SALUKIS HOST INDIANS IN LOCAL HOOP RIVALRY

Southern Illinois University's basketball team has had Southeast Missouri State's number in recent years, the Salukis winning the last four meetings between the squads.

Tonight, in a 7:05 tipoff at the SIU Arena in Carbondale, Southeast will look to break that streak.

But Indians' coach Gary Garner knows it won't be easy. Even though the Salukis are just 2-4, they have held up impressively against a rugged early-season schedule.

"SIU is a very good basketball team no matter what their record is," said Garner, whose team will carry a 4-2 record into the game that will be televised by KBSI-Fox 23. "It's going to be a really tough ballgame and we'll have to play very well."

The Salukis' biggest victory to date was a 77-74 win at Virginia Commonwealth. They also defeated Long Beach State 75-72 during a tournament in Hawaii last weekend.

SIU played highly-touted St. Louis to the wire before dropping a recent 85-76 decision. The Salukis led 76-68 with under three minutes left before the Billikens scored the game's final 17 points.

The Salukis other losses have been at home to highly-regarded Miami (73-61), at St. Mary's of California (73-66) and at Hawaii last weekend in the finals of the Rainbows' own tournament (80-66).

"Any time you go on the road to Virginia Commonwealth and win, that's a big win," said Garner. "And in some of their losses they did well against some really good competition, like St. Louis."

Although the Salukis lost leading scorer Troy Hudson (now with the NBA's Utah Jazz) from last year's 13-17 team, they returned plenty of talent, including all-around whiz Rashad Tucker and sharp-shooting guards Shane Hawkins and Monte Jenkins.

Tucker, a 6-foot-6 senior forward who plays all over the court, was last year's second-leading scorer at 15.3 points per contest. He is averaging a team-high 15.8 points a game so far this year although he missed the first two games of the season while there was some question regarding his academic eligibility.

Tucker also is grabbing 7.3 rebounds per game to rank second on the squad and his 20 assists ties him for the team lead.

"I've never seen Tucker in person, but he's scary," Garner said. "He brings the ball up, he passes, he shoots 3-pointers, he dunks. He looks like an NBA player."

Hawkins, a 6-2 senior, was last year's fourth-leading scorer (10.4 ppg). He is averaging 14.5 this season and shooting nearly 40 percent from 3-point range. He is the school's all-time 3-point shooter with 238 treys.

Jenkins, a 6-4 junior, was last season's third-leading scorer (11.3 ppg). He is averaging 13.3 this year.

"Hawkins and Jenkins are solid guards who are really good outside shooters," said Garner.

The Salukis have also been bolstered by Florida International transfer Chris Thunell, a 6-9 sophomore forward (7.7 ppg) who is the team's top rebounder at 8.3 a contest.

Rounding out the starting lineup is 6-6 junior center James Jackson (5.2 ppg).

SIU has been hampered by a pair of key injuries. Highly-touted Junior-college transfer Derrick Tilmon, a 6-7 forward, played only two games before suffering a leg injury that will sideline him for several more contests.

James Watts, a 6-8 center, injured a hand when he slammed it against a wall in disgust after SIU lost to St. Mary's in the fourth game of the season. He has missed the last two contests but is expected to see action tonight.

"They have a solid inside game and a strong outside game," said Garner. "They have all the ingredients of a good team."

Southeast will counter will all five starters averaging in double figures, led by 6-10 center Bud Eley (17.2 ppg).

Eley is followed by 6-foot guard Cory Johnson (14.0), 6-4 forward Calvert White (11.7), 5-10 guard Kahn Cotton (10.6) and 6-8 forward David Montgomery (10.3).

"We're improving and continuing to make strides," Garner said. "We just have to keep on doing that."

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Particularly if the Indians expect to end their losing streak against the Salukis.

INDIAN NOTES: Johnson currently ranks fourth nationally and first in the OVC in 3-pointers per game with four. He's shooting .522 from behind the 3-point arc...

While Southeast has lost four straight to the Salukis, Garner has a personal 8-7 record against SIU that was fashioned when he coached at Drake from 1981-88. However, Garner is only 1-7 in games at the SIU Arena.

SEMO at SIU

7:05 p.m., Carbondale, Ill.

Probable Starters

SEMO (4-2)

Player Pos. Yr. Ht. Avg.

Calvert White F Sr. 6-4 11.7

David Montgomery F Jr. 6-8 10.3

Bud Eley C Sr. 6-10 17.2

Cory Johnson G Jr. 6-0 14.0

Kahn Cotton G Jr. 5-10 10.6

SIU (2-4)

Player Pos. Yr. Ht. Avg.