The Daily Egyptian

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025

InsiDE SNAP uncertainty lingers, page 2 | ‘Buy games’ big for basketball | Where to shop local this holiday season, page 6

The quiet revolution of shopping small for the holidays

mariah Fletcher mFletcher@dailyegyPtiaN com

Every dollar spent at a small business tells a story, whether that is shopping for hand-made jewelry, supporting a local farm or gifting local art. According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses added 17.9 million jobs in 2023. Carbondale’s Chamber of Commerce has over 400 members, which means small businesses are right in your back yard.

“You might not be able to find something similar in a box store, but, you know, my stuff is made with love and by hand. I really put a lot of time and energy and passion into it,” local small business owner Chris McKinley said.

McKinley, a local jewelry maker, has been perfecting her craft for around 15 years for her company, Kinley Jewelry. McKinley sells her jewelry in many local shops in southern Illinois, including Cristaudo’s, which is home to Sixpence, where several different local makers and artists sell products.

McKinley makes jewelry from real gemstones, and likes to make naturebased products, with several pieces

featuring moons, stars, mushrooms and themes of nature.

Many items bought online require shipping, several from outside of the United States. The transportation of shipped goods is responsible for a huge portion of the CO2 emissions across the globe. According to Earth. org, a non-profit environmental news site, shipping and returning products accounts for 37% of the total GHG emissions.

“It’s increasing the pollution of the Earth because everyone has to have something that comes from across the planet instead of just looking in your own backyard. You know, you can probably find what you need here if you really looked,” McKinley said.

Shopping locally also means you can return products in person and not have the hassle of shipping.

“The beautiful thing about buying local too is, for example, with my jewelry, if anybody ever has problems with anything, which once in a while something (breaks). A chain will get yanked off of the neck by a little kid or

Salukis surrender 5-overtime thriller to Coyotes, lose 53-51

Noah Petschke NPetschke@dailyegyPtiaN com

For the last home game of the regular season, the Salukis hosted the Coyotes from the University of South Dakota on Nov. 15 in a high-stakes conference game. The Dawgs looked to climb up the standings and nab a

playoff spot in the final two games. After ending the fourth quarter tied up at 34, the Salukis battled through a marathon of overtimes before getting handed a 53-51 loss from the Coyotes.

With a Coyote touchback, SIU began the game with the ball at the 25-yard line. After a quick first down, quarterback DJ Williams launched a ball to wide receiver Jay Jones for a 63yard touchdown, giving SIU an early 7-0 lead.

South Dakota took the kick

City of Carbondale salutes veterans amid national exclusion of ROTC cadets due to government shutdown

The City of Carbondale partnered with Southern Illinois University to fly the flag off of South Normal Avenue and West Grand Avenue at half-staff for Veterans Day in remembrance of those who have served, in honor of those who are serving and those who will serve.

SIU Air Force and Army ROTC cadets were set to participate in the vigil with a laying of the wreath, but they were notified on Nov. 4 that they would not be participating due to the government shutdown.

Aspa Drikos and Noah Oldhan, members of the ROTC Air Force and Squad Commanders for the Arnold Air Service, told the Daily Egyptian that ROTC has been given orders across the nation that they are prohibited from public solicitation while in uniform.

There had been plans to hold a wreathlaying ceremony while out of service dress, but it was ultimately unaccounted for.

The ceremony opened with a quick breakdown of the program and an invocation from Tom Harness, an Army veteran and SIU alumnus.

Following the introduction was a proclamation from Carbondale Mayor Carolin Harvey. Her proclamation claimed Nov. 11 a celebration of remembrance to respectfully acknowledge those who have made a sacrifice for their service.

Harness gave remarks during the ceremony, sharing that his inspiration for joining the military sparked from his two father figures: his biological dad, a Navy man named L. B. Harness, and his stepdad, Bob Newton, who was a soldier in the Army.

