ESPN Men's Basketball

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Carlton Fay exploded for 38 points to lead Southern Illinois to an 89-72 victory over Western Michigan in a BracketBusters game Saturday.

Fay went 10-for-13 from the field, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range, and 15-for-17 from the free throw line, scoring the most by a Saluki since 1996. Fay scored 12 of the Salukis' first 19 points and had 22 in the first half, which ended with Southern Illinois ahead 52-37.

Kevin Dillard added 17 and Kendal Brown-Surles 12 for the Salukis (15-12).

David Kool led the Broncos (14-13) with 21 points but shot only 4-for-19. Flenard Whitfield had a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, and Demetrius Ward scored 12.

After Fay's jumper put Southern Illinois ahead 38-27 with 5:34 left in the first half, the lead dipped into single figures only one more time, at 61-52 with 10:17 to go.