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Soutern Illinois, Mayo to face toughest tests to date

Nov 25, 2007 - 2:43 PM No. 18 Southern Illinois (3-0) at USC (4-1) 11:00 pm EST

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Southern Illinois annually features one of college basketball's best defenses. Its reputation figures to be severely tested by O.J. Mayo.

The 18th-ranked Salukis will aim to stop one of the best freshman in college basketball when they meet Southern California in the championship game of the Anaheim Classic on Sunday.

Southern Illinois, which finished third in the nation with 56.1 points allowed per game last season and fourth with a 56.5 average in 2005-06, rank 10th by giving up 52.7 through three games.

The Salukis were strong on defense yet again in Friday's tournament semifinal - a 63-49 win over Mississippi State - forcing more turnovers (21) than they allowed made field goals (18) in holding the Bulldogs 23 points under their 72-point season average.

Meanwhile, Mayo has done a good job of living up to the hype that comes along with being one of the most highly sought-after freshman in recent memory, averaging 23.6 points on 48 percent shooting. He has scored at least 20 points in all but one game and played 188 out of a possible 200 minutes.

Mayo hit a pair of free throws with just over three seconds left to help secure USC's 57-53 win over Miami of Ohio in the semifinals Friday.