Follow Saluki Hoops on Twitter

You can now stay up to date on Saluki Hoops by following our twitter feed. Or for those of you who haven't caught the "twitter mania", thats ok too. Just log onto salukihoops.com and check the update bar at the right hand side of the screen.

Saluki Hoops updates from the MVC Tournament

You can catch all the up to the second updates from the MVC tournament via the salukihoops feed at Twitter.

There's two ways to follow the action, you can follow the salukihoops twitter feed or just visit salukihoops.com and check out the new twitter sidebar that will post all the updates.

Also, don't forget to tune into the post game show on 103.5 FM ESPN radio after every Saluki game. I'll be chatting with host Phil Oskilanec live from the Scottrade center after the SIU/Bradley matchup.

The stars align for the Salukis

In a season that was far from perfect, everything happened perfectly over the last week for the Salukis.

Even the kool-aid drinking Saluki fans thought SIU would lose at Drake. At that point a top-6 seed was a long shot. Fast forward to this weekend... SIU wins a thrilling game against Wichita State, while Evansville and Drake both lose, giving the Salukis the #5 seed in the MVC.

The win over the Shockers was one of the more exciting games at SIU Arena this year. It appeared there was a bounty on Kevin Dillard's head, as he took elbows and shoves from the opposing guards early and often.

Dillard didn't budge though, and found Tony Boyle for some looks early and Boyle kept the momentum going with arguably his second best game in a Saluki uniform (the NCAA Tournament performance vs Holy Cross is still #1).

It was clear early on that the Salukis planned to get the ball to Boyle in the post. Lowery said after the game that he feels like Boyle can post up anybody in the league. Boyle was extremely active, pulling down rebounds and pumping in 14 of 15 free throws for a tidy 20-10 double double on senior night.

MVC Tournament #5 seed

Earning the 5th seed in the MVC is much better than the 6th seed considering the Salukis will go against Bradley, a team they beat 68-62 on Jan 18th, instead of facing #3 seed Illinois State who knocked off the Salukis twice.

The even better news is, if they can beat Bradley they would likely face #1 seed UNI (who has lost 3 of their last 5) in the semis instead of the current buzzsaw of the MVC, #2 seed Creighton.

The Salukis will still need to bring their absolute "A" game to have a chance to win even one game in St. Louis. However, Saluki fans have reason to be excited after a team that looked dead in the water just one week ago will head into the Gateway City with a chance to do some serious damage.

SIU vs Drake Audio Wrap Up

JUCO forward John Freeman to SIU

The Salukis have added much needed depth to their 09-10 squad by getting a verbal commitment from Vincennes forward John Freeman.

Freeman (6-5, 200lb) is averaging 14 points, 4 assists, and 2.4 blocked shots a game this season. He's a two time city player of the year runner-up in Indianapolis, and now figures to be a key addition off the bench for the Salukis.

Long and lean, Freeman is also a cross county athlete who'll have no problems getting up and down the floor. His combo of height and speed makes him an ideal candidate to come off the bench for Carlton Fay. Fay often has a difficult time guarding quicker forwards on the perimeter and Freeman seems to be custom made for such assignments.

The Salukis will probably still add one more big man to round out next years roster. Adding another 6-8 or 6-9 guy would give the dawgs much more depth than they have this season, fill some the minutes of departing senior Tony Boyle, and give them the option of redshirting incoming freshman Jordan Meyers (6-8, 230lb).

To fill that spot the Salukis might look no further than Freeman's JUCO teammate DeAntre Jefferson. Jefferson (6-9, 230lb) is a strong rebounder and shot blocker who has shown the ability to score, putting up a career high 26 points in a game earlier this season.

SIU vs Drake Preview

SIU had absolutely owned Drake before last season and have won 18 of the last 20 games against the Bulldogs. Wednesday night in Des Moines, Drake will try to turn the tables, and if they pull it off they'll have won 3 of the last 4 against the Salukis.

It'll be Senior night for the home team (televised on Fox Sports Midwest), and they've got 5 seniors that have seen the Drake basketball program do a 180, winning an MVC title during their run.

