CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) -Graham Hatch scored 13 points and Garrett Stutz added 12 as Wichita State held off Southern Illinois 55-54 Sunday night.
The Shockers (19-4, 8-3 Missouri Valley), who ended an 11-game losing streak in Carbondale, led by as many as 10 in the second half before watching the Salukis pull to within one on three occasions.
Southern Illinois (12-9, 4-7), though, couldn't surge ahead.
After Kevin Dillard's layup cut Wichita State's lead to 55-54 with 19.3 seconds to play, Clevin Hannah missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 15.6 seconds remaining. Dillard then got the ball back, but his running shot in the closing seconds failed to drop.
Gene Teague and Tony Freeman each scored 12 points to lead Southern Illinois.
With the game tied at 34 early in the second half, the Shockers scored 10 straight points, highlighted by six from Stutz.
