HIGH POINT, N.C. (Interstat) — Drew Steffe hit Davion Sykes for a layup with four seconds remaining to cap a second-half comeback and lift Southern Illinois to an 86-84 victory over High Point on Wednesday night at Qubein Arena.

The Salukis (5-4) erased a 12-point halftime deficit by outscoring the Panthers 52-38 in the second half, sealing the win when Max Pikaar stole the ensuing inbounds pass after Sykes’ go-ahead basket. The Panthers, who entered as heavy favorites according to betting lines and statistical projections, fell to 7-2.

High Point, which had an 86.3% probability to win according to Interstat’s ELO system and was installed as a 10.5-point pregame favorite, led 46-34 at halftime behind efficient early offense. The Panthers could not sustain it after the break, as Southern Illinois tightened defensively and found an explosive scoring rhythm.

Steffe, a guard from Frisco, Texas, orchestrated the comeback with 18 points and seven assists. His backcourt partner, Damien Mayo of St. Louis, led all scorers with 22 points, including 16 in the second half. His steal with 27 seconds left and the Salukis trailing by two set up the final sequence.

After Mayo’s steal, Southern Illinois worked the clock before Steffe drove into the lane and dished to a cutting Sykes for the decisive score. On the inbound, Pikaar intercepted Terry Anderson’s pass to extinguish High Point’s final chance.

The Panthers were led by Terry Anderson’s 21 points and Rob Martin’s 20. Conrad Martinez added 11 points for High Point, which shot 43.1% from the field but was outscored 24-12 on fast breaks and 40-32 in the paint.

Southern Illinois struggled early, committing five turnovers in the first five minutes as High Point built a 13-5 lead. The Panthers extended their advantage to as many as 15 points in the first half, capitalizing on a 10-for-18 performance from the free-throw line before halftime while the Salukis attempted just two free throws.

The second half was a reversal. Southern Illinois shot 52% from the floor after halftime and attacked the rim, attempting 12 free throws and making eight. A 15-4 Salukis run, fueled by two 3-pointers from Mayo, turned a 51-43 deficit into a 58-55 lead with 13:52 to play.

The game remained a one-possession affair for the final 11 minutes, featuring eight ties and 10 lead changes in the second half alone. High Point’s Owen Aquino of Madrid, Spain, scored eight points and blocked two shots, while Cam’Ron Fletcher contributed eight points and nine rebounds for the Panthers.

Southern Illinois’s Jalen Haynes of Lewisville, Texas, provided a critical two-way spark off the bench with 10 points, five assists and two blocks. Prince Aligbe of Minneapolis added 10 points for the Salukis.

Despite the loss, High Point held efficiency edges, posting an offensive rating of 111.4 points per 100 possessions to Southern Illinois’s 113.7. The Panthers also won the rebounding battle 36-33, including 12 offensive boards. Both teams finished with eight assists and eight steals.

The game drew 2,497 fans and finished under the betting over/under line of 160.5 with a total of 170 points.

Southern Illinois, which had lost four of its last six coming in, will host Tennessee-Martin on Dec. 10. High Point, which saw a four-game winning streak snapped, looks to rebound at home against NJIT on Friday.