This is a down year for both teams. Drake is 7-9 in a 3-way tie for 5th in the conference. SIU is one game back at 6-10 and can create a complete logjam in the middle of the conference if they're able to win.

Can the Salukis get up off the canvas and pull out a road win against Drake?

The Bulldogs are on a 2 game winning streak that included a win at UNI and an impressive 3 point barrage in their bracketbuster game. Jonathon Cox will look to go from former walk-on to senior night star and I doubt he goes for anything less than a double double against SIU. Cox leads the MVC in double double's with 7.

Drake leads the MVC in free throw shooting and they've actually made more foul shots (436) than their opponets have attempted (415). They are also 2nd in the MVC in defense, only allowing 62ppg.

My prediction- Drake pulls out a close game on Senior night and wins 67-63

The wheels fall off at UIC

Coming into this season, it would have been disappointing to see SIU in a non-televised BracketBuster game, but for them to lose in that game is much worse.

Josh Mayo, UIC's 5-11 point guard, dropped 25 points on the Salukis. This performance highlights the decline of SIU's defense since Bryan Mullins' injuy. With Mullins in the game does anyone think a Horizon League point guard puts up 25 points? Not to take anything away from Mayo's performance, but I doubt it.

The problem for SIU in this game wasn't the offense. Dillard, Fay, and Hare went for double figures. The problem was defense, specifically from the perimeter where UIC hit 11 threes. At one point it appeared that the Salukis slipped into a (gasp) zone defense. I've been quietly calling for the Salukis to move forward with the zone since they've been playing with a short bench, so I'm glad to see this compromise by the coaching staff even if it didn't really work. In future seasons it would be nice to see SIU have a zone defense ready if they want to give opponents a different look.

Elsewhere around the Valley it was a near perfect day for the MVC in the BracketBuster. The only other team to lose on Saturday was the UNI Panthers, who are now reeling after losing 3 straight games and 4 out of 5 overall. Illinois State also lost on Friday, leaving the Valley with a solid 7-3 mark in the BracketBuster this season.

Accentuate the Positive, Eliminate the Negative

At times, I've cracked jokes about which looks worse, the Economy or the Salukis, but that is highly unfair. It's definitely the Economy. The Salukis are still showing occasional positives and greener pastures are much closer for the Dawgs than for the Dollar.

For example, last night the Salukis lost to Indiana State 78-72 at the Arena. The loss virtually locks up a Thursday night spot in the MVC tourney and removes nearly all chances of a post-season tournament for this year's club. In addition, this will be the first sub-.500 conference mark for the Salukis since the 1998 season and possibly the first sub-.500 overall mark since that same campaign.

However, Anthony Booker had a great game. He notched his first career double-double and it appears that he has supplanted Tony Boyle as the #1 big-man on Chris Lowery's depth chart. In addition, this year's freshman class (including Bocot) has been the most prolific freshman class in the program's history, in terms of offensive contributions.

In contrast, close to 600,000 jobs were cut in January, there is no end in sight for the monetary bloodletting on Wall Street, and we as Americans got collectively poorer by $877 billion with a few strokes of the pen earlier this week.

Personally, I think my investment in this program is a much safer bet. Let's finish the season strong.

It's time to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.

Creighton Fallout

A lot of attention has been focused on the fact that SIU has a very young team. However, at this stage of the season, the age of the players should no longer be used as an excuse.

Two things lacked in the SIU vs Creighton game that have absolutely nothing to do with experience- lack of effort, and poor transition defense.

After watching the debacle against Creighton it's abundantly clear that the absence of Bryan Mullins devastates the team from not only a talent standpoint, but also leaves the Salukis with a glaring lack of leadership on the floor.

Lets take a look at the fallout from the lopsided Creighton loss:

Over at the Southern Les Winkler says the Salukis have hit a wall

Todd Hefferman notes it was a Valentines Day Massacre

The DE quotes Ryan Hare saying, "I just want to apologize to the fans because we didn't compete in the first half."

The Omaha World Herold notes that it's a rare win in Carbondale for the Bluejays

At Salukitalk fans ask if the team has quit, and vent frustrations in the post-game thread.

SIU vs UNI audio webcast

Dawgs Win at MSU

NCAA hoops fans not thoroughly familiar with the Salukis must have been puzzled Saturday night. In a nationally televised contest, there was this guy, wearing 23 in maroon, who was canning shots from all over the floor.

