In St. Louis on Thursday, Southern Illinois earned its fifth-straight NCAA Tournament by topping Bradley 59-46 at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship. After trailing 24-23 at the half, Randall Falker’s dunk game SIU a 25-24 lead in the first minute of the second half. The Salukis led the rest of the way.

Falker, a St. Louis native, led all scorers with 17, while Jefferson City, Missouri native Jamaal Tatum scored 16 for the Salukis. Jamaal Foster, who hails from Columbia, Missouri had two rebounds and an assist.

The victory clinched Southern Illinois’ first MVC Tournament crown in ten years and head coach Chris Lowery became the first person to win the tournament as a coach and a player.

The championship game attracted a crowd of 13,969 at the Savvis Center.