The Saluki men’s basketball team used a second-half offensive surge and tight defense to overthrow the Old Dominion Monarchs 73-65 Saturday night at ODU/Scope in Norfolk, Va. to start the season 2-0.

SIUC forward Jaratio Tucker came up big for the Salukis again against the Monarchs, scoring 18 points on 5-of-13 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free throw line.

Against Northern Illinois last Wednesday, Tucker scored 20 points including six of the Salukis last 10 points in a 65-63 win in DeKalb. Through two games, Tucker leads the Dawgs in scoring, averaging 19 points per game.

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After a closely-fought first half, SIUC trailed 33-32 going into the locker room, but the Dawgs caught fire in the second half.

The Salukis lit up the scoreboard in the second half, outscoring the Monarchs 41-32 with a 14-for-26 performance from the field, including hitting 3-of-6 from behind the 3-point arc.

Saluki basketball coach Rich Herrin said emotions ran high in the locker room at halftime only being down by one at the half.

We knew that we would need a great effort to be able to beat this team, he said. There were a lot of emotions in that locker room. We were confident that we could be successful.

If we had been down by 20 points or something, it may have been a different story.

All five of the Dawgs’ starters finished the contest in double figures. Center Aminu Timberlake scored 14 points, while forward Scott Burzynski and guards Johnny Dadzie and Shane Hawkins contributed 11 points each to go along with Tuckers 18.

Herrin said he was pleased by the output of his starting five.

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We had great balanced scoring all of our starters were in double figures, he said. It was a great team effort and a great win.

Herrin also said the bench also contributed in a big way in the Salukis’ win.

We got good play from (Reggie) Nelson, (Monte) Jenkins and Shane Wells grabbed a big rebound late in the game, he said. We got good play form everyone and they all had a hand in the victory.

SIUC’s defense came up even bigger against ODU, holding the Monarchs to 32 points and not allowing them a single field goal in the final six and a half minutes of the ball game.

Herrin said SIUC was able to shut ODU’s offense down because the Dawgs kept switching its defenses.

We switched defenses from man-to-man to zone and back again, he said. Sometimes it takes a while to find one that works and we were fortunate that they both worked. They didn’t score in the last six minutes or so.

The Dawgs also held ODU center Odell Hodge to six points on 1-of-6 shooting. After suffering a season-ending knee injury at SIU Arena in an 88-74 Saluki victory last season, Hodge vowed revenge. ODU’s junior center said he was going to put up 40 points against the Salukis

Herrin said the combination of Burzynski and Timberlake tired out the ODU star.

Burzynski and Timberlake did a heck of a job on him (Hodge), he said. To be honest, he ran out of gas. He just got tired.

I’m not sure he wants anything to do with us anymore. Two years ago he was named the player of the year in his league, last year he comes in here and tears up his knee and this year he goes one for six.

With the win SIUC runs its record to 2-0 for the first time since the 1993-94 season, when the Salukis finished the year with a 23-7 overall record.

Herrin said this was a big win for his young squad early in the season.

This was a great victory for us, he said. They (ODU) were picked to be No. 1 in their league. The win meant a great deal to our basketball team.

The Salukis will practice the rest of the week in preparation for their first home game of the season Sunday against Florida Atlantic. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. at SIU Arena.