The Saluki is the school mascot. The school colors are maroon and white.Buckminster Fuller taught at SIUC for many years. Several of
the original geodesic domes can be found around the campus and city.John Belushi made the sweater labeled "College" at SIUC. Jim Belushi graduated from SIUC.Dennis Franz graduated from SIUC in 1970 after transferring from a
junior college by Chicago.Basketball Hall of Famer Walt Frazier led the Salukis to the 1967 National Invitation Tournament title. His
number is one of two retired by the men's basketball team.The Saluki men's basketball team garnered national attention for the school by advancing to the NCAA Tournament
Sweet Sixteen in 2002. The next two years, the team was eliminated in the
NCAA Tournament first round, each time by one point. In the aftermath of each loss, the incumbent basketball coach left for a
Big Ten school. Bruce Weber left to take the head coaching job
at Illinois in
2003; Matt Painter left to become the top assistant and designated successor to Gene Keady at Purdue the following year.The first boss enemy for a video game was created at
SIUC in 1974 by two students, Gary Whisenhunt and Ray Wood, for dnd (computer game).