SIU men's basketball team wins improbable Valley tournament title, ends 10-year droughtWilliam FordDaily Egyptian
ST. LOUIS - For the fifth-straight season, the SIU men's basketball team is going to the NCAA Tournament.
They just had to work a little harder for it this year.
After four seasons of earning an at-large berth to the Big Dance because of a stellar regular season, the Salukis entered the Missouri Valley Conference tournament as a team with the postseason in limbo. Some in the national media questioned whether the team belonged in the NCAA Tournament.
On Sunday, the Salukis answered those critics resoundingly by beating a surging Bradley team 59-46 in the Valley conference championship at the Savvis Center in St. Louis. By doing so, they earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Fans rushed the court after the win, knowing full well of the difficulties SIU has had in recent years playing in the Valley tournament. The celebration lasted for about 20 minutes, with players, coaches and fans all mingling amongst one another.
"We've had superior teams come in here and not be able to leave with that trophy," SIU head coach Chris Lowery said of the program that had not won a tournament title since 1995.
Saluki sophomore Randal Falker stole the show in the championship, especially in the second half, when the athletic forward punished the rims with numerous thunderous dunks. As the fans crowded around the team on the court, they chanted "Randal, Randal!"
"His growth has been tremendous," Lowery said. "I'm on Randal probably more than any kid in our program because he can be so talented. ... I have a saddle on him probably twenty-four, seven."
Falker outplayed his Bradley counterpart, 7-foot center Patrick O'Bryant, despite having a huge disadvantage in height. The 6-foot-7 Falker drew fouls, hit free throws, and his dunks fueled the Salukis' second-half run.
Further, Falker shut down O'Bryant in the second half, after the Bradley sophomore dominated him in the first half of play. He scored just three points and had one rebound in the second half.
"I'm out here playing for my teammates. They trust me," Falker said. "I didn't shut him down. We shut him down as a team."
For his effort of 17 points and 16 rebounds, Falker earned the tournament's Most Outstaning Player award. In his hometown of St. Louis, Falker stood on a stage at center court to get the trophy.
Joining Falker on the all-tournament team were sophomore forward Matt Shaw and junior guard Jamaal Tatum.
Shaw and Tatum both exhibited gutsy performances in the game, never backing down from shots during critical stretches of the tournament. Subject of much criticism for soft play, Shaw was by far one of the toughest players in the tournament.
When the Salukis struggled in the first half to score points against O'Bryant's shot-blocking ability and a stingy Bradley perimeter defense, Tatum stepped up to hit several big shots. Tatum scored almost half of the Salukis' first half points and finished the game with 16 points.
In the second half, Shaw complemented Falker's fierce play. The sophomore drilled open jump shots, hit key free throws and tossed down a violent dunk of his own.
"Once Randal got going, it made it easier for me to get offensive looks," Shaw said.
The blood on Shaw's jersey and red scratches on his neck showed how tough Bradley fought for the game. In the end, however, toughness turned into desperation for the Braves as the team was whistled for two intentional fouls
"I could sense a little frustration, but that's kind of what we wanted," Tatum said. "Once we started making them take tough shots ... it got a lot easier for us. That's our type of ball game."
Throughout the tournament, uncertainty has surrounded how many teams from the MVC belong in the NCAA Tournament. Lowery said no matter how many teams are selected, the conference needs to have a strong showing to promote itself.
"We've got to promote as many teams as we can promote," Lowery said. "We want to validate what our league is and how it is."
