DES MOINES, Iowa – A hot start by the Southern Illinois Salukis proved to be too much for the Drake University men's basketball team to overcome, as the Salukis prevailed, 74-58, Tuesday night at the Knapp Center.

Right out of the gate, SIU (9-15, 5-6) surged to 22-10 lead that forced Drake (12-11, 3-8) to call its second timeout of the game with 12:15 left on the clock in the first half. The Salukis' came into the game making just 29.9 percent of their three-point attempts but  were a perfect 4-of-4 mark from the perimeter to start the game and 8-of-10 from the field during that span. Anthony Beane, Desmar Jackson, and Sean O'Brien each had five points to pace the Salukis in the early moments of the game.

Drake was led by a pair of double-figure performances from junior Chris Caird (Daventry, England) and senior Richard Carter (Detroit, Mich.) who scored 19 and 17 points, respectively. The Bulldogs struggled from the field throughout the evening, posting a 36.7-percent mark on 18-of-49 shooting from the field.

“It was a tough night and it starts with us. It starts with our emotion, energy and pride in the defensive end of the floor,” said Drake head coach Ray Giacoletti. “It will get better, but you have to have some pride to play defense at this level.”

The Salukis continued to dominate the first half after the quick start by taking advantage of Drake's 11 first-half turnovers to lead, 46-29, at halftime. Led by 14 points by Beane and 10 from Jackson, Southern Illinois shot a 59.3-percent clip in the first half, including a 66.7-percent mark from beyond the arc.

The Bulldogs started the second half on a 9-0 scoring run, to cut their deficit to single digits, 46-38, but the Salukis quickly regrouped and extended their lead back to double-digits.

Southern Illinois's top scorers for the season were on point, leading the Salukis with performances that exceeded their respective season averages. Jackson, who ranks second in the MVC in scoring, tallied 24 points, while Beane, second on the team in scoring, posted 20 points. The Salukis finished the game shooting 51.1-percent from the field, and held a 33-27 advantage on the boards.

Drake will look to get back into the win column Sunday, with a matchup at Indiana State. Tipoff against the Sycamores is set for 2:05 p.m. and will be televised on Fox Sports Midwest.