COURTESY OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS Southern Illinois' Darren Brooks, shown here putting up a shot against Hawaii last season, led the Salukis in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals last year.

Versatile Brooks does
more than score

Southern Illinois' standout senior finds
ways to contribute even when defenses
key on him

Just because Darren Brooks doesn't post a huge number in the points column doesn't mean the Southern Illinois guard hasn't had a big impact.

Take the Salukis' game against Tennessee State last week. Brooks labored against a defense designed to contain him and finished with a hard-earned 10 points.

Southern Illinois at Hawaii When: Today, 7:05 p.m. Where: Stan Sheriff Center TV: Live, KFVE (Ch. 5) Radio: Live, KKEA 1420-AM Internet: HawaiiAthletics.com Tickets: $20 (lower level-single seats only); $15 (upper level-adult); $5 (upper level-students); $3 (upper level-UH students); $5 (Super Rooter/Manoa Maniacs). Parking $3.

But a glance down his stat line -- five rebounds, five assists, five steals and two blocked shots -- in SIU's 83-60 win demonstrates his ability to contribute even if he's not putting the ball in the hoop.

"I don't have to just score points to be effective," Brooks said. "I can rebound, I can pass, I can get steals. Whatever I can do to help the team win I'm definitely willing to do it."

Brooks brings his all-around game to the Stan Sheriff Center tonight when the Salukis (4-0) face Hawaii (2-0) in a nonconference battle.

SIU will look for its second straight win over a member of the Western Athletic Conference after defeating Texas-El Paso 68-62 in the championship game of the Las Vegas Holiday Invitational on Saturday.

Brooks, the reigning Missouri Valley Conference player of the year, led SIU in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals last season, and remains the team's leader in multiple categories through the first four games of his senior campaign.

He's paced a balanced Saluki offense with 13.7 points per game and 16 assists and has 17 steals on the defensive end. He has scored in double figures in 39 consecutive games, a streak dating back to March 2003, and his consistency has helped first-year coach Chris Lowery ease into his new role.

"I call him my security blanket," Lowery said. "It would be a lot tougher if that guy wasn't around."

Brooks' production and the accolades that have followed also make him a target for opposing defenses. Already teams have devoted their defensive game plan to shadowing Brooks around the court to force the ball away from him.

But he's comfortable sharing the scoring role with his teammates. Brooks is among four Salukis averaging double-figure scoring with guard Stetson Hairston (13.7), forward LaMar Owen (13.3) and guard Jamaal Tatum (11.5).

"I kind of expected (the defensive attention), but I have great teammates who are going to step up and make plays," Brooks said. "I have a lot of confidence in them, so if they want to run a box-and-one on me that's fine because I've got teammates who'll step up and make plays."

Though he's proven generous on the offensive end, Brooks still likes having the ball in his hands when the game's on the line.

SIU's 66-62 win over Hawaii last February in Carbondale provided an example of Brooks' big-play ability as he drained a clutch 3-pointer from the right wing with 29.3 seconds left to help the Salukis hold off the 'Bows.

"I feel I've worked real hard to get to the point I'm at and I just want to test out the hard work by making the big shot," Brooks said. "All the hard work you put in, that's the result."

SIU has earned at-large berths to the NCAA Tournament each of the last three years and Brooks said the win over Hawaii on Bracket Busters Saturday gave the team a lift heading into last season's stretch run.

"It really boosted us a whole lot," he said. "After that game we got back focused in conference and we knew it was a big win for us as far as trying to get in the NCAA Tournament, mid-major against mid-major."

SIU went to the Sweet 16 in 2002 and was bounced in the first round the past two years with one-point losses to Missouri and Alabama.

With their recent success, the "mid-major" tag is something Brooks and the Salukis would like to shed. SIU is one of the nation's most successful programs over the last four years with 81 wins since the start of the 2001-02 season.

Gipson back: Hawaii forward Matthew Gipson was back at practice yesterday after being a no-show at Saturday morning's workout. UH coach Riley Wallace said Gipson will be in the rotation for tonight's game.

"He's fine. The team wanted it that way and that's the way it is," Wallace said. "He had some personal problems and he worked them out."

Gipson, a 6-9 junior, had 10 points and six rebounds against Mississippi Valley State last Tuesday and played just 5 minutes against Coastal Carolina on Friday.

Gibson starts: Wallace said the unit that played the entire second half in Friday's 72-65 win over Coastal Carolina will be the starting five tonight, which means sophomore guard Matt Gibson will get his first career start.

Gibson joins guard Bobby Nash, forwards Julian Sensley and Jeff Blackett and center Chris Botez in the starting lineup.