Call it a gut-check, a wake-up call, or an alarm, but tonight’s men’s basketball game at Drake is the Salukis’ best chance to get back into a winning rhythm.

After Monday’s 57-73 embarrassment at Bradley, the team worked hard in practice Wednesday to tighten-up its defense in preparation for the 8-5, 4-1 Bulldogs.

Saluki sophomore guard Shane Hawkins said this game is the time for the team to find a rhythm to ride into the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

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As young as we are, we’re taking every game as a new game, and trying to forget about the big wins and big losses we’ve had, he said. We’re trying to get into a rhythm where we can play and get into the MVC tournament, and in order to do that, we have to forget about losses like that (Bradley).

We knew Bradley was going to be a good team. They’re probably a Top-25 or 30 team anyway.

After Hawkins and fellow sophomore guard Troy Hudson combined for a 4-25 shooting performance from the floor at Bradley, the two guards are looking to improve their games at the mercy of the Bulldogs.

We’re going to have to reverse the ball more, make sharper passes, and use more screens, Hudson said. When the low-post players get going, the defense has to double-down, and that opens up shots for me.

Hawkins and SIUC coach Rich Herrin agree that junior forward Damon Jones could help relieve some of the pressure of the Salukis’ guards.

At Bradley, they knew if they stopped our outside game, they had a chance at winning, Hawkins said. (The inside players) have to find a way to be dominate and take the pressure off the guards. We need a post player who can score 10, 12, or 14 points a game every night out. I think Damon (Jones) can be that player, and I think as the season progresses you’re going to see that.

Herrin said that Jones’ improvement could be a big part in balancing the offense and improving the Salukis’ rebounding woes.

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Damon’s made progress because he’s in better condition (after coming off the football season), he’s got some confidence, and when you get confidence you become a player, Herrin said. He’s still got to continue to improve, and the big thing is that he can’t play 40 minutes. He has been a great asset to us, and he’s a threat now. He can finish, and he can deliver some points. He does need to rebound harder, and when Damon makes up his mind, he can rebound.

He can be our best inside player right now if he just puts his mind to it.

The Dawgs have won four of their last five in Des Moines, Iowa, and Herrin said his squad has a good chance at a victory because of Drake’s past competition.

We need to play like we did at Utah State when we only had four turnovers, he said. Their competition hasn’t been as good as our’s, but they’re still a 4-1 basketball team. So it’s going to be a tough game, but each game is a different 40 minutes of basketball.

This game may loom larger than it seems for the 8-6, 1-2 Salukis, as Herrin believes the team needs to win both games against Drake this season to make a run for the MVC tournament.

I think this is an important basketball game to go to St. Louis (MVC Tournament), he said. We need to get Drake twice, Wichita State twice, and we need to get ready to play that’s for sure. If we’re going to get to St. Louis, we need to get some victories.