Justin Bocot, making just his second start for Southern, exploded for 28 points to pace the Dawgs to a 72-64 road win and a sweep of the season's series with Missouri State. Bocot nailed six treys and was perfect at the stripe.

The Bears had every reason to gnash their teeth. Just when it seemed like the extra-lean Salukis - minus the incomparable Bryan Mullins -would be easy pickings, along came Bocot. Guarding him was like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands.

SIU's 44-33 second half profit scrubbed a 31-28 halftime shortfall. Wesley Clemmons was busy punching up 11 pts. and snaring 6 boards. Having another productive night, Anthony Booker tracked down 9 rebounds and added 6 points.

MSU got solid scoring as Chris Cooks and Kyle Weems had 14 each and Cardell McFarland finished with 12. What's more, the Bears earned a solid 40-32 edge off the window and actually got 19 bounds on the offensive end.

Overall, however, State did not shoot very well from anywhere in this game and SIU managed to sizzle, hitting 19 for 21 ( 90.5) at the line, 9-15 (.600) from three, and 22-49 (.449) from the field.

ESPN-2's announcers commented repeatedly about how "physical" the game was, but MSU coach Cuonzo Martin said he felt Southern was quicker than he'd seen them before.

Vigilant SIU coach Chris Lowery spent the evening warily eyeing the foul totals to keep all his men in the game.

A squinting glance at the SIU bench appeared to reveal about 27 people in coats and ties and only a couple in basketball suits, but it must have been a mirage.

Eight men can't win in the Valley, can they? Maybe.

Solution to Saluki Manpower Shortage

What's the solution to the Saluki basketball squad's manpower shortage? Suit up a player already on scholarship.

Instructions:

1. Scan coach Dale Lennon's football roster with attention to tight ends, defensive linemen.
2. Rustle up some chalupas.... truck in a case of Rock Star....crushed ice...........
3. Hold meeting. CLo: "OK , guys, the reason I've asked you here today... is to see who's played a little basketball. Could I have a show of hands?" etc. etc. (ad lib).
4. Run'em up and down the gym. (Note who is panting excessively.)
5. Couple of shooting drills.
6. Issue spare uniform to winner.
7. Call press conference for introduction of newest Dawg hoopster. (photo op)

RESULTS:
A. Campus and fanbase embrace the "everyman" concept of walk-on hero. (Even if the new guy goes 6-5, 280).
B. Media scurries in with revitalized interest due to new angle.
C. "Everyman" catapults Bluejays and Bulldogs around like beerhall enforcer.
D. The occasional minutes "Everyman" plays spell vital rest for Saluki "Bigs."
E. Reinforced Dawgs win key game(s).
F. Fans roar. Replica team gear disappears off shelves at phenomenal rate.
G. Alumni Association racks up 3200 new memberships in 10 days.
H. Administration chortles. Rubs hands with glee.

HEADS:
NY Times - Hoops Revival at Southern Illinois
Arizona Republic - Gigantic Dawg Rejuvenates SIU
Minneapolis Herald Tribune - Valley Race Does a "280"
Cleveland Plain Dealer - SIU's Lowery Hailed as Genius
Djkarta Daily Indonesian - American Athlete a Phenomenon
Memphis Commercial Appeal - Big Dude Whups'em All
People Magazine - Heartland Hoopster Seeing Anne Hathaway
National Enquirer -....and Lindsay....and Kate Hudson... and...
Daily Egyptian - ...a sophomore girl from Lockport...
Saluki Talk boobirds- This guy sucks.

OVER THE AIR:
Mike Reis: "Wing right...down low...dribble drive...HE FLUSHED IT! aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrr
Larry King: "Son, you've created quite a stir in the Midwest....."
Vitale: Dipsydunkababyroo !! Aiiiiiiiiieeeeeee (?)
Costas: "I'm not sure you realize the ramifications of your own selfless act of volunteerism."

THUS....... a problem solved. We return you now to your standard media outlets.

