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
Southern Illinois | Buffalo | |
Sean Lloyd Jr. 14 | Scoring | Nick Perkins 20 |
Marcus Bartley 3 | Assists | Davonta Jordan 4 |
Eric McGill 10 | Rebounds | Nick Perkins 11 |
Sean Lloyd Jr. 6 | Free Throws Made | Nick Perkins 3 |
Aaron Cook 2 | Steals | Dontay Caruthers 1 |
Kavion Pippen 2 | Blocks | Jeremy Harris 3 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Southern Illinois | 65 | 48.9 | 3-13 | 18-22 | 10 | 30 | 6 | 6 | 22 |
Buffalo | 73 | 43.5 | 7-30 | 12-15 | 19 | 23 | 6 | 3 | 10 |