Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's basketball team faced a challenging start at the Gulf Coast Showcase, losing to Louisiana Tech in overtime with a final score of 85-79. The game took place at Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida. Despite rallying from an early 11-point deficit, the Salukis could not maintain their lead as the Bulldogs pulled ahead in overtime.

Kennard Davis Jr., a sophomore forward from St. Louis, achieved a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, alongside three steals. Senior forward Jarrett Hensley contributed 15 points and eight rebounds, while Ali Dibba added 12 points for Southern Illinois.

This game marked Southern Illinois' first without their leading scorer Elijah Elliott, who is out due to an ACL tear. This injury led to Sheridan Sharp being brought off his planned redshirt status.

The Salukis struggled initially on offense as La Tech built a lead of 9-2 before SIU tied the game with contributions from Davis, Davion Sykes, and Sharp. Drew Steffe's three-pointer gave Southern its first lead at 12-11. However, La Tech responded with a scoring run that put them ahead by 24-13 midway through the first half.

In response, six different Salukis scored during a strong finish to the half that saw SIU take a halftime lead of 31-27. Freshman Rolyns Aligbe scored four of his nine total points during this period.

The second half was competitive until SIU managed a significant run led by Sharp's play that extended their lead to 59-48 with under eight minutes left. However, momentum shifted when Davis slipped at midcourt late in regulation, allowing La Tech to close the gap.

La Tech's Daniel Batcho played a crucial role in tying the game towards the end of regulation time. In overtime, Louisiana Tech quickly gained control and outscored Southern Illinois by six points to secure their victory.

SIU shot poorly in the first half but improved significantly after halftime. They continued to struggle at free throws and committed turnovers that allowed La Tech to capitalize on fast breaks.

Al Green led Louisiana Tech with 19 points while Kaden Cooper and Amaree Abrams each added 18 points for their team.

Southern Illinois will face Eastern Kentucky next in another Gulf Coast Showcase matchup scheduled for Tuesday morning.