By Tom Weber
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. – No. 18 ranked Northern Iowa used a 20-3 second-half run to blow open a close game and coasted to a 59-52 victory over Southern Illinois on Wednesday night at SIU Arena.
Winners of eight games in a row, the Panthers (19-2, 8-1) carved up SIU’s defense in the second half to the tune of 67 percent shooting from the floor. They made seven-straight shots during the decisive run and four of them were from 3-point range.
The Salukis (9-13, 2-7) led, 26-23, at halftime, and their strategy of packing the lane to defend center Seth Tuttle appeared to be working. The 6-foot-8 senior scored only four first-half points, and when he kicked it out to his teammates for open looks, they combined to make just 4-of-13 shots from 3-point.
All that changed in the second half when UNI’s Jeremy Morgan buried a 3-pointer, and teammates Paul Jespersen and Nate Buss followed with two each. The Panthers made 5-of-8 from downtown in the second half, and the looks got even easier once the treys started falling. Eventually, Tuttle started to roam free on the pick and roll, and he finished the game with 13 points and 10 rebounds. During a blistering seven-minute stretch, in which they built a 52-35 lead, the Panthers’ offense ran like a finely tuned Swiss watch.
“We have a very good shooting team and a very unselfish best player (Tuttle),” according to UNI head coach Ben Jacobson, who said he encouraged his team to keep shooting the three-ball. “I told our guys at halftime, get that foot down, get it set and let her fly a little bit.”
After falling behind by 18 points with 5:33 remaining in the game, the Salukis made the final margin look respectable by cutting it to single digits with a 14-3 run. It was too little, too late.
“I like guys that can score when the heat’s on, and right now we just don’t really have anybody that can do that,” said SIU head coach Barry Hinson.
During the first half and parts of the second, back-up center Ibby Djimde gave Southern a lift. He had scored only seven points in conference play heading into the game, but finished the night with a career-high 10 points. The burly 6-foot-8 junior displayed a delicate touch on the jump hook.
“Ibby really did exactly what we talked about in our scouting report,” Hinson said. “This is the Ibby we thought could help us all along, and he hasn’t shown it (to date).”
The team’s top scorer on the season — Anthony Beane — was mostly held in check by a UNI defense that aggressively trapped him in the half court. Beane scored five points on 2-of-9 shooting.
“We’re not going to win very many games when Anthony goes for five points,” Hinson said. “Let me defend Anthony a little bit — the reason is because (opponents) don’t have to worry about anybody else on the floor right now. They can put all their attention on him. Somebody has to step up.”
Desperate for offense, Hinson inserted seldom-used Chaz Glotta. The freshman guard had not scored in a conference game, and after drilling his first 3-point shot tonight, missed the next four.
“We’re throwing craps tonight,” admitted Hinson. “I’m throwing in guys that haven’t played in a while. I’m throwing Chaz out there to see if it sticks.”
The Panthers have a showdown looming with No. 12 Wichita State in Cedar Falls on Saturday, and Jacobson was relieved his team didn’t overlook the Salukis.
“No matter who we were playing tonight, it would have been easy for them to let their minds drift a little bit, and they didn’t,” he said.
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