Game #2 --- Wichita State at SIU

I'm excited about this one. Tonight at 7:05 the Salukis play host to the 16th ranked Shockers of Wichita State University. Dawgs fans could not ask for more out of a Valley home opener. The arena will be packed to the rafters adding a 6th man to a potent Southern Illinois line-up.

The Salukis are a 5 point favorite and SIU has won 8 straight at home against the Shockers. Also, Wichita State started the season 9-0, but has since lost three straight games to unranked opponents, while dropping from 8th to 16th in the national rankings. Of course these numbers are slightly misleading, except for the point spread, which I think is the most telling. The three losses were by a total of 11 points. The Shockers were not at full strength in the first two contests and in the Valley opener against Northern Iowa, WSU held the Panthers to 29% shooting in the first half and took a commanding lead to the break.

These guys run a three guard line-up out there and try to keep the tempo quick. They have considerable depth in the front-court, but lack size down low. Kyle Wilson and Sean Ogirri are the scorers to shut down. P.J. Couisnard is the guts of the team, leading in assists and blocked shots. With wins over LSU and Syracuse, this team will come to play tonight.

In order to win, the Salukis will have to slow it down and grind it out. If this game is played in the 60's, SIU will struggle to keep up. If this game is played in the 50's, I think everyone would agree that the Dawgs have a much better chance of winning. Even though the Shockers have pulled off some big wins, this is still the same team from last year, minus the MVC Player of the Year. As I peer into the ether, I see a Salukis "W," but it's going to be close ... 57-54.

Now I've got to get in the car and drive from St. Louis to C-Dale. If I hustle, I might be able to hit Buffalo Wild Wings. There are worse ways to start the year off. As always, check back after the game for the View From Row Two and if you're watching through the "refresh" button on your browser, head on over to Salukitalk.com to mingle with other likewise rabid Dawgs fans.