CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Armon Fletcher scored 14 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 17 seconds left, and Southern Illinois secured the No. 4 seed in next week's Missouri Valley Conference tournament with a 72-70 win over Loyola-Chicago on Saturday night.
Loyola-Chicago took a 70-69 lead on a pair of Clayton Custer free throws with 36 seconds left, but Fletcher sank his third 3 on Southern Illinois's next possession, and Custer's jumper to tie with four seconds left was no good.
Sean O'Brien had 17 points and 13 rebounds for the Salukis (16-15, 9-9), and Leo Vincent added 15 points.