Salukis lose lead, and fall in OT vs Illinois State

The Salukis and Redbirds both had shooting woes in the first half but SIU took better care of the basketball and bounced back from a slow start to take a 25-17 lead into the break

With Bryan Mullins on the sideline there was a danger that the young guards would turn the ball over. That wasn't the case in the first frame as the Salukis won the turnover battle 14-9.

Wesley Clemmons gets props for coming out early and giving the Dawgs a boost off the bench in the absence of his fellow senior guard Mullins.

Champ Oguchi, who lit up SIU for 17 points in their first meeting, picked up 2 early fouls and was held scoreless in the first half. But after the break he put up 15 points, leading his team in scoring. Oguchi's size and ability creates a mismatch for opponents. SIU couldn't stop him the first time they played and had the same problem again in this game's second half.

Osiris Eldridge quickly picked up his 3rd foul after the break, but that didn't stop Illinois state from bursting out of the gates with a 12-4 run, tying the game at 29-29.

Anthony Booker then came through with a huge follow up slam to get the lead and the momentum back for SIU. Kevin Dillard followed suit with back-to-back 3's, elevating his game at the most crucial juncture.

Illinois State later made it a 2 point game at 49-47 with a three point play with just over a minute remaining, bookending consecutive charging fouls by Dillard. Moments later Dillard was called with a tic-tac reach-in foul, then after Illinois State tied the game with the ensuing foul shots, SIU was forced to play the final moments without their leading scorer.

Playing solid 'D', the Salukis were able to play to a draw for the rest of regulation, and went to overtime with the 6 players they had remaining.

Losing a late lead and going to overtime was deflating for the Salukis, and even though they put up a valiant effort in overtime it wasn't enough to beat the Redbirds who finished the night a perfect 19 of 19 from the foul line. Everyone will be watching these Salukis to see how they respond, and regardless of the "age" of these players, how they bounce back will be a true test of their character.

Saluki Hoops recruiting update- Threloff, Heldring, and Brust

According to their AAU coach Mike Weinstein the Salukis have offers out to three teammates from the Rising Stars. Jordan Threloff, Fred Heldring and Ben Brust, all from the class of '10, are considering offers from the Salukis.

Jordan Threloff is a 6-10 center from De Kalb high school and is described as a true '5' man who is a big time force under the basket. Weinstein said Threloff has already visited SIU, and said he really enjoyed his time in Carbondale. Northern Illinois, Illinois, and Iowa also have interest, among others.

Fred Heldring is a 6-9 big man out of New Trier high school. Heldring is starting to get attention as one of the top players in the loaded '10 class in Illinois. He has the ability to play in the post, as well as step out and hit a jump shot, and is now starting to move up in the prospect rankings. While Heldring is said to be considering his offer from SIU, there is also interest heavy interest from other schools including Northwestern, Ball State, and Davidson.

Ben Brust is a 6-2 combo guard out of Mundelein, IL and is described by Weinstein as "an absolute scoring machine." Brust averaged 17 ppg as a sophomore last season and has exploded for some huge games this year including dropping 45 points vs Libertyville earlier this season. The list of schools that are interested in Brust is too long to type but Notre Dame, Bradley, Butler, and Davidson join SIU on the list.

All three players were said to be very impressed by the way Lowery, Lance Irvin, and Brad Korn have recruited them. Brust was especially impressed by handwritten letters from Korn. The class of '10 in Illinois is stocked with talent and SIU is looking in the right direction targeting these three 'Rising Stars'.

Aces sink Salukis 60-54

The Salukis missed opportunities for easy points at the foul line and had a hard time getting anything going on offense. The defense was probably good enough to pull off a road win, but the Salukis went cold from the field, and were especially cold from 3 point land.

Booker played big time minutes and flashed some of the raw skills that made him such a highly touted recruit. Booker's development will be key for this team going down the stretch.

Carlton Fay played only 13 minutes in this game. Lowery mentioned that he didn't like Fay's defense, but SIU needs his offense to win, especially with Dillard and Hare mired in a mini-slump.

Tony Boyle gets high marks in this game putting up 11 points and 9 boards in 31 minutes. The only blemish was his foul shooting where he only hit 5 of 10 from the stripe.

