A physical game in the Banterra Center last night, as the SIU Salukis (18-10, 10-7) knocked off the Murray State Racers (11-17, 8-9) 72-68. For the second game in a row, Jarrett Hensley sealed the win, with a block and four points in the last minute of the game. Hensley would end the game with 15 points, one of three SIU players in double figures.
“I’m really proud of Jarrett,” said Xavier Johnson in a post-game interview. “He went through a lot this summer not knowing if he was going to play or not. He got thrown out of position a little bit playing at the five. So, he sacrificed a lot.”
The Salukis started out hot, taking the lead in the first three minutes and leading by 14 near the end of the half. Murray State would respond in the second half, coming back and leading by one with eight minutes to go. With Murray State nipping at SIU’s heels, the Salukis were able to retake the lead and hold on when it mattered most.
“I knew that I had to step up,” said Hensley in a post-game interview. “There’s probably going to be more opportunity, but just being ready when coach called my number, and just going out there playing free, playing confident, and just do what I do.”
Both teams had three players in double figures. Murray State’s Nick Ellington (14 pts.), Quincy Anderson (15 pts.), and Jacobi Wood (17 pts.) put fans on the edge of their seat as they matched every shot D’Amico (20 pts.), Hensley, and Trent Brown (11 pts.) made as the clocked wound down. In a season low, Johnson only scored seven points, but helped his team where he could with nine assists and five steals. Still recovering from his injury against Indiana State, Johnson plans on helping his team wherever he can.
“I’m going to try to impact the game in any way I can. So, if it’s steals, rebounds, scoring, passing, I’m going to try to do that.”
This win puts all alone SIU in fourth place in the Missouri Valley Conference while Murray State are now tied with Illinois State in seventh place. With three games left, and a first-round bye at their fingertips, these next three games are must win for the Salukis. Their first challenge will be a trip to Indiana to face the Evansville Purple Aces (15-13, 6-11)
“I know their really skilled,” said head coach Bryan Mullins in the post-game press conference, “I know they can shoot the basketball, they post-up a lot, and they’ve had some huge wins, and some really close losses against some really good teams. Every time we go up to Evansville, it seems like it’s a one possession game, so we know we’re going to have to play our best to be successful there.”
The two teams will face off Sunday, February, 25 at 1 p.m. in the Ford Center.
