Beane scores 32 in SIU’s first victory

By Tony McDaniel

SIU basketball won its first game of the 2014 campaign Tuesday night with a victory on the road.

SIU traveled to Tennessee State for a matchup against Dana Ford, the youngest coach in the NCAA. The Salukis defeated the Tigers 84-67 behind junior guard Anthony Beane’s 32 points, a new career high.

Sophomore forward Sean O’Brien finished one rebound short of his second-straight double-double with 15 points and 9 rebounds.

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Junior guard Jalen Pendleton and freshman forward Jordan Caroline both finished with 11 points.

Senior guard Jay Harris’ 23 points led Tennessee State.

The Salukis were out to a big 46-26 lead at the end of the first half.

Beane led all scorers with 24 points in the first half; he was a perfect 8-8 from the field. O’Brien also finished the first half with 11 points. The two players made up for all but 11 of SIU’s first half points.

SIU dominated the Tigers in all aspects of the game in the first half. The Salukis shot 57 percent form the field compared to Tennessee State’s 30 percent.

TSU did a good job of shutting down Beane and O’Brien in the second half. Keeping SIU’s leading scorers in check allowed the Tigers to momentarily get back into the game.

Beane scored only 8 points in the second half; O’Brien only 4.

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Harris and freshman guard Charles Tucker led TSU on a run midway through the second half to pull the Tigers within 11 points of the Salukis, the smallest margin of the half.

Tucker had 16 points in the second half.

Foul trouble brought the TSU run to halt, however. Four of the Tigers’ five starters fouled out of the game, including Harris.

TSU was forced to finish the game with just four players on the court since the team only dressed eight players.

The Salukis will search for their second win Nov. 21 against Kent State in the Men Against Breast Cancer Classic in Kent, Ohio.

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