Harness said that these are threads that do not connect a flag, they connect generations of service that protect a promise of freedom.

He recognized the fight that women made just to be able to help protect those freedoms however they could; as medics, as mechanics, as soldiers.

“The legacy of service isn’t measured

in metals and rings…,” he said.

The SIU Trumpet Studio, led by Ricky Spears, assistant professor of practice at the School of Music, played taps, a tradition when holding military funerals or services of remembrance.

The significance of the wreath is made of many symbols: branches for eternal life, circular shape for eternity and red ribbon for the blood and sacrifice of those who served.

Paul Copeland, coordinator of Veterans’ Services at SIU, concluded the ceremony with the sentiment that the empty chairs around the audience were not for those who did not attend, but for those who were there in spirit.

“I had a double student cadet in the ROTC program who was killed in an aircraft crash in peacetime,” Copeland said. “I tell people, when taps plays, that’s who is next to me… My memory of him, and our service and we walk together still. That’s the empty chair that belongs to him in my world.”

Staff reporter Carmen J. Tapley can be

SIU tight end Ryan Schwendeman (83) runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown as the Salukis face off against the Coyotes of South Dakota Nov. 15, 2025 at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois. Lylee Gibbs | @lyleegibbsphoto

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As shutdown ends, southern Illinoisans still face uncertainty

OriOn WOlfe OWOlfe@dailyegyptian cOm

The government shutdown that lasted 43 days is over, but in southern Illinois, those who rely on government benefits are still facing uncertainty as they look toward the future.

On Oct. 1, the government was shut down after Congress could not agree on the spending budget. Despite having a Republican-controlled House, the GOP needed some of the Democrats to vote with them in order to pass the spending bill that was at the center of this shutdown.

The Democratic Party tried to advocate for an extension of the bill that would include the stability of tax credits that would make health insurance more affordable for the millions of Americans that rely on it. These tax credits were part of the Affordable Care Act, and are set to expire at the end of the year without any intervention.

After 43 days, six members of the Democratic Party changed positions and voted with the Republicans to end the shutdown over protecting tax credits for cheaper health insurance. Two Republicans voted against the bill.

On Nov. 12, President Donald Trump signed the bill and the government shutdown officially ended.

From Oct. 1 to Nov. 12, this most recent shutdown has become the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The previous record was held by a 35day shutdown in 2018-2019, which occurred during Trump’s first term.

Even as the government shutdown ends, access to SNAP benefits remain erratic.

“I do feel relieved it’s over,” Rayann Northam, a frequent visitor at Victory Dream Center, a faith-based food pantry in Carbondale, said. “However, I am cautious with moving forward in case something else bad happens.”

Northam and her mother, Wyndy Michaels, both had to cancel their Thanksgiving plans this year because of the economic impact that the

government shutdown had set upon them.

“We did receive some SNAP benefits but we had to cancel Thanksgiving in order to eat for the rest of the month,” Northam said. “Same for my mother, with an extra mouth to feed, she decided turkeys were too expensive.”

Lisa Cherry, a pastor at the Victory Dream Center, said that SNAP benefits are coming in at different times for different people. Everything is unknown, Cherry said, from the attendance to what the supply is going to look like in the coming months.

“This isn’t just, for us, a short term issue,” Cherry said. “It’s been a problem of about 25% more people coming since last year and then our supplies coming through the regular food pantry levels are lower. So, it necessitated us buying more food.”

Cherry said that they have had to buy record amounts, which is not something she said she believes they can sustain indefinitely.

“If you tried to get in and do the research about why this is happening, I’m not satisfied that I’ve found anybody that can answer that,” Cherry said.

Carbondale City Councilmember Clare Killman attributes this to a widespread failure of the systems in place to account for the basic needs of the people.

“This is an era of unpredictability,” Killman said. “The only way that citizens of societies become prosperous is by having reliable, stable and predictable institutions.”

Without such systems, Killman said, there is a degradation on just how safe and successful people can feel.

