CAPE GIRARDEAU (WSIL) --ÌýÌýÌýscored a game-high 24 points as the ¾ÅÓÎÌåÓý Illinois men's basketball program won its fourth-straight game Wednesday night on the road against regional rival Southeast Missouri, 70-68.
"We knew it was going to be a grind-it-out game. I thought after the first 10 minutes of the first half we played pretty good basketball up until the last two minutes of the game," head coachÌýÌýsaid postgame. "We have to do a better job executing at the end of the game, but our goal was to come here and get a win before Christmas and we were able to accomplish that."
Southeast Missouri (5-8) gave the Salukis all they could handle in the final minutes of the game, cutting a seven-point deficit with 1:31 left to play to just a point with 18 seconds on the clock. SEMO was able to convert a trio of 3-pointers in the final 90 seconds, but the Salukis countered by cashing in six late free throws.
The Salukis return to action following the holidays with a trip to Murray State to take on the Racers on December 29. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. from the CFSB Center.
