Rice helps Drake top Southern Illinois 75-68 in OT

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Rayvonte Rice hit two free throws to force overtime, then made a fast-break layup to put Drake ahead to stay in a 75-68 victory over Southern Illinois on Wednesday night.

Rice, who finished with 18 points, made two foul shots to tie the game 63-63 with 30 seconds left. He then broke 64-64 tie with his basket with 3:12 remaining in overtime.

Ben Simons' 20 points led the Bulldogs (12-7, 5-3 Missouri Valley), who won their fourth in a row for their longest winning streak in two years. Aaron Hawley added 16. He and Simons hit three 3-pointers apiece.

Jeff Early had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Salukis (6-13, 3-5), and Mamadou Seck had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Dantiel Daniels matched Early with 15 points, and Kendal Brown-Surles had 13, including three 3-pointers.

Neither team ever led by more than seven points.

DRAKE (12-7)

Clarke 1-2 3-4 5, Jeffers 0-2 1-2 1, Simons 7-11 3-3 20, Madison 3-3 2-2 8, Rice 6-18 5-8 18, Hawley 5-11 3-5 16, Alexander 1-2 3-3 5, Woods 1-2 0-0 2, Smith 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-51 20-27 75.

S. ILLINOIS (6-13)

Seck 2-10 7-8 11, Daniels 5-6 5-7 15, Brown-Surles 5-9 0-2 13, Lindsay 3-7 2-2 9, Early 7-10 1-2 15, Drinkard 0-0 0-0 0, Goff 0-0 0-0 0, Swan 1-6 0-1 2, Bocot 0-3 0-0 0, Taylor 0-3 1-2 1, Whitt 0-1 0-0 0, Setty 0-3 2-2 2. Totals 23-58 18-26 68.

Halftime_Tied 31-31. End Of Regulation_Tied 63. 3-Point Goals_Drake 7-16 (Hawley 3-6, Simons 3-6, Rice 1-3, Jeffers 0-1), S. Illinois 4-17 (Brown-Surles 3-7, Lindsay 1-5, Taylor 0-1, Swan 0-1, Bocot 0-1, Setty 0-2). Fouled Out_Daniels. Rebounds_Drake 32 (Rice 7), S. Illinois 39 (Early 11). Assists_Drake 8 (Clarke, Jeffers, Madison 2), S. Illinois 10 (Seck 4). Total Fouls_Drake 20, S. Illinois 20. A_3,399.

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