How good is Shy Ely? He ripped the Salukis apart in the second half and is a serious contender for player of the year in the MVC. The Aces have established themselves as an upper echelon team in the MVC and they're now a favorite to avoid a Thursday night game in Arch Madness.

Photo Credit- SIU Sports Info. Dept

Mullins sets new record on 'play hard chart' in win over Missouri St.

Bryan Mullins was everywhere in this game, and his efforts registered a school record 22 on the 'play hard chart.' Mullins topped his previous record of 20, in a game where he also became the 2nd player in MVC history to reach 500 assists and 250 steals.

Mullins play was key because Ryan Hare and Kevin Dillard both had off-nights, combining for only 8 points. Hare in particular looked to be out of sorts, and only played 5 minutes in the second half.

Chris Lowery was pleased that his senior guard was willing to step up when the game was on the line. "Bryan has so much equity in this program, he has to take the big-time shots" noted Lowery. It wasn't just big shots though, Mullins played one of his best all around games with 13 points, 10 assists, and 5 steals... and only one turnover.

Carlton Fay got going early, running the floor and beating his man for some easy buckets. The Saluki big men as a whole were able to consistently get easy baskets down low, and racked up 34 points in the paint. Mo. State head coach Cuonzo Martin said he wanted to limit the guards in this game, but because of the play of Mullins, something had to give, and the big men for SIU had success as a result.

Showdown for the '6 spot'

The Salukis head to Evansville on Saturday to take on the Aces, and the winner will have the inside track on a top-6 spot in the MVC.

The Salukis have a quick turnaround after their game was pushed back due to inclement weather, and now have less than 48 hours 'til tipoff. Evansville doesn't have things any easier though. The Aces also had their game at Drake pushed back to Thursday night and pulled off a thrilling 65-62 win in Des Moines. There's no doubt it's a big win for Evansville, but now they've got a long trip back home before the crucial match-up with SIU.

Photo Credit- SIU sports info dept.

Salukis fail to close the gap at Illinois State

Tony Boyle and Carlton Fay put the Salukis up 5-0 early in this game, but cold shooting and defensive breakdowns allowed Illinois State to take control from there.

The Redbirds responded to the early Saluki run by running the screen and roll over and over again, and it was extremely successful. ISU shot 70% in the first half, which gives a good indication of what kind of looks they were getting.

Kevin Dillard got off to a slow start, but tried to help SIU make a run by hitting a three, making a nice dish to Boyle for a layup, then knocking down a long '2' in transition. The lead was cut to six at that moment, but then after playing airtight defense for 35 seconds, a bank shot 3 ball from ISU pushed the lead back to nine as the shot clock buzzer sounded.

The rebounding in the first half was atrocious for SIU. The 18-8 rebounding deficit was a big reason the Salukis trailed by 11 points going into the break.

In the second half Illinois State came out hot and stretched their lead to 18 right out of the gate.

Staging a comeback on the road is no easy task, but the Salukis certainly gave it their best effort. After a long stretch of solid defense, the Salukis began to creep back into the game. Bryan Mullins knocked down back-to-back '3's to make it a 59-50 game. Ryan Hare followed with a jumper that cut the lead to 7 points.

Justin Bocot also got into the action by hitting two foul shots, that cut the lead all the way down to 5 with 5:37 remaining. Bocot went off for 12 points in the second half, en route to a career high 14 point performance.

Unfortunately for the Salukis, that's where the comeback stalled.

There were too many traveling violations that killed the momentum at key times for the Dawgs to climb all the way back into the game. In the final minutes, the Salukis had multiple chances to get the game within two possessions but again went cold, this time sealing their fate in a 70-63 road loss.

Quick hits - SIU vs Indiana State

First and foremost the Salukis played that old school 'Floorburn U' style defense tonight. Playing a rugged style on 'D' allowed them to overcome turnovers and win a game in which they didn't play particularly well.

-Props to Dillard and Hare who went for 17 points each. These two players are no longer playing like Freshman.

-Ryan Hare is still going to the hole without fear. He's getting called for a few charges because of his aggressiveness, but that's 100% acceptable.

-Bryan Mullins has to take some heat for not stepping up and shooting the ball more in this game. However, this is one player who always finds a way to contribute. B Mull ran down 8 rebounds in a game where the Salukis had to have production on the boards from their guards. Another example of how Mullins always finds a way to get things done.

