win. Everyone contributed. Everyone stepped up. We need to build on this. There were some really good moments defensively that we can continue to grow on and take with us for the rest of the season."
SIU (11-11, 5-11 MVC) was outstanding defensively in two crucial stretches. After Valpo (9-16, 6-10 MVC) got off to a hot start, hitting six of its first eight shots and leading 17-8 just six minutes into the game, the Salukis clamped down. SIU held Valpo to 4-for-18 shooting (22%) and forced five turnovers for the rest of the half. SIU went on a 22-7 run that turned an nine-point deficit into a six-point lead.Â
"We were really locked in to guarding the ball better and being more physical in our post defense," Mullins said. "And then we were able to get into transition a little bit because we were getting stops. That opened the court up for us. There was a 10-minute stretch in the first half where the ball was moving and we were executing offensively."
The Salukis maintained the lead for the entire second half but could never quite put the game away. Valpo's Jacob Ognacevic hit a 3-pointer to pull Valpo within six at the 8:31 mark, and then SIU's defense won the game from there. SIU held Valpo without a field goal for the next 7:19. SIU only allowed a pair of free throws and held Valpo to 0-for-6 shooting and three turnovers in that stretch.Â
"We talked in the pregame: You have to earn this one," Mullins said. "Valpo isn't going to give you anything. They're too tough. They're well coached. You have to go take it from them. I thought our guys did. I thought they played extremely tough throughout the game."
Southern's offense was humming all night. The Salukis shot 53.2% from the field and dished 15 assists. Lance Jones scored a game-high 21 points to lead five Salukis in double-figures; Steven Verplancken (12), Kyler Filewich, (11),Dalton Banks (10), and Ben Harvey (10) all reached double-figures, as well. Harvey dished out a career-high five assists in the first half alone, and SIU outrebounded the bigger Valpo squad.
"This is a resilient team made up of a bunch of high-character guys who love to win, who will do what it takes," Mullins said. "Throughout everything, with COVID and all the different things these guys have gone through, every time something hasn't gone our way, our guys have responded in the right way and shown up."
After the Valpo duo of Donovan Clay and Jacob Ognacevic burned SIU in yesterday's loss, the Salukis held that duo to just 13 points combined today and four turnovers. Ben Krikke kept Valpo in teh game most of the way, scoring 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting. Â
UP NEXT:Â The Salukis travel to Loyola to face the No. 21-ranked Ramblers on Friday and Saturday.Â
NOTES: SIU is 7-0 when it outrebounds its opponent ... SIU is 8-1 when it scores 67+ points ... Dalton Bankshad a career-high three steals and Ben Harvey tied a career high with five assists ... SIU recorded an assist on 32 of its 49 field goals (65%) in the two games .. Kyler Filewich has recorded 9+ points and 7+ rebounds in 8 of the last 11 games (11 and 8 tonight).Â