There are ways that local governments can, and should assist, according to Killman.

“We should divert food waste to local food banks from grocers,” she said.

Most food banks in the area have relied on this to some degree already, Killman said, but there isn’t an effective or legal way to make grocers comply

CORRECTIONS

with an order of that kind.

“We can strongly suggest that all grocery stores within Carbondale make a concerted effort to defer as much food that would otherwise be wasted to local food banks,” Killman said.

Cherry said that this attention toward food pantries is needed.

“Any kind of economic hiccups or economic downturns that affect people who are already at risk, the food pantry system is the safety net,” Cherry said.

“If indeed, more people are talking about their health insurance being a problem or other forms of assistance going down, then we see that effect,” she added.

Killman said the way our society has worked — since long before the government shutdown — has led to a corporate investment away from social programs that could benefit most Americans.

“We are all much more alike than we are un-alike,” Killman said. “Most people are not corporations. They don’t own a major stake in corporations. Most people are closer to being homeless or hard-pressed than they realize.”

Despite hardships put onto food pantries and the people they assist, Victory Dream Center and many other food pantries still encourage those who need assistance to come and visit.

“We are here for you and we recognize there’s many different reasons why someone can find themselves in a tough spot,” Cherry said.

Despite the uncertainty faced by food pantries, Cherry said that people are always encouraged to come and get what they need.

“I’ve seen so many express a desire to care for our neighbors,” Cherry said, “So, we appreciate working together with our community.”

Staff Reporter Orion Wolf can be reached at owolf@dailyegyptian.com or orionwolf6 on Instagram

The story titled “Rainbow Cafe marks 25th anniversary in southern Illinois” in the Nov. 12 edition of the Daily Egyptian stated that the hors d’oeuvres and desserts were provided by Hunan Restaurant but it was provided by Bake Me Happy, and only drinks were provided by Hunan.

The photo essay titled “Sparks fly at annual Iron Pour” in the Nov. 12 edition of the Daily Egyptian stated that Bob Rogers is an employee and on the board of directors for the Memphis Metal Museum but he is a part of Directors Emereti for the museum.

The story titled “REVIEW: ‘Ajax in Iraq,’ the emotional trauma from war and mythology” in the Nov. 12 edition of the Daily Egyptian said that Omiyẹmi Artisia Green was from West Virginia. Green is from Virginia.

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the touchdown back 46 yards, giving them a chance to match the Saluki touchdown. The Coyotes continued applying pressure and found themselves in the end zone, knotting the game at 7-7 after five minutes.

The Salukis looked to answer back swiftly, and after a 39yard pass to atight end Ryan Schwendeman and three 3rd down conversions, SIU was in the end zone once again, regaining a 7-point lead at the conclusion of the first quarter.

The Coyotes began the second quarter at the SIU 45, quickly advanced the ball with a 32-yard pass, and eventually rushed for a touchdown, tying the game at 14 points apiece.

The Salukis responded with an impressive drive, ending with a stunning one-handed catch by Jones and a 3-yard rush from running back Lem Wash to up the SIU score to 21 points.

With the final five minutes of the half counting down, the resilient Saluki defense forced a turnover on downs, giving the Dawgs possession with a lead. The South Dakota defense applied enough pressure on the Salukis and came up with an interception. The Coyotes failed to secure a touchdown and missed a 46-yard field goal.

In the final four seconds of the quarter, kicker Paul Geelen nailed a 40-yard field goal, leaving the Salukis with a 24-14 lead going into halftime.

With the third quarter

underway, the Coyotes started with possession. After a fumble on the snap, South Dakota was facing 3rd-and-20 when SIU linebacker Andrew Behm intercepted a pass and brought the Salukis close to the endzone. While falling back to 4th-and-4’s, long snapper Jace Clark passed to Schwendeman to complete a successful fake field goal play and piled seven more points onto the SIU lead.

