Print edition: 
HONOLULU — Southern Illinois will leave Hawaii empty-handed.
The Salukis (3-8) dropped their third straight game Sunday, an 87-77 loss to No. 14 Xavier, and will depart from the Islands without a win. The Musketeers (9-3), led by 21 points from Tu Holloway, snapped their own three-game losing streak with the win in the seventh-place game of the Diamond Head Classic.
SIU coach Chris Lowery pointed at Holloway as the difference-maker in the game.
"Tu Holloway is an NBA guy," Lowery said. "That's the difference between their club and our club. Their thinker is an NBA guy. He never wavered (or) got shook up and he ran the team."
Dantiel Daniels shot 7 of 8 from the field and made all eight of his free throws to lead the Salukis with a game-high 22 points. He scored 13 of his 22 points in the second half.
Mamadou Seck had 12 points with 10 rebounds, Kendal Brown-Surles hit three three-pointers to finish with 12 points, and T.J. Lindsay added 11 for the Salukis.
The Musketeers won for the first time since Dec. 10, when they beat Cincinnati in a game cut short in the closing seconds by brawling and mayhem on the court.
"That was as good a game as we played offensively all year," Xavier coach Chris Mack said. "On the defense end, we need to get back to being a team that keeps teams to a low field-goal percentage."
It was the first three-game losing streak for Xavier under Mack and first since the 2007-08 season.
Mark Lyons had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Musketeers (9-3). Andre Walker and Travis Taylor added 13 apiece for Xavier, which made 36 of 48 free throws. Walker also had 10 rebounds.
The Salukis (3-8), losers of three in a row, were led by Dantiel Daniels with 22 points.
"We really needed this one," Lyons said. "We got the W. That's what matters."
Southern Illinois drew to 68-64 at 8:45 after a three-point play by Daniels, but an 8-1 run gave the Musketeers a comfortable cushion. Holloway's two free throws with a minute to go gave the Musketeers their largest lead, 83-69.
Holloway finished 14 of 15 from the line. He took just six shots from the field, making three, including 1 of 2 3-pointers. He also had seven assists.
"I try to do that every game," Holloway said. "Today my teammates were finishing a lot. I'm the point guard of the team, so that's where it starts for us, passing the ball and sharing the ball."
XAVIER (9-3): Lyons 6-19 4-7 17, Martin 0-0 0-0 0, Frease 3-7 0-0 6, Holloway 3-6 14-15 21, Walker 3-3 7-10 13, Davis 1-5 1-2 3, Taylor 4-7 5-8 13, Redford 2-2 0-0 5, Robinson 2-2 5-6 9, McKenzie 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-51 36-48 87.
S. ILLINOIS (3-8): Seck 6-12 0-0 12, Drinkard 1-7 2-2 4, Goff 0-3 2-3 2, Daniels 7-8 8-8 22, Swan 1-6 1-3 4, Brown-Surles 4-11 1-2 12, Bryer 0-0 0-0 0, Lindsay 5-11 0-0 11, Early 0-0 0-0 0, Bocot 3-7 1-2 7, Taylor 0-1 0-0 0, Whitt 0-2 0-0 0, Setty 1-2 1-2 3. Totals 28-70 16-22 77.
Halftime—Xavier 42-36. 3-Point Goals—Xavier 3-8 (Redford 1-1, Holloway 1-2, Lyons 1-4, Davis 0-1), S. Illinois 5-20 (Brown-Surles 3-7, Swan 1-2, Lindsay 1-5, Goff 0-1, Setty 0-1, Taylor 0-1, Bocot 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Xavier 36 (Lyons, Walker 10), S. Illinois 40 (Seck 10). Assists—Xavier 13 (Holloway 7), S. Illinois 15 (Bocot 6). Total Fouls—Xavier 16, S. Illinois 28. A—NA.
