CARBONDALE, IL–Entering Sunday, eight teams, that’s right eight of the 12 teams in the Missouri Valley Conference were all within a game of the league’s top spot.
Call it parody, call it mediocrity. Either way, Dana Ford’s squad was right in the mix.
The Bears crawled out of their cave for a road game rematch with Southern Illinois. Mo-State lost by 4 at home two weeks ago to the Salukis.
Seven minutes into the first half, James Graham rings the bell from the outside. His only bucket of the game makes it 13-10 MSU.
Couple possessions later, Chance Moore heard the chime echo when he rang the bell. 6-point maroon and white advantage.
But SIU wasn’t phased. Marcus Domask and Troy D’amico count the basket and the foul. He’d make the free throw. Salukis led by 4 at the break.
Second half, Bears battling. Jonathan Mogbo dished to a cutting Moore who slammed it home on the two handed jam.
But 16 MSU turnovers led to 26 Southern Illinois points. Two of them came from Domask as he finished inside. Salukis up 9 with 13 minutes to go.
And in just in case you didn’t believe me, Jawaun Newton on the receiving end of the alley-oop to cement the emphatic victory.
Southern illinois blows out Missouri State 73-53 to sweep the season series.
