DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Jeff Early scored four points in the final 16 seconds to help preserve Southern Illinois' 66-63 victory over Drake on Saturday night.
Early finished with a game-high 26 points and had three steals.
Southern Illinois (14-16, 6-12 Missouri Valley) also got 15 points from Desmar Jackson, including a pair of 3-pointers.
Drake (14-16, 7-11), which is expected to face Bradley in the conference tournament this week, got 15 points from Ben Simons and 12 from Jordan Clarke. Simons had four 3-pointers.
Southern Illinois won despite making just 5 of 9 free throws for the game. Early converted 4 of 5.
Southern Illinois had an 18-5 scoring edge off turnovers.
| Scoreboard | |||
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
| Southern Illinois (14-16) « | 30 | 36 | 66 |
| Drake (14-16) | 32 | 31 | 63 |
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| Southern Illinois Salukis | |||||||
| STARTERS | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| D. Daniels, F | 24 | 3-4 | 0-0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| J. Early, G | 35 | 11-19 | 4-5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 26 |
| K. Brown-Surles, G | 29 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| T. Lindsay, G | 28 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| D. Jackson, G | 27 | 6-11 | 1-2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
| BENCH | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| A. Beane, Jr. | 21 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| J. Pendleton | 19 | 4-9 | 0-0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| D. Drinkard | 12 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| D. Taylor | 5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Totals | 28-54 | 5-9 | 24 | 9 | 19 | 66 | |
| 51.9% | 55.6% | ||||||
| Drake Bulldogs | |||||||
| STARTERS | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| B. Simons, F | 34 | 5-9 | 1-3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 15 |
| J. Clarke, F | 31 | 5-7 | 2-2 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 12 |
| S. VanDeest, C | 30 | 1-3 | 3-6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| C. Hines, G | 34 | 3-7 | 1-2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| R. Carter, G | 20 | 1-4 | 1-2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| BENCH | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| M. Mason | 20 | 2-4 | 2-2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
| J. Jeffers | 15 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| J. King | 10 | 1-2 | 4-4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| G. Ricks Jr. | 6 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Totals | 20-41 | 14-21 | 24 | 13 | 14 | 63 | |
| 48.8% | 66.7% | ||||||
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