-Nick Evans looked awkward, and never got into a rhythm. Boyle and Fay couldn't stay out of foul trouble, and Booker is still showing lingering effects from a knee injury. Overall, it was a night to forget for the SIU post players.

-Does anyone else feel much more confident in Justin Bocot lately? Bocot showed off his hops in the first half, taking the ball to the rim and leaping above a defender to bank in a layup. Then a few possessions later he came flying down the floor and swatted away the basketball, preventing Indiana St. from getting a runout. The coaching staff agrees, saying that Bocot responds well to criticism and works hard in areas of his game that need improvement.

-Illinois State is up next, and it's a game where the Salukis will have an opportunity to re-establish themselves as a force in the MVC. In order to win at Redbird arena the Salukis will need to cut down on turnovers, and get better play from their big men. If the Salukis can get those two things, then their talented guards will lead them to a watershed victory this weekend.

Game Notes - SIU v. Bradley

- In the stands... The announced attendance figure for tonight's game was only 6500, but this was the rowdiest crowd of the year. I was sitting in Section PP and the folks around me were generating the same kind of localized field of electricity that you feel just before a street fight breaks out.

- On the court... It was a physical contest, but I don't feel that the Braves were playing all that dirty. I think the refs missed a couple of calls in the second half and the game kind of came unraveled at times as a result, but calling for a whistle on every infraction in this kind of game would be like barking for a flag on every hold in a high school football game. It looked like there was a foul on nearly every possession tonight and the Salukis were getting to the line more than the Braves before the final 90 seconds of desperation fouls exaggerated the free-throw figures.

- Speaking of free-throw statistics... excluding the California (Penn) and UMass games to start the year, the Salukis have won every game in which they have outscored their opponent from the stripe and lost every game in which they have been outscored from the stripe. Tonight, the Salukis won the game by 6, were +14 at the free throw line for the night and were +5 before the final 90 seconds. The trend continues.

- SIU closed the first half on a 20-5 run to open up a 32-17 lead at the break. The 17 pts. scored by Bradley in the first half was the second lowest point total allowed by the Salukis in a half this season.

- On defense... the Salukis forced 20 turnovers, including 12 steals.

- All five starters ended up in double figures for SIU. Tony Boyle was a perfect 5 of 5 from the field. Bryan Mullins had 7 assists and 0 turnovers.

- Carlton Fay (back), Bryan Mullins (ankle), and Nick Evans (torso?) all had play stopped while they shook off injuries.

- Anthony Booker had a couple of early career highlights, a screen-roll dunk and an acrobatic blocked shot, before leaving the game with an apparent knee injury.

- After Bryan Mullins hit a jumper from the head of the key to put SIU up 57-43 with 2:00 left, I turned to the perfect stranger next to me and told her that it would take an act of God to stop the Salukis from winning this one. She didn't believe me. To her credit, things did get a little closer.

MVC Standings at the 1/3 mark

The Salukis are in the #7 spot (2-4) with 6 games in the books, and 12 left to play. Usually, this would be a good reason to panic, but a sharp improvement over the last two weeks is a reason for optimism.

So here's how the standings shape up-

Bradley and UNI are tied at the top with 5-1 marks. The Salukis are already 3 games behind these teams, so it looks like a #1 or #2 seed in the MVC Tourney is probably out of the question.

Illinois State, Creighton, and Drake are all one game back at 4-2. Not much separates these teams from each other in my opinion.

Any of these top 5 clubs could win the Valley and I wouldn't be surprised. The league has incredible balance this season, and we're seeing that reflected in the standings.

Evansville sits alone in 6th place, one game better than the Salukis at 3-3. This is the spot where the Salukis need to be. Circle Jan 31st on your calendar as the Salukis head to Evansville with a chance to sweep the season series against the Aces. If the Dawgs win that game, they'll just have to match Evansville's win total during the remainder of the season to earn the #6 seed and avoid playing a Thursday night game.

Sure, earning a 1 or 2 seed makes your path to the semi-finals much easier, but there is hardly any difference between 3, 4, 5, or 6 seed in the Valley this year.

