DE Assistant Sports Editor

A first half of good fortune quickly turned into a second half tragedy for the SIUC men’s basketball team Saturday night.

Paced by a 77 percent shooting performance from the field in the first half, the University of Evansville (8-9) dealt the Salukis its 13th Missouri Valley Conference loss of the season in a 95-64 rout at Roberts Stadium.

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Heading for a Missouri Valley Conference tournament berth, the Aces improved to 7-9 in league action, while SIUC falls to 4-13 on the season.

SIUC and Evansville see-sawed back and forth in the first half of action as both teams demonstrated offensive patience. Saluki guard Troy Hudson led SIUC in scoring with 10 points in the first half all from in front of the three-point arc.

With six Salukis on the scoreboard, SIUC seemed content with a rare, but positive 50 percent first half shooting and trailed by only eight at the break, 44-36.

However, all hopes of overcoming the meager eight point advantage quickly diminished when SIUC’s defense waned and its offense sputtered at the start of the second half.

The only bright spot for the Salukis was Troy Hudson’s 18 points.

Evansville’s offensive attack was unstoppable as it put six players in double figures and outscored the Salukis 52-28 the last 20 minutes of the game.

SIUC coach Rich Herrin said the Salukis’ defense, along with Evansville’s phenomenal shooting performance, dashed all hopes of a victory in the second half.

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You can tell we didn’t guard anybody, Herrin said. We got by with it in the first half a little bit because we had some offense to cover up for it. They only missed five shots in the first half and when a team shoots the ball as good as they shot the basketball, your defense wasn’t out there doing the job.

Anytime that you don’t guard anybody, you don’t have much effort.

Edging close to a school record, the Aces ended the evening shooting 72 percent from the field.

The last time the Salukis were handed such a lopsided loss was against Duke University in the opening round of the 1992-93 NCAA tournament, where the Blue Devils handed the Salukis a 35 point loss at Rosemont Horizon.

Led by freshman guard Marcus Wilson, Evansville’s patience paid off from all over the court inside and out. Wilson took advantage of SIUC’s lackadaisical defense, scoring 19 points on the night.

We were very content to let them take the shot and run their pattern, Herrin said. They gave us a good kicking.

Not one to make excuses, Herrin said the fact that SIUC cannot make the MVC tournament played a role in Saturday’s game.

I guess this is what it’s about when you don’t have much to play for, Herrin said. That’s not an excuse, but none of our young men have been in this position before.