Salukis storm back to top San Diego
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[In a stunning turn of events, Southern Illinois scored the final 13 points of the game to beat San Diego, 70-68, Saturday night in the Holiday Hoops Classic. It was a win that no one saw coming, with the possible exception of Saluki guards Justin Bocot and Kevin Dillard, who keyed the dramatic comeback.
Trailing, 68-57, with less than four minutes remaining, Bocot started the rally with a 3-pointer from the right wing. Dillard followed with another, and then Bocot's fourth triple of the game sliced the deficit to 68-66 with 1:04 remaining.
The Salukis (6-2) had life, but they needed yet another defensive stop.
Bocot proceeded to pick Patrick McCollum's pocket and was fouled on the ensuing fast break. He made both free throws to tie the game, 68-68, with 28 ticks on the clock, and the 75 or so Saluki fans in the gym roared with delight.
The Toreros (5-7) set up a play for McCollum to take the game-winning shot, but his baseline jumper with four seconds was no good, and Saluki forward Carlton Fay was fouled on the rebound. With 2.5 seconds on the clock, Fay made both free throws. After a half-court heave by McCollum grazed the backboard, the Salukis celebrated an improbable victory.
"It was one of the biggest wins I've ever had as a player or coach," said Saluki head coach Chris Lowery. "Our execution down the stretch was big-time on both sides of the ball. You have to give credit to our guys for fighting through it. For us to keep plugging away, to guard them and go down and get baskets, I'm very, very proud of them."
San Diego could hardly miss in the first half, carving up Southern's defense by making 14-of-21 shots from the field en route to a 42-29 halftime edge. Six different players had at least a half dozen points.
"You have to give them credit," Lowery said. "They were very well prepared to play us."
The tide changed quickly in the second half, as SIU's trapping defense held San Diego scoreless the first three minutes. The Toreros seemed to wear down as the half continued, and they made just 4-of-24 shots in the second half and committed 10 second-half turnovers.
"We didn't make adjustments to our defense at halftime, our players just did what we told them to do defensively," Lowery said. "We told them that if we're going to have a chance to come back, this is how we're going to have to guard them."
Bocot said Lowery had stern words for his squad at halftime.
"He told us we have to go out there and be a man on defense," he said. "They were getting a lot of easy points."
The Salukis still needed a catalyst on offense, and Bocot obliged, leading the team with 22 points, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range. It was his first game in double figures this season.
"I was just feeling it," Bocot said. "If the shot before went in, I was going to shoot again. Everything was going in, so I kept shooting."
Lowery made sure the player with the hot hand kept getting the rock.
"He created so much, and we ran stuff exclusively for him," Lowery said. "Down the stretch, he delivered."
More than anything, Lowery was pleased with his team's ability to shut out an opponent during crunch time. San Diego's last field goal came with 7:27 remaining in the game.
"This is the first time in a couple years where we've had a defensive scheme win a game for us," said Lowery, whose team will play San Francisco on Sunday afternoon. "Our players played an unbelievable game."
www.siusalukis.com
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