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Tatum,
Falker too much for ISU in second half
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[JAN.
29, 2007]
CARBONDALE -- Jamaal Tatum and
Randal Falker combined to score 29 of Southern Illinois' 41
second-half points to spoil Illinois State's upset bid at SIU Arena
on Saturday afternoon, as the Salukis posted a 73-62 Missouri Valley
Conference victory.
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The loss dropped the Redbirds to a .500 winning percentage on the
season with an 11-11 overall mark and a 3-8 record in the Valley.
SIU maintained its first-place standing with a 17-5 mark on the year
and 8-3 in league play. The Redbirds gave the Salukis a dose of
their own medicine in the early going with a stifling defense and
built a 13-3 advantage at the 15:26 mark in the first half. After
four Saluki starters returned from an earlier-than-anticipated trip
to the bench, SIU responded with a 13-3 run of its own to knot the
score at 16-16 with 8:15 left.
ISU regained the lead as Mike Vandello was fouled on a fast-break
dunk, but Vandello was shaken up on the play and Levi Dyer replaced
the Redbird sophomore to finish the 3-point play. SIU's Tony Young
followed with a 3-point basket of his own to tie the game again at
19-19. Young gave the Salukis their only lead of the first half with
another trey at the 6:24 mark, but the Redbirds closed the half with
a 10-2 run and held a 31-25 lead at the intermission.
[to top of second column]
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Again the two teams exchanged baskets to open the second half,
but Falker established an inside presence and took control of the
contest. ISU led 41-39 with 13:59 left in the game, but SIU went on
a 16-8 run, including 13 points by Falker, to take a 55-49 lead.
Later in the half, Tatum added six straight Saluki points to push
the lead to 63-54, and the Redbirds were never able to recover.
Dyer paced ISU with 18 points, including 4-of-5 on 3s, while
Osiris Eldridge added 17 points, also shooting 4-for-5 on treys, and
a game-high eight rebounds. Tatum led the Salukis with 22 points and
Falker finished with 19. Tony Young added 16 points to round out
SIU's double-digit scorers.
(Box
score)
Illinois State will play the first of two straight home games
when the Redbirds host Evansville on Tuesday. Game time is scheduled
for 7:05 p.m.
(Text from file received from Todd Kober,
assistant athletics director, media relations,
Illinois
State University)
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