Southern Illinois Salukis vs Buffalo Bulls Box Score on Dec 15, 2018

Nick Perkins totaled 20 points and 11 rebounds and No. 14 Buffalo extended its home winning streak to 17 games with a 73-65 victory over Southern Illinois on Saturday afternoon.

Perkins posted his second double-double of the season and seventh of his four-year career as Buffalo (10-0) remained unbeaten despite shooting 43.5 percent and getting outrebounded 35-26.

C.J. Massinburg finished with 14 points while Davonta Jordan chipped in 11 to compensate for third-leading scorer Jeremy Harris being held to four points on 2-of-9 shooting.

Buffalo also began a season with 10 straight wins for the first time since the 1930-31 team finished 15-0. The Bulls are the first team from the Mid-American Conference to open with 10 straight wins since Toledo won its first 12 games.

Sean Lloyd led the Salukis (7-5) with 14 points while Eric McGill added 13. Southern Illinois was without leading scorer Armon Fletcher, who missed his third straight game with a knee injury, and the Salukis negated shooting 48.9 percent by committing 22 turnovers.

The Salukis lost their third game to a ranked team and lost to Buffalo for the second time.

Buffalo made 11 of its first 18 shots and held a 29-10 lead with about eight minutes remaining in the first half on a jumper by Massinburg. Southern Illinois finished the half with an 18-4 run and trailed 33-28 by halftime on a basket by Lloyd with 18 seconds left.

Buffalo started the second half on a 26-11 surge and built a 59-39 lead on 3-pointer by Perkins with 10:49 left. The Salukis made a slight dent in the lead, getting within 64-57 on a jumper by Aaron Cook with 4:18 remaining.

Buffalo made enough shots down the stretch to clinch the win, taking a 70-57 lead on a jumper by Massinburg with 2:27 left and a 72-61 edge on a layup by Jordan with 81 seconds left.

--Field Level Media