SIUC’s Abel Schrader may be only a freshman, but that does not mean he is willing to let his inexperience limit his play.

Schrader, a 6-foot-4 forward for the Saluki men’s basketball team, often takes it upon himself to give the Salukis an offensive spark.

He has spent most of the season backing up senior Rashad Tucker. But when given the chance to show his capabilities, he is ready and willing to live up to his first name.

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I try to create stuff when I’m out there, Schrader said. Maybe I probably do it too much. They told me if I’m in the game and I get a shot, take it.

Schrader did plenty of scoring before coming to SIUC. As a senior at Okawville High School, he averaged 28 points per game, earning him All-State honors.

As a collegian, he has not nearly come close to equaling his point productivity in high school, scoring 3.6 a game. With the Salukis preparing for tonight’s game at the University of Creighton in Omaha, Neb., Schrader knows his time will come.

Now, everybody’s quicker and jumps higher than I can, said Schrader, who has a career high of 16 points this season. I just need to get my confidence up.

Schrader and Carbondale native Joshua Cross are the only freshmen on the team, and the two are not strangers to one another. Both played in the IBCA All-Star game last summer and have developed a close relationship on and off the court.

As a freshman, you’re going to hang out together a little bit, Schrader said. You go into school with both of us not knowing too much about college. You’ve got to kind of feed off together.

After completing the season sweep over Southwest Missouri State University Monday, the Salukis look to rebound from Saturday’s 63-61 setback to the Blue Jays at the SIU Arena.

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Creighton forward Rodney Buford hit the game-winning jump shot for the Blue Jays, who are 14-6 overall and 8-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference. SIUC enters tonight at 9-11 overall, 4-6 in the MVC.

Saluki assistant coach Virgil Motsinger said a solid start to the game could produce a different outcome. The last time the two teams met Creighton jumped out to a 13-point halftime lead before holding off the Salukis.

We dug a hole and couldn’t get out of it very quickly, Motsinger said. Basically, what it boiled down to was they played better than us in the first half, and we played better than them in second half. But it wasn’t good enough to overcome the first half.

In the defeat, SIUC did manage to hold Buford, the MVC’s scoring leader to five points below his average. Buford finished with 13 points on 5-of-17 shooting.

Schrader was impressed with Buford’s ability, but does not have any doubts of the Salukis extending their winning streak.

I don’t think there is any reason we can’t beat Creighton, Schrader said. It’s at their place and it will be a little tougher, but if we play well I think we can beat them.

FACTOID:SIUC travels to Omaha, Neb., to face Creighton University at 7:05 tonight.

The game can be heard on WXLT 95.1 FM or at http://www.siu.edu/athletic.