“I never expect to lose and I’m always flabbergasted by a loss.” – Jamaal Tatum

Tatum, the Salukis leading scorer on the season, scored 29 on 7-of-14 shooting, including four 3-pointers. He scored 20 of SIU’s first 38 points. He drew fouls when driving and hit big shots, hoping to spark his team to victory, but the Salukis never got within 10 points in the first 12 minutes of the second half, plagued by foul trouble and poor shooting all evening.

“I feel like everybody always wants to get out there and put forth their best effort,” Tatum said in a post-game radio interview. “Sometimes the shots aren’t always contagious. I’m not in a position to judge how hard everyone’s playing.”

The Salukis were losing Wednesday night’s contest with Evansville for most of the night.

With 4:10 left in the contest the Salukis had a shot. Down by a score of 56-49, Saluki Center Randal Falker caught a pass from the baseline and slammed home 2 points to pull the Salukis within five points for the first time since the half.

Evansville came right back with two of their own.

Jamaal Tatum answered with a big 3-pointer from the baseline making the Purple Ace’s lead five points once again, with just over three minutes remaining.

It was the story of the night for the Salukis: A lot of Tatum. A lot of not much from everybody else – until it was too late.

Tatum was as surprised as anyone with the loss.

“Tell you the truth, I’m always shocked when we lose. I think we have the talent and the work ethic to be the best team in the conference,” Tatum said. “I never expect to lose and I’m always flabbergasted by a loss.”

For a guy that averaged 13.8 points per game before the Evansville game, Tatum proved to be the guy the Salukis could count on to put them in a position to win. That of course hinges on the idea that the rest of the team can back him up.

The Salukis shot 36 percent from the field in the first half, and 44 percent for the game compared to Evansville’s 64 percent in the first half and 59 percent overall.

“You can’t win on the road when you let people do that (59 percent),” head coach Chris Lowery said in a post-game radio interview. “On the road you have to be sharp, and we haven’t been sharp in our rotations on the road.”

Tatum will be back in action with the team Saturday when the Salukis travel to Omaha, Neb., for a match-up with first-place Creighton at 7:05 p.m.