South Dakota would answer on the next drive, pushing the ball downfield and scoring a touchdown to cut the lead down to 31-21 with eight minutes remaining. Neither team would put up any further points in the third quarter.

The final quarter began, and South Dakota looked to inch closer to the Salukis. Starting from the USD 3, the Coyotes fired off a 15-play drive that got them within field goal range and cut the lead down to 31-24.

SIU got tagged with back-toback false start penalties, making the task of getting downfield increasingly difficult. While the Salukis secured a first down, they could not continue to push further and were forced to punt.

South Dakota’s momentum continued, and another long drive gave them a look at a touchdown to tie the game. On 4th-and-22, the Coyotes converted in a big way, knotting the game at 31-31.

Once again, the Salukis could not get within scoring range and were forced to punt. With just over a minute left in the game, South Dakota hit a field goal,

putting them ahead 34-31.

The Salukis were in control of the last drive of regulation and strategically made their way downfield and stood within range for a 36-yard field goal. Going against the sharp fall breeze, Geelen secured his second field goal of the game and forced the contest into overtime.

“Heck of a two-minute drive,” head coach Nick Hill said, “no timeouts and to find ourselves at the end of the wind was a gritty way to go put it into overtime.”

The first play of overtime featured a 25-yard passing touchdown from Williams to Jones to put the pressure on South Dakota. The Coyotes would respond quickly with a 16yard touchdown of their own to force a second overtime.

South Dakota started with

the ball in the second overtime and scored a touchdown and successfully converted for an additional two points. The Salukis also found a way into the end zone, leaving it up to a 2-point conversion to decide the fate of the game. With nobody within yards of him, Schwendeman came down with the ball and tied the game once more.

The Coyotes would block Williams’ pass and looked to secure a victory; however, South Dakota’s attempt to score was also unsuccessful, and the backand-forth battle headed into the 4th stage of overtime.

The fourth overtime came and went quickly when both teams rushed into the endzone to force a fifth overtime of the game.

The fifth overtime was

underway, and the Salukis failed to push across any points. The Coyotes, however, executed a pass play and won the contest by a score of 53-51.

“We just needed one more play,” Hill said, “There’s going to be things throughout that game that shouldn’t have come down to that, and you have to be able to put teams away.”

With this loss, SIU has an overall record of 6-5 and a 3-4 record in conference play.

South Dakota is 8-4 overall and possesses a 6-2 record in MVFC. The Salukis travel to Normal, Illinois, to play Illinois State University to conclude the regular season.

Sports reporter Noah Petschke can be reached at npetschke@dailyegyptian.com.

Members of Saluki Football kneel in prayer ahead of the game against the South Dakota Coyotes Nov. 15, 2025 at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois. Lylee Gibbs | @lyleegibbsphoto

SIU quarterback DJ Williams (1) shakes hands with South Dakota quarterback Aidan Bouman (2) Nov. 15, 2025 at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois. Lylee Gibbs | @lyleegibbsphoto

SIU tight end Miles Marshall (47) reaches out to catch a pass in the end zone Nov. 15, 2025 at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois. Dominique Martinez-Powell | @d.martinezphoto

something, I do free repairs… I want my customers to be happy,” McKinley said.

Shopping locally can help consumers uncover new places in the area, especially during the holiday season. Rolling Oak Alpaca Ranch in Makanda is a 10acre alpaca ranch home to over 20 alpacas and other animals.

Owners Judy Hoepker and Morgan Stevenson have a heart for the farm, the environment and endless gratitude for local shoppers.

Hoepker explained why it is so important to keep money local during the holiday season, especially for Rolling Oak.

“A lot of small businesses rely on the local shopping and keeping your dollars in the community,” Hoepker said. “Every dollar you spend here helps us provide the services that we do for the community. It allows us to do our free Christmas event. It allows us to do our free alpaca farm days without having to charge admission.”

