Rashad Tucker broke out of a shooting slump to score the SIUC men’s basketball team’s final three points in a 75-72 overtime win over Long Beach State University at the Power Bar Invitational in Honolulu Sunday morning.

Tucker gave the Salukis a 75-72 lead with 11 seconds left after hitting a jumper and making one of two free throws. Long Beach guard Quincy Nuckles, who sent the game into overtime with a three-point field goal at the end of regulation, missed a three-point attempt to tie the game as the clock ran out.

Tucker made just three of 15 field goal attempts in the game, but he made five of six free throws and scored 12 out of SIUC’s final 25 points in the second half.

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The Salukis trailed 27-21 at the half as Tucker was shut out of the scoring column. SIUC’s Chris Thunell made two free throws to give SIUC a 64-61 lead with 13 seconds left before Nuckles hit a three to send the game into overtime.

James Jackson led SIUC in scoring with a season-high 16 points. Monte Jenkins added 14, while Shane Hawkins chipped in 13.

The Salukis were scheduled to face host University of Hawaii in the tournament championship game at 11 p.m. Sunday night. The Rainbows made the finals with a 76-63 win over Tulane University to improve to 3-0 on the season. Hawaii defeated Indiana University 82-65 Nov. 21 and Illinois State University 84-63 Dec. 1 for its other two wins.

SIUC Track and Field

Saluki men and women finish last in meet

The SIUC men’s and women’s track and field began the 1997-98 indoor season Saturday with third-place finishes at the three-team Illinois State Early Bird Classic in Normal.

Indiana State took first in female competition, while Illinois State won the male division.

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Felicia Hill paced the SIUC women’s team with a first-place finish in the high jump (5-feet-8 inches) and third in triple jump (38-9.5).

Loren King won the men’s high jump with a 6-10 effort. Brad Bowers and Sam Rone earned first-place honors in the long jump and triple jump, respectively.

Krivis, Fowler receive academic honors

SIUC football offensive lineman Jason Krivis’ 4.0 grade point average in community media earned the senior a spot on the 1997 Gateway Football Conference All-Academic team.

Krivis was one of 33 athletes to receive honors, announced by league officials Friday. Members of the team must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA and have reached sophomore academic and athletic standing.

Saluki senior wide receiver Reggie Fowler was given honorable mention honors for his efforts in the classroom.

De La Hoya retains title

Oscar De La Hoya retained his WBC welterweight title with an eighth-round technical knockout of Wilfredo Rivera Saturday night with 12 seconds left in the round on the advice of Dr. Howard Taylor. Taylor called the fight because of a deep laceration near Rivera’s right eye.

De La Hoya upped his record to 27-0 with 22 knockouts, while Rivera fell to 27-3-1.

The 24-year-old De La Hoya was dominant throughout the fight, opening up the deep cut in the third round. By the fourth, blood was gushing near the eye and Rivera was floored for just the second time in his career, unable to sustain a hard right from De La Hoya.

De La Hoya continued to use his strong left jab and finished the job at the end of round eight. After the fight, De La Hoya said there was a chance he would move up in weight to face Felix Trinidad of Puerto Rico. However, next is a mandatory title defense against Patrick Charpentier of France Feb. 28 in Las Vegas.

Since winning the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics, De La Hoya has lived up to his billing as The Golden Boy. He earned $6 million for Saturday night’s fight.