Regardless of their seeding, the Salukis will have to have to beat at least 3 of the top 5 teams in the current standings to get an NCAA Tournament bid. The only way that can happen is if the team continues to get better. There's no better measuring stick for that improvement than Sunday's game against a Bradley team that throttled the Salukis in a 16 point beat down just 3 weeks ago.

Sunday's match up vs Bradley- 6:05 pm ESPNU- (Dan McLaughlin and Mac McCausland)

Bradley (11-6, RPI #61) has been going to a 4-guard set at times year despite losing junior guard Andrew Warren (broken foot) for the season. While the Braves have 6 newcomers in their lineup, they're young players are not nearly as talented as Southern's freshman class. 5-11 guard Eddren McCain (6.1ppg, 3.6apg) is the only freshman that has the potential to make an impact, and the Braves will rely mostly on Theron Wilson and Sam Maniscalco to carry the load.

For very short stretches the Salukis could counter the Braves with a 4-guard lineup of their own. Unless the big men get into early foul trouble I wouldn't expect a 4-guard set for long though, because Evans and Booker are both earning increased playing time.

One key improvement since the last time these teams met, is the movement and spacing of the Salukis in their motion offense. Better spacing has allowed for more open looks, and the results have shown in the stat sheet. Look for more of the same on Sunday.

SalukiHoops Prediction- the Salukis even the score against the Braves with a 72-64 victory at SIU Arena.

Quick hits - SIU vs Creighton

First off, I'd like to say that was the most intense SIU game that I've watched on television since the Sweet 16 game vs KU. The Dawgs played the game at their pace and the loss was certainly not for lack of effort.

-The starting 5 for SIU continued to click. Lowery has pushed the right buttons getting these 5 players on the floor at the same time. It took some time for this group to come together, but the team is playing better now that roles have been established.

-The Creighton bench got lots of pub heading into this game, but the Saluki bench was better. Justin Bocot showed off his shooting range with some clutch 3's. Meanwhile, Booker and Evans did a nice job of holding down the fort while Boyle and Fay were on the bench. High marks go to the big men in this contest.

-Creighton was a double digit favorite in this game but the Salukis didn't let the game get away from them when the Jays went on an early run. This is an encouraging sign from a team that looked lost on the road just a few weeks ago.

-I seriously question the foul called against Dillard at the end of regulation. It looked like he got all ball on the play, which resulted in 3 foul shots for Creighton. Still, I don't blame the officials for the loss. There are lots of other things the Salukis could have done to win, including fouling earlier in the possession, forcing Creighton to take 2 foul shots when they were trailing by 3.

-Any way you slice it this was a difficult loss for SIU, but is anyone else feeling better about the Salukis' chances in Arch Madness after this game?

-You might have noticed a few minor changes at salukihoops.com this week. One is the display of the stat counter which we've been keeping for some time now, and with the support of the massive readership at Salukitalk we're nearing the 50,000 hit mark. So thank you to all the readers we've had since this site started in 2006, we appreciate your support. Also, we've opened up the comment section so feel free to drop in a comment, and chat about Saluki hoops anytime.

Dawgs Moving Up

Southern tripped up Evansville 70-63 at the Arena Saturday night. The win moved SIU closer to the thick of the MVC race.

After the excitement of playing against Duke and UCLA in New York, it's been a rough stretch for the Salukis of late. Kicking along dead last in the Valley chase as of last week, Southern, however, is now rapidly rounding into form.

The Evansville win was hard earned. The Aces entered the contest at 11-3 and conceded nothing all night long. In the first half coach Marty Simmons' club romped to a nine point lead, causing bewildered SIU fans to mutter to themselves- as has frequently been the case this season.

The Salukis, however, looked stern. The good kind of stern. Nine men on a mission kind of stern.

Suddenly the Dawgs close the half with a Wesley Clemmons buzzer beater from the left baseline for a 39-35 lead..and...nobody's muttering....

The nine men trod back onto the court, and they all score. Tony Boyle's jamming the ball. He racks up a double double with 14 and 10. Kevin Dillard nets 13 and guts out 34 minutes with severe leg cramping. He's on the court at the finish. Bryan Mullins gets his nose bashed bloody but logs 36 minutes, dishes out 7 more assists while adding 8 pts. Most of us see lights and hardwood. He sees blueprints of the stadium. Vectors...angles..........