Shopping local is also about the experience, Stevenson said.

“For us here, they can actually meet the Alpacas that provided the fiber for a lot of the stuff we make here. We do hand make a lot of it, not all of it but it is all made from Alpaca. So even just being able to connect that with an animal in the field is really special,” Stevenson said.

“There is a connection. People nowadays like to have an experience. It’s not always about all the things we can give or that we have. They want that

experience. Even by offering that free event, maybe they buy an alpaca toy or a pair of socks as a remembrance of that experience they had.” Hoepker added.

Rolling Oak offers a free Christmas event every year called Christmas with the Alpacas that runs for three weekends, including the last weekend of November, and the first two weekends of December. The event includes many holiday festivities, and is free to the public thanks to local shoppers.

“Alpacas are actually ecofriendly. They are very gentle on the ground. They have a soft padded foot, so they are not tearing up the ground like larger livestock do… And you can compost the manure,” Hoepker said.

Rolling Oak has several products besides the experience of meeting the animals. They have various hand made items from alpaca fur, including socks, bracelets and headbands. They also offer goat soap, which is felted by hand in alpaca fur.

“Alpacas are unique. So they are going to be providing something to their family members as a gift that they may have never had or seen before. It’s going to be really special, especially for those who are hard to buy for. Also, the connection to the farm, animals and area. These are living creatures. They are providing their fiber, they can get a connection with a living animal with a name and a personality,” Stevenson said.

An SIU alum, Brooke Yandle, owns Hawthorne Art which is

home to various artists’ work, events, art classes and thrifted or donated art supplies at a discounted price. The donated supplies help Yandle teach artists a new craft at an affordable price.

Yandle works on commissioned paintings, murals, signage and other projects.

“I also have space for artists to sell their work. Even if you are not willing to buy something of mine, there is someone here that makes cool things. The reason I am doing that is I really want small artists to start thinking of themselves as business people and to be able to break free of a part time job,” Yandle said.

Yandle explained how she was able to connect with the public through her small business. Yandle explains how people can meet and have a connection with her, but never at big corporations.

“Even though we have had to be in the capitalist empire, the more money you don’t give to billionaires, the better off we’re all going to be,” Yandle said.

Castle Perilous is a shop in downtown Carbondale with a niche variety of products, according to Scott Thorne, the store’s owner. Thorne said he takes pride in his store’s collection of games, miniatures, comic books, toys and much more.

“The money that you spend in local stores stays in the community,” Thorne said. “I assume most people know that if you spend at a store like Walmart or Kohl’s, only about 17% goes back to funding to support the community. If you spend any money at a store like

ours… somewhere between 40 to 60% of that money stays in the community. We buy from local suppliers, we pay local people. We pay taxes, we own the property. So, it just helps support where you live.”

Thorne said that the store finds items curated to what the public wants. He explains that shoppers will find products in his store that are usually not available in big box stores.

His staff, like the other small businesses, know the inventory well and are knowledgeable about the products they sell, he said. This gives customers an advantage when looking for a niche product, or if they have questions regarding inventory.

“We can talk with you if you’re interested in comics. We can talk with you about the current storylines that are going on in comic books, because we know about that. You’re not going to find that in Barnes and Noble,” Thorne said.

Castle Perilous also sells comics written by local authors. These are unique products customers cannot find in other places, especially big box stores.

Thorne also hosts events for the community out of Castle Perilous, such as the upcoming Thanks-gaming. Thanks-gaming is an event for the public at Castle Perilous where the community can play table top games together and enjoy food. They also provide gift wrapping for customers, with no extra charge.

Businesses in Carbondale range anywhere from gaming stores to even bookstores that

offered used books.

Sarah Heyer, the owner of Confluence Books in Carbondale, which sells used books and books written by local authors, stresses how important spending locally is. Confluence has over 40 books written by local authors in stock as well as a regional section all about southern Illinois.

