Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO. (December 5, 2000) - Senior guard Emmanuel McCuthison scored a career high 29 points, including 20 points in the first frame to help lead Southeast Missouri State University (5-2) to an 87-84 victory over rival Southern Illinois University.

The game featured fast paced action and scoring steaks as both teams went back and forth for most of the game. Midway through the first half, Southeast used an 11-1 run to take a 10-point lead. SIU would battle back and close the gap, only to see Southeast finish the half on an 8-0 run to take a 54-42 halftime advantage.

SIU (3-2) would eventually even the score at 66 with 9:40 to play. The game was close the rest of the way. The final tie of the game was at 75 with 3:07 to play. Southeast used a Stokes basket, a McCuthison three and seven free-throws to pull out the victory. SIU had a chance to force overtime, but a wide-open Kent Williams 3-pointer at the buzzer bounced off the rim.

McCuthison led all scorers with 29 including 6-9 from three-point range. Other scorers in double figures for Southeast were Michael Stokes with 19, Antonio Short with 14 and Amory Sanders with 13 on 4-7 from three-point range.

Williams paced SIU with 27 points. Abel Schrader and Tyrese Bule added 11 and 12 points respectively.

The win was the first for Southeast against SIU since 1985 and the first time Southeast had defeated the Salukis in the Show Me Center. The last home victory came in 1982 at the Indian's old arena, Houck Field House.

Coach Gary Garner was pleased with his team's victory. "This was a very big win. A regional win like this always means something and gives us bragging rights for one year. SIU is a very well-coached team and even though we went up by 12 at one point, I knew that we could not keep that lead. You look at the teams they have beaten this year and to get this win is a big accomplishment," said Garner.