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Salukis run through Blue Tigers

SIU failed to complete a dominating performance in its first exhibition game, and what began as a blow out ended in a 10-point victory, leaving Saluki fans in a state of panic and disappointment.

Not Sunday.

This time around, the 4,792 fans in attendance watched SIU start - and finish - its 95-52 rout of Division II Lincoln.

Lincoln was held in check all night and connected on just 3-of-13 field goals in the first half.

The Blue Tigers' biggest offensive threat, D.J. Hogue, was blanketed on nearly every move and shot just 4-of-13 from the field for the game.

Had it not been for 13 Saluki personal fouls, Lincoln would have been down by 39 points at the half, but instead went into the locker room down 45-16.

"We try to have a football mentality always," said SIU head coach Chris Lowery. "Even though they want us to be finesse, we're going to still be physical. We're going to still be tough and still fly around and make the refs change to how we play."

Darren Brooks and Jamal Tatum, who were on the floor for the majority of the first exhibition game, played just 21 and 16 minutes respectively Sunday.

Hogue began to find his stroke in the second half, and while the Salukis' starting backcourt watched from the bench, led Lincoln with 15 points.

SIU had 16 steals - three apiece from Brooks, Tatum, LaMar Owen and Tony Young - on 30 Lincoln turnovers.

The Salukis shot 55.2 percent from the field, while holding the Blue Tigers to a 30.6 percent mark.

SIU shot just three free throws in its first exhibition game, but the Salukis made 42 trips to the charity stripe and connected at a 69 percent clip.

Lowery started Josh Warren, Owen and Randal Falker in the frontcourt, a switch from the three-guard lineup he used in the first contest.

The lineup change moved Owen to small forward, and the 6-foot-5 bundle of electricity took full advantage.

Owen had Blue Tigers hearing footsteps on the defensive end, chasing down Lincoln's Kelly Scarver and sending the 5-foot-8 guard's lay up attempt into the stands. He pinned an Abe Bahadori dunk attempt between the rim shortly afterward.

Owen had 10 points, three rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes, while Warren tallied 11 points and three rebounds.

Playing in just their second collegiate basketball game, last season's redshirt big men Falker and Jamaal Foster, gave SIU an extremely quick frontcourt at times Sunday.

Foster led eight Salukis in double figures with 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting, and snatched down a game-high nine rebounds.

"Now that I've got two games under my belt, I feel more aggressive, and hopefully I can continue that throughout the season and help this team win," Foster said.

Falker scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds - three off the offensive glass - before fouling out at the 9:42 mark in the second half.

"I think you saw how athletic we are up front," Lowery said. "People have to be excited about those young guys."