Carbondale has a wide range of small businesses from gaming stores, to used book stores. All of these shops contribute to the local economy.

“Shopping local has always made sense, now more than ever. It’s important to try and do it. A dollar spent locally, last I heard, can circulate 7 times before leaving town. So, you are not just spending one dollar in Carbondale. You are investing in the community for a longer period,” Heyer said.

Confluence Books takes donations, which is better for the environment, as well. They also offer a bin of “gift ideas” for Christmas shoppers this season.

“We have books you won’t find anywhere else because they aren’t new. Some local books will not appear on a national level, older books that a Barnes and Noble won’t carry because they just aren’t new enough,” Heyer said.

Shopping locally can help you find one of a kind gifts, as these business owners explained. The season of giving is approaching and holiday shopping will continue to play a crucial role for local shops.

News Reporter Mariah Fletcher can be reached at mfletcher@dailyegyptian.com

Skeins of yarn spun from alpaca fiber line a shelf inside the Rolling Oaks Alpaca Farm shop in Makanda, Illinois. Amilia I. Estrada | aestrada@dailyegyptian.com

An alpaca waits patiently near the fence line Nov. 14, 2025 at Rolling Oaks Alpaca Farm in Makanda, Illinois. Amilia I. Estrada | aestrada@dailyegyptian.com

Student Center Carbondale

Forestry Club performs to “F--- You” by CeeLo Green at the RSO Karaoke Cup Nov. 11, 2025 in Carbondale, Illinois. 16 RSOs competed for a chance at $1,000 courtesy of Hangar 9. Emily Brinkman | erb_photo_ To see which RSO took home the grand prize, visit dailyegyptian.com

SIU men’s basketball up $26,000 thanks to ‘buy games’

Eli HoovEr EHoovEr@dailyEgyptian com

Money is exchanging hands at a rapid rate in this era of college sports. Between Name, Image and Likeness deals, schools buying out coaches’ contracts and any number of smaller transactions, college athletic departments across America have already spent billions of dollars this academic year.

A small source contributing to all of those billions are “buy games.”

Buy games are a term in college sports for when one school pays another to come play them. This happens most often in nonconference contests for football and men’s basketball. Many people associate buy games with games where the supposed gap in play is large, like in Missouri’s 106-68 victory against Virginia Military Institute on Nov. 9.

The truth is, money changes hands in almost every nonconference game in men’s basketball.

In fact, all 11 of the nonconference games on the Salukis’ schedule this season involve money changing hands one way or another, with the guarantees for this year alone totaling $314,000 according to information obtained by the Daily Egyptian through a Freedom of Information Act request.

There are two games on the SIU schedule that don’t have price tags this year, the Nov. 17 contest at North Dakota State and the Dec. 3 game at

High Point. However, the Salukis did have to pay for home games earlier in the contract.

SIU ponied up $64,000 total for home games in 2023 and 2024 against NDSU, while the High Point price tag was a somewhat more modest $40,000 up front for home games in 2024 and 2026. So, even though the Salukis are paying for these schools to come to Carbondale, these schools aren’t reciprocating when SIU travels to them.

All in all, SIU is paying $144,000 for four home games and two neutral site games in Jacksonville, Florida. Some of these games are relatively cheap, like the $5,000 check the university wrote for the Nov. 7 win against the University of Missouri-Kansas City. The Nov. 3 matchup against Division II McKendree was even cheaper, at only $4,000.

The two remaining home dates on the nonconference schedule both carry five-figure price tags. The Nov. 29 contest against Arkansas-Little Rock will cost $25,000, while the Dec. 10 matchup against another Ohio Valley Conference school in Tennessee-Martin will carry a much higher price tag of $60,000. SIU is also paying $50,000 to be a part of the Jacksonville Classic on Nov. 23 and 24 where they will take on Delaware and Alabama-Birmingham.

