After beating the Sycamores in the first round of the 2005 Missouri Valley Conference tournament, the SIU Salukis faced the Bears of Southwest Missouri State in the second. The Salukis got out to a seemingly comfortable lead by halftime. In the second half however, the figurative wheels came off and the Bears roared back for a come-from-behind victory. After winning the regular season title, the SIU Salukis entered the Missouri Valley Conference tournament as the number one seed. The Dawgs began the tournament against the Sycamores of Indiana State. After a single season with Matt Painter at the helm, former Saluki star guard and Bruce Weber assistant Chris Lowery was named the new head coach. In his first season, Lowery was able to stay the course as the Salukis won the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid; winning in the first round before being eliminated in the second. The 2004-05 Salukis would finish with a 27-8 record. The team featured some of the top players in team history, including guards Darren Brooks, Jamaal Tatum, Stetson Hairston and Tony Young, forwards LaMar Owen, Matt Shaw and Randall Falker, and center Josh Warren.