Boxscore

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The game may be 40 minutes long, but Southern Illinois makes sure the first five minutes are the most important.  The Salukis jumped ahead 8-0 and 14-3 Tuesday night on their way to a 59-39 win over the Purple Aces.

SIU is now 11-10 overall and 6-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference.  Evansville is 6-14 and 1-9.

Tonight's game was the third out of the last four away from home for Evansville.  The Aces return for their first two-game homestand in more than a month, hosting Bradley on Saturday at 7:05 and Wichita State next Wednesday, Feb. 6, at 7:05.

This game was a smaller version of what happened between the same two teams at Roberts Stadium on Jan. 15.  That night, the Salukis jumped out to 15-0 and 22-2 leads in the opening minutes on their way to an 80-67 win.  This time, the Aces came back from 13 points down in the second half to get within eight in the second half, but never could cut the Salukis' lead any further.  SIU held the Aces to 33 percent shooting most of the way, and Evansville didn't help itself with 7-for-16 free throw shooting.  Southern Illinois' two biggest players, Randal Falker and Matt Shaw, totaled 31 points and 19 rebounds.

The best news of the night was the play of junior forward Shy Ely, who had to leave Saturday's win over Missouri State with a sprained ankle.  Ely started at SIU, and did not appear slowed by the sprain.  He led the Aces in scoring with 16 points.