To say the SIU men’s basketball team had a bad day would be an understatement. The Salukis lost their third game in a row on Tuesday, this time losing 87-45 to Wichita State — the third worst point margin loss in program history.

Trouble found SIU before the game even started.

Coach Barry Hinson said he was informed at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday that senior guard Leo Vincent and junior Sean Lloyd would be unavailable to play pending an administrative review of their eligibility.

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“I had to break the news to the team at 4 o’clock before we got on the bus and watch two kids cry in a room because they don’t get it and they don’t understand,” Hinson said after the game in an interview with Saluki Athletics Director of External and Broadcast Operations Mike Reis during Saluki Radio play-by-play.

Hinson said a decision about Vincent and Lloyd’s playing status will not be made known for at least the next 48 hours.

“Unequivocally, me or my staff — more importantly the two student athletes — are not at fault here,” Hinson said on the show. “I’m extremely upset. I’m extremely upset. That’s all I’m going to say.”

Lloyd averages 9.6 points for SIU, and Vincent contributes 8.1 points.

With this loss in numbers, the Dawgs struggled against the best conference team in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Wichita State (18-4, 8-1 MVC) went on a quick 4-0 run to start the game. Sophomore forward Markis McDuffie scored the opening buckets for the Shockers.

McDuffie was a beast, giving Southern all kinds of trouble. He scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

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Senior guard Mike Rodriguez got to the free throw line and hit both of his shots to get the Salukis on the scoreboard.

Rodriguez —who averages 12.4 points per game — struggled to get anything going, putting up only six points on 2-11 shooting.

After a competitive first five minutes of play, Wichita State started to pull away by going on its first of many runs with a 5-0 run to extend their lead to 13-8.

The Shockers would string together runs of 8-0, 4-0, 7-0 and 7-0 to have a 39-22 halftime lead.

SIU (11-11, 4-5 MVC) couldn’t throw it in the ocean, shooting 21 percent from the field, 60 percent from the line and 8 percent from the 3-point line.

After senior forward Sean O’Brien scored his first two buckets to open the second half, Wichita State went on a 9-0 run to extend their lead to 48-24.

O’Brien was a bright spot for the Salukis in the second half, scoring all of his 12 points on 4-8 shooting in the period.

That wouldn’t be enough as the Salukis were already in too big of a hole to climb out of. Wichita State won with a final score of 87-45.

“I don’t mean to be sacrilegious, we could’ve had Jesus on our squad tonight and I don’t know if it would’ve mattered,” Hinson said during the press conference following the game.

This loss tied the Salukis for their lowest scoring game of the season.

SIU will be back at home at 7 p.m. on Saturday to play Missouri State in Saluki Arena.

Staff writer Jonathan Thompson can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @TheReal_Jt3.

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