The Salukis put all five starters in double figures for the first time this season and defeated Wichita State, 74-62. This was an impressive victory in a must-win situation.
The big men set the tone early (Fay and Boyle scored 16 of the first 18 points) and the backcourt sealed the victory with clutch long-range shooting down the stretch. This looked like a completely different team than we've seen this season, especially on the offensive end of the court where the rotation was crisp, players were moving with purpose, shots were taken in rhythm early in the possession, the post players converted and the guards slashed to the basket.
Individually, Ryan Hare led the way with 18 points and 8 rebounds. He shot 4 of 6 from the field and was a perfect 10 of 10 from the line. Carlton Fay finished with 15 points and 6 rebounds. Kevin Dillard got into foul trouble, mostly due to some shaky officiating, but still piled up 14 points and handed out 5 assists. Bryan Mullins had 13 points, 7 assists, and 0 turnovers. Tony Boyle got to the rack tonight... and FINISHED around the bucket en route to 12 points on 5 of 8 shooting.
As a team, the Salukis outrebounded the Shockers 31-17, which is an accomplishment considering the game was on the road and the Shockers entered with a +9 rebounding margin on the season. Also, the Salukis got to the line more than the Shockers and converted a higher percentage, resulting in a +7 margin on the night from the stripe.
The shot of the night... with the Salukis up by just one at 56-55, the crowd roaring, the Shockers on a run, and the shot clock winding down, Mullins knocked down a '3' that sucked the wind out of the gym and sent the momentum swinging back in Southern's direction.
The finishing touches... Dillard sent 10,000 Kansans scrambling for the exits with a pair of triples that put the game out of reach at 70-61.
Closing thoughts... The starters logged a lot of minutes tonight and the roles on this team are established. The reserves played well, but it didn't show up in the stat sheet. This team is starting to develop chemistry and cohesion. We might have to cancel those Thursday night reservations for Arch Madness because it looks like this team might be poised to take a big step forward.
Up next... Sat. 7:05 v. Evansville (3-1)
