In preparation to take on Creighton University at SIU Arena tonight at 7:05 p.m., the men’s basketball team got back to basics during its practice session Wednesday afternoon.

With a rematch against the Bluejays (11-10, 6-6), who defeated the Salukis in Omaha, Neb. Jan. 29 79-77, the Dawgs are looking for revenge as the team is within the final stretch of the season frantically trying to move into eighth-place to qualify for the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

Only the top eight out of 11 teams qualify for the post-season, and SIUC is currently in ninth place with a 3-8 conference record two games behind eighth-place Evansville.

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After tonight’s game, SIUC must tackle what is possibly the toughest part of its season with games against top MVC teams like second place Illinois State (15-7, 9-2), fourth place Tulsa (13-5, 6-4), league leading Bradley (13-5, 9-2), and Evansville (9-10, 5-6).

Fundamental pick-setting, passing lane and boxing-out drills dominated the practice schedule, in place of the normal review of set plays and strategy of the upcoming opponent.

If there is one player on the team who knows about playing hard, it is senior forward Jaratio Tucker, who refuses to rest despite nursing a sore left leg which has limited his practice time.

It’s against my principles, I’ll play hurt, Tucker said. I not going to sit out of a game because of my leg. I’ve taken X-rays that have come up negative, but I’m going to keep playing through the pain.

Tucker said the coaching staff’s reason for the tough practice was to improve the team’s overall play and intensity in preparation for a tenacious schedule in the final seven games.

Well, you gotta pick up the intensity. They (coaches) feel were not playing our best ,or up to out capabilities, so they’re going to have to get on us a little bit, he said. If we pick up the intensity in practice, hopefully it will carry on into the game.

Tucker said the Salukis’ game against Creighton is a must win situation ,along with every game from now until the season ends.

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All our games are big. We have some big games coming up. We have to win our games at home, and we have to get all our away games. Even at Illinois State (Feb. 11), and that’s going to be a difficult game, he said. All these seven games are important to us if were going to get back to the tournament.

I feel tomorrow (Creighton) is a must win situation. We’re not completely out of the race to get in the tournament, but every game from here on out is a must win situation.

Tucker said the team’s chances for making the tournament depends on how the team plays.

We can just come out and play hard, he said. If you play your hardest, you can’t look back and feel bad about it.

Saluki head coach Rich Herrin the team has played hard all season, but situations like the scoreless nine minutes at Southwest Missouri State Feb. 3 can not be planned for.

We’ve had good practices all year long. If you remember, I said we were spoiled, didn’t realize what it would take, and we would be lucky to be at St. Louis, and I still say that. I told everyone in October that it would take a good effort. We’re going to have to win three or four (out of the remaining seven games) to get to St. Louis.

As much as Herrin does not like to talk about must win situations, he said Creighton is an important game, along with every game left in the season.

All of them are very important to us, he said. We don’t know if four victories can do it for us. Our schedule is pretty tough. Bradley, Illinois State, Tulsa, and Evansville are all very, very tough ball games. If we want to do anything, they’re pretty well all must win games for us, that’s for sure.