Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Grant Hill and Larry Hughes. The first three are established basketball stars, while the fourth is doing everything he can to join them as soon as possible.

Hughes, St. Louis University’s touted freshman guard, burned the SIUC men’s basketball team’s defense for 35 points and sparked a 17-0 Billiken run in the last 2 minutes and 35 seconds of an 85-76 win at SIU Arena Saturday afternoon.

Trailing 76-68 with 2:35 left, Hughes scored nine of his team’s final 17 points. The Billikens’ defense forced 26 turnovers for the game, and SLU’s full-court pressure keyed the late run to improve its record to 4-0.

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SIUC fell to 1-2 on the season. The loss came after the Salukis picked up their first of the win of the season with a 77-74 win at Virginia Commonwealth University Nov. 25. SIUC built a 27-5 lead to open the game before holding off a late VCU rally for the win.

SIUC guard Shane Hawkins compared Saturday’s second-half collapse to losses to Bradley University and the University of Evansville last season. The Salukis lost both of those home games last season after building second-half leads.

It comes down to the same thing, Hawkins said. We panicked more [when we were] up eight with 2:35 left than they did down eight. We just didn’t execute as a team.

Hughes’ play spoiled an otherwise positive return to the Saluki lineup for forward Rashad Tucker. Tucker had missed the Salukis’ first two games after waiting on an appeal from the NCAA concerning his academic status, and the appeal was granted after a hearing Nov. 25.

Tucker and guard Monte Jenkins led the Salukis in scoring with 22 points apiece. Tucker added six rebounds and made nine of 11 free-throw attempts in 33 minutes of action.

For 30 minutes of game play Saturday, Hughes was a one-man show for the Billikens. Hughes scored 17 points in the first half, but no other SLU player scored more than three points as SIUC took a 32-26 lead into the locker room.

Hughes played well again in the second half, but SIUC built upon its lead. The Salukis took a 57-42 lead on a three-pointer by Jenkins before the game unraveled for SIUC.

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Hughes finally received some support, as forwards Ryan Luechtefeld and Larry Simmons combined to score 27 points in the second half. Luechtefeld made 13 of 18 free throws for the game, including six straight down the stretch.

Saluki coach Rich Herrin blamed the loss on poor execution down the stretch. But he is confident his young team will adjust to handling the pressure better as the season progresses.

We should have won the basketball game, Herrin said. We just didn’t. We’ll get better. I think this can be a good basketball team.

Hawkins, who added 17 points for the Salukis, was most impressed with Hughes’ talent to improve his teammates’ play.

He’s a phenomenal player, Hawkins said. I think everybody knew it coming in. He did whatever he wanted to. Every time we made a run, he was the one who stopped it. And he’s one of those players that makes everybody around him better.

Despite a solid offensive performance, Jenkins said his defensive play on Hughes down the stretch ruined his game.

I feel personally that I choked, Jenkins said. All night I was getting killed on defense. Hughes was going around me every time. I wasn’t taking charges at the end. I just wasn’t in it.

Hughes said his Billiken teammates are continuing to get to know each other while they make a run at the Conference USA title.

We want to make a big impact, Hughes said. From the first game to this game, we’ve gotten a lot better.

The Salukis turn their attention to St. Mary’s College tonight before heading to Honolulu for the Power Bar Men’s Invitational.

St. Mary’s is led by Brad Big Continent Millard, a 7-foot-3-inch center. St. Mary’s frustrated Wake Forest University in the NCAA Tournament before falling in the first round last spring.

Herrin said the road trip to St. Mary’s and Hawaii will be good experience for his young team.

We’ll have to go out and press them a little bit and try to get them away from the goal, Herrin said. It will be a nice trip, and I’d like to come back with some victories, that’s for sure.

The Salukis battle St. Mary’s College at 9:30 tonight in a non-conference tune-up before heading to Honolulu for the Dec. 7 Power Bar Invitational.