It’s not even just money changing hands, as both UMKC and Little Rock

added 15 hotel rooms in Carbondale to their contracts. Late-night games also mean hungry players, which might explain why UMKC and McKendree also asked for postgame pizza to be provided.

SIU is also raking in quite a bit of money this season, adding $170,000 to the bank account via three road games.

The Nov. 12 loss to Nevada came with

a $65,000 check. The Salukis still have an $80,000 game at University of Memphis on Nov. 26 and $25,000 at University of Richmond on Dec. 13 to look forward to, as well.

The Salukis came out in the black this season, adding $26,000 to the team bank account via game guarantees, even without playing a team from a power five conference.

So while the Salukis don’t have any huge paydays awaiting them this winter, they still managed to come out ahead. SIU Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tim Leonard could not be reached for comment.

Sports reporter Eli Hoover can be found at ehoover@dailyegyptian.com or on Instagram at @hoovermakesart

Yasmin Martinez-Powell | ymartinezpowell@dailyegyptian.com

Rolyns Aligbe (0) tosses the ball up for a layup as Jacari White (11) of North Dakota State defends Nov. 18, 2024 at Banterra Center in Carbondale, Illinois. Lylee Gibbs | @lyleegibbsphoto

Elijah Elliott (1) drives the ball towards the basket as he is guarded by Luke Kasubke (0) of North Dakota State Nov. 18, 2024 at Banterra Center in Carbondale, Illinois. Lylee Gibbs | @lyleegibbsphoto

Eli HoovEr EHoovEr@dailyEgyptian com

Bison blow by Saluki men’s basketball 92-85

Looking to bounce back after their first loss of the season, it took only 24 seconds for guard Quel’Ron House to hit a 3-pointer to open the scoring for the Salukis against North Dakota State on Monday, Nov. 17 in Fargo.

The Salukis struggled to stop the Bison early on as North Dakota State scored on each of their first six possessions, jumping out to a 15-9 lead four and a half minutes into the game.

Coming out of the first media timeout, head coach Scott Nagy put a whole new lineup in the game. The gamble paid off, as the second unit immediately forced back-toback turnovers as part of a 9-0 run to give the Salukis an 18-15 lead. The Bison settled back in to retake a 21-20 lead with 11:49 left in the first half.

After struggling from the 3-point line in last year’s contest at Banterra Center, the Bison didn’t have that problem this time around. Five different players combined for nine made 3-pointers on 12 attempts to extend their lead to 39-29.

North Dakota State cooled down from behind the arc during the next segment, but the Salukis couldn’t take advantage, facing a 47-36 deficit only three minutes before halftime.

Guards Damari Wheeler-Thomas and Tay Smith were a big part of the huge first half for the Bison, combining for 28 points. House and guard Davion Sykes combined for 21 points to keep the Salukis within 5346 at the half.

“We shot 63% in the first half and we were down seven. Absolute joke,” Nagy said in his postgame interview with Saluki Radio.

The Bison came out of the locker room cold, starting 1-8 from the field and 0-4 from 3-point distance. That helped SIU chip away at the lead, which stood at 61-56 North Dakota State with 15:15 left in the game.

The Salukis continued to battle on both sides of the ball, and a 58.3% shooting percentage halfway through the second half brought them within 64-62.

With seven minutes to go, forward Rolyns Aligbe made a layup to give the Salukis a 7472 lead, their first since seven minutes into the contest. Wheeler-Thomas immediately answered on the other end to tie the game back up heading into the penultimate media timeout.

Both defenses locked in for the next three minutes, only allowing one field goal between the two. That left the game tied 7777 with 3:39 left to play.

The timeout gave both offenses the reset they needed, and the Bison jumped out to an 85-81 lead with 1:44 left before the Salukis called a timeout.

A 3-pointer from guard Trevion Carson extended the lead to 88-83 for the Bison with 37 seconds left and all but iced it.

Free throws for the Bison and a last-ditch basket from House finalized the score 92-85 in favor of North Dakota State.

