2003–04 Southern Illinois Salukis men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 2003–04 Southern Illinois Salukis Basketball 175 Missouri Valley Conference MVC 23 25–5 17–1 Matt Painter 1st SIU Arena MVC Regular season champion NCAA tournament First Round The 2003–04 Southern Illinois Salukis men's basketball team represented Southern Illinois University Carbondale during the 2003–04 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Salukis were led by first-year head coach Matt Painter and played their home games at the SIU Arena in Carbondale, Illinois as members of the Missouri Valley Conference. They finished the season 25–5, 17–1 in MVC play to finish as regular season champion. They lost in the semifinals of the MVC tournament to Missouri State, but did receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as No. 9 seed in the West region. The Salukis fell to No. 8 seed Alabama, 65–64,Alabama edges So. Illinois https://www.deseret.com/2004/3/19/19818415/alabama-edges-so-illinois The Deseret News March 19, 2004 March 25, 2023 in the opening round. Roster 2003 Southern Illinois Salukis y y Darren Brooks y 1 G 6 3 205 Jr St. Louis, Missouri Jennings Jamaal Tatum y 3 G 6 2 175 Fr Jefferson City, Missouri Helias Catholic Brad Korn y 13 F 6 9 195 SR Oswego, IL Josh Warren 21 C 6 8 255 JR Washington, MO Jermaine Dearman 23 F 6 8 220 SR Indianapolis, IN Kent Williams 33 G 6 2 180 SR Mt. Vernon, IL Matt Painter (Purdue) https://siusalukis.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/2003-04 Schedule and results yes no |- !colspan=12 style=Southern Illinois Salukis| Non-conference regular season Nov 22, 2003 yes yes 2003 men Wyoming Cowboys Wyoming Arena-Auditorium Laramie, Wyoming 67–62 1–0 Nov 26, 2003 yes 2003 men Jacksonville State Gamecocks Jacksonville State SIU Arena Carbondale, Illinois 84–49 2–0 Nov 29, 2003 yes yes Milwaukee U.S. Cellular Arena Milwaukee, Wisconsin 81–77 3–0 Dec 3, 2003 yes 2003 men Southeast Missouri State Redhawks Southeast Missouri State SIU Arena Carbondale, Illinois 71–58 4–0 Dec 6, 2003 yes 2003 men Drake Bulldogs Drake Knapp Center Des Moines, Iowa 75–66 5–0 1–0 Dec 15, 2003 yes yes Wright State Ervin J. Nutter Center Fairborn, Ohio 79–73 6–0 Dec 17, 2003 yes yes Murray State Regional Special Events Center Murray, Kentucky 64–68 6–1 Dec 21, 2003 yes 2003 men Montana Grizzlies Montana SIU Arena Carbondale, Illinois 82–71 7–1 |- !colspan=12 style=Southern Illinois Salukis| Missouri Valley regular season Dec 28, 2003 Illinois State SIU Arena Carbondale, Illinois 57–40 8–1 2–0 Jan 2, 2004 yes Charlotte SIU Arena Carbondale, Illinois 59–64 8–2 Jan 7, 2004 yes 2003 men Indiana State Sycamores Indiana State Hulman Center Terre Haute, Indiana 67–50 9–2 3–0 Jan 11, 2004 2003 men Wichita State Shockers Wichita State SIU Arena Carbondale, Illinois 73–64 10–2 4–0 Jan 14, 2004 2003 men Evansville Purple Aces Evansville SIU Arena Carbondale, Illinois 81–63 11–2 5–0 Jan 17, 2004 yes 2003 men Bradley Braves Bradley Carver Arena Peoria, Illinois 72–62 12–2 6–0 Jan 21, 2004 yes Illinois State Redbird Arena Normal, Illinois 71–58 13–2 7–0 Jan 25, 2004 Indiana State SIU Arena Carbondale, Illinois 53–44 14–2 8–0 Jan 28, 2004 yes Wichita State Charles Koch Arena Wichita, Kansas 84–79 15–2 9–0 Jan 31, 2004 Northern Iowa SIU Arena Carbondale, Illinois 63–53 16–2 10–0 Feb 3, 2004 2003 men Missouri State Bears Missouri State SIU Arena Carbondale, Illinois 59–52 17–2 11–0 Feb 7, 2004 yes yes 2003 men Creighton Bluejays Creighton Qwest Center Omaha Omaha, Nebraska 61–60 18–2 12–0 Feb 11, 2004 23 Drake SIU Arena Carbondale, Illinois 96–76 19–2 13–0 Feb 14, 2004 yes 23 Missouri State Hammons Student Center Springfield, Missouri 59–58 20–2 14–0 Feb 18, 2004 yes 20 2003 men Evansville Purple Aces Evansville Roberts Municipal Stadium Evansville, Indiana 84–69 21–2 15–0 Feb 21, 2004 yes 20 Hawaii SIU Arena Carbondale, Illinois 66–62 22–2 Feb 24, 2004 16 Creighton SIU Arena Carbondale, Illinois 68–60 23–2 16–0 Feb 28, 2004 16 Bradley SIU Arena Carbondale, Illinois 72–71 24–2 17–0 Mar 1, 2004 yes 15 Northern Iowa UNI-Dome Cedar Falls, Iowa 52–68 24–3 17–1 |- !colspan=12 style=Southern Illinois Salukis| Missouri Valley tournament Mar 6, 2004 yes yes 15 Evansville Savvis Center St. Louis, Missouri Quarterfinals 93–67 25–3 Mar 7, 2004 yes yes 15 Missouri State Savvis Center St. Louis, Missouri Semifinals 74–80 25–4 |- !colspan=12 style=Southern Illinois Salukis| NCAA tournament Mar 18, 2004 yes yes 23 9 W Alabama 8 W KeyArena Seattle, Washington First round 64–65 25–5 AP poll Central Time W West Rankings 2003–04 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game Random House 1130–1131 2009 978-0-345-51392-2 Awards and honors Darren Brooks MVC Player of the Year Matt Painter – MVC Coach of the Year (second of three straight season a different Saluki head coach received the honor – Bruce Weber (2003) and Chris Lowery (2005)) References 2003-04 Category:2003–04 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball season Category:2004 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament participants Category:2003 in sports in Illinois Category:2004 in sports in Illinois