CARBONDALE — The buzz was back at SIU Arena on Saturday. Southern Illinois, off to its best start in 11 years, eagerly wanted to show a sellout crowd it had returned to the Missouri Valley Conference's upper echelon.
Then came a resounding 83-58 loss to Wichita State.
"I was stunned, shocked, didn't see that coming at all," said SIU coach Barry Hinson on Monday. "They embarrassed us. We felt it. We were frozen. We'll see how we respond (Tuesday) night."
Illinois State's basketball team has some responding of its own to do.
The Redbirds lost a 13-point lead and their first Valley game on the same day at Indiana State.