House scored 23 points to lead the Salukis in the loss. He was joined in double figures by Sykes (14), Aligbe (12), guard Isaiah Stafford (12), and guard Damien Mayo Jr. (11).

“Personally, I feel like we gave one away,” Sykes said in a postgame interview with Saluki Radio.

Despite scoring 85 points, the Salukis continued to struggle from the 3-point line, shooting 21.4% compared to the Bison’s 45.7%. Sykes and Aligbe also tied for the team lead in rebounds with seven each.

The now 2-2 Salukis have to wait six days before they can try to stop their skid. They play the first of two games in Jacksonville, Florida Sunday, Nov. 23 against the Delaware Blue Hens.

Sports Reporter Eli Hoover can be found at ehoover@dailyegyptian.com or on Instagram at @hoovermakesart

Saluki basketball drops overtime heartbreaker against Nevada

Eli HoovEr

EHoovEr@dailyEgyptian com

The Salukis men’s basketball team faced their biggest test of the young season on Wednesday, Nov. 12 when they traveled to Reno to take on the Nevada Wolfpack.

Guards Isaiah Stafford and Quel’Ron House helped SIU get off to a fast start offensively. The combo combined for all nine of the teams points in the early going, giving the Salukis a 9-7 lead four minutes into the contest.

Neither offense could find their footing in the early. The Salukis used an early 12-5 advantage in the rebounding category to hold on to a 13-9 lead with 11:49 left in the opening half.

SIU seemed to have the Wolfpack

figured out after that, leading by as many as six points throughout the middle stages of the half. The home team stormed back though and went on a 7-0 run to take a 19-18 lead with 8:51 left in the first half.

The two squads traded the lead eight more times the rest of the half. Finally the Saluki defense was able to hold Nevada without a field goal for the last 2:53, including stopping a furious onslaught of shots as the halftime buzzer sounded. The visitors went to the locker room with a 34-32 lead.

The halftime break seemed to be exactly what both offenses needed, as the points could not come fast enough early in the second half. The lead changed seven times in the first five minutes of the half, and it left the

Salukis with a 46-45 deficit.

SIU put their foot on the gas over the next few minutes, going on a 9-0 run. The run forced a Nevada timeout with the Salukis leading 54-48 and 12:06 left on the clock.

The Wolfpack refused to go down without a fight, and went on a 6-0 run of their own to tie the game at 54. A pair of free throws from guard Davion Sykes gave the Salukis a 56-54 lead with 7:56 to go in the second half.

Neither team could gain any sort of distance on the scoreboard as the time continued to wind down. Nevada held a slim 65-64 lead heading into the final media timeout.

After the Wolfpack took a quick 67-65 lead, the Salukis retook the lead 68-67 and took a timeout with

2:18 left to plan for the rest of the contest. Nevada did the same with 53 seconds to go, trailing 70-69 and with possession of the basketball.

After the Salukis got a stop on the ensuing possession, the Wolfpack were forced to force free throws to extend the game. Both of House’s free throws were good, giving SIU a 7269 lead with 19 seconds left. Nevada guard Corey Camper Jr. wasn’t ready to go home though, and he hit a 3-point shot from the corner to tie the game at 72, sending the game into overtime.

Nevada had the upper hand early on in overtime. The Salukis pulled within 78-77 with 2:03 left before head coach Scott Nagy called a timeout.

From that point forward, it was a

matter of both teams making their free throws. Nevada was successful and the Salukis struggled. Nevada went 9 for 12 from the free throw line in the extra period while the Salukis went 2 for 8, missing 4 in a row.

That free throw advantage gave Nevada an 86-81 victory in overtime over the Salukis.

House impressed despite the loss, leading the Salukis with 22 points on 48% shooting.

The now 2-1 Salukis continue their road trip Monday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. when they travel to Fargo, ND to take on the North Dakota State Bison.

Photo provided by Saluki Athletics

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