Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Southern Illinois
Tatum Leads SIU To 64-54 Victory over CMU
12/18/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 18, 2005
MOUNT PLEASANT - It was a two-point game with 9:41 remaining when Southern Illinois junior Jamaal Tatum took control, scoring 13 straight SIU points, including a pair of three-pointers, to lead the four-time defending Missouri Valley Conference champions to a 64-54 win over Central Michigan University on Sunday afternoon in Rose Arena.
The win improves SIU to 5-3 while the Chippewas drop to 2-6.
"We battled back to make it a two-point game and we had the ball but threw it away," CMU coach Jay Smith said. "We don't have the maturity level to win these types of games right now. SIU had a go-to guy in Tatum and it was a veteran team that took care of the ball down the stretch."
SIU held an 18-15 lead midway through the first half before the Salukis went on a 16-2 run to push the lead up to 19 points at 36-17 (2:48). CMU would whittle that margin down to 10 at the break as Giordan Watson banked in a three-pointer from the top of the key to beat the halftime buzzer.
Drew Walker blocked three shots and tallied six points in his 10 minutes on Sunday.  | |
The Chippewas forced some early second half turnovers and CMU clawed its way back to within two as Justin Blevins completed an old-fashioned three-point play with 9:41 to make it 48-46.
But that's when SIU's star took the game over. His trey with 1:10 left was that dagger that made it a seven-point game, 61-54, and CMU fouled after that to try and get back in it.
Tatum finished with a game-high 26 points while Tony Young added 18, including four three-pointers.
Justin Blevins made it a two-point game with nine minutes left but CMU couldn't get any closer after that. | |
Sefton Barrett led the Chippewas with 17 points and three blocks while Chris Kellermann added 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Turnovers down the stretch were the difference as CMU coughed it up a season-high 22 times to the Salukis' 17.
SIU won the battle of the boards, 30-26, with Saluki sophomore Matt Shaw pulling down a game-high 11.
Drew Walker came in and added six points and three blocks in 10 minutes off the bench.
The Chippewas have one game remaining before breaking for the holidays. CMU is at East Tennessee State (1-6) on Wednesday, Dec. 21. Tipoff in Johnson City, Tenn., is set for 7 p.m.
