CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Denzel Mahoney scored 18 points with 6-for-12 shooting, including a trio of 3-pointers, and Southeast Missouri State held on Saturday night for a 75-69 win over Southern Illinois.
Southeast Missouri State (6-4) raced out to a 37-15 first-half lead with a 28-6 breakaway run that included two 3-pointers from Mahoney before Southern Illinois dug in, responding with a 10-2 spurt to cut the halftime deficit to 39-25.
The Salukis (4-4) continued to chip away throughout the second half, cutting the gap to 73-69 on Aaron Cook's layup with 28 seconds left, but it was as close as they'd get.