Justin Bocot executes a 270 to make a highlight layup. Anthony Booker gets two and wants more. Fire in the eye. Good sign. Nick Evans and Carlton Fay battle to a draw with platoons of Aces in the low post. Advantage: Dawgs.

Wes Clemmons and Ryan Hare nail up 9 pts. apiece mainly by driving the lane. Hare manages it grinning ear to ear. More effective Dawgs. Cue: Band, crowd noise. Across the way Coach Chris Lowery peers through his wire rim spectacles and nods approvingly.

Whoops.... Here comes Evansville. They close to 64-61 until a Dillard layup makes the crowd breathe easier.

Post game show: Pesky Indiana State has derailed Illinois State in O.T. The MVC race is tightening...........

Next stop for Southern : Creighton, and 3 of the next 4 games on the road.

More tests and adventures for.......... Nine Men on a Mission.

THAT'S TONIGHT'S VIEW FROM ROW TWO

Game Notes and Summary - SIU v. Wichita State

The Salukis put all five starters in double figures for the first time this season and defeated Wichita State, 74-62. This was an impressive victory in a must-win situation.

The big men set the tone early (Fay and Boyle scored 16 of the first 18 points) and the backcourt sealed the victory with clutch long-range shooting down the stretch. This looked like a completely different team than we've seen this season, especially on the offensive end of the court where the rotation was crisp, players were moving with purpose, shots were taken in rhythm early in the possession, the post players converted and the guards slashed to the basket.

Individually, Ryan Hare led the way with 18 points and 8 rebounds. He shot 4 of 6 from the field and was a perfect 10 of 10 from the line. Carlton Fay finished with 15 points and 6 rebounds. Kevin Dillard got into foul trouble, mostly due to some shaky officiating, but still piled up 14 points and handed out 5 assists. Bryan Mullins had 13 points, 7 assists, and 0 turnovers. Tony Boyle got to the rack tonight... and FINISHED around the bucket en route to 12 points on 5 of 8 shooting.

As a team, the Salukis outrebounded the Shockers 31-17, which is an accomplishment considering the game was on the road and the Shockers entered with a +9 rebounding margin on the season. Also, the Salukis got to the line more than the Shockers and converted a higher percentage, resulting in a +7 margin on the night from the stripe.

The shot of the night... with the Salukis up by just one at 56-55, the crowd roaring, the Shockers on a run, and the shot clock winding down, Mullins knocked down a '3' that sucked the wind out of the gym and sent the momentum swinging back in Southern's direction.

The finishing touches... Dillard sent 10,000 Kansans scrambling for the exits with a pair of triples that put the game out of reach at 70-61.

Closing thoughts... The starters logged a lot of minutes tonight and the roles on this team are established. The reserves played well, but it didn't show up in the stat sheet. This team is starting to develop chemistry and cohesion. We might have to cancel those Thursday night reservations for Arch Madness because it looks like this team might be poised to take a big step forward.

Up next... Sat. 7:05 v. Evansville (3-1)

Where do the Salukis go from here?

The Salukis have an uphill battle on their hands if they want to avoid playing a Thursday night game in the MVC tournament.

Over the last three seasons the #6 seed in the MVC has gone 8-10 once, and 9-9 twice. That means the Salukis will probably have to go 8-7 or 9-6 the rest of the way to stay out of the Valley cellar.

Joining the Salukis at the bottom of the league after 3 games are Missouri State (0-3), Wichita State (0-3), and Indiana State (1-2). Northern Iowa, Drake, and Evansville are all three a notch above at 2-1. The Salukis would have to rise above their current spot and knock off one of the latter three clubs in order to secure a top 6 spot.

Northern Iowa and Drake have already won games at SIU Arena, so they have an early edge on the Dawgs. The Salukis best chance at getting out of the bottom tier will be unseating an improved Evansville club, a task that's not going to be as easy as it was in years past.

In order for the Salukis to have any chance at a top 6 seed, they simply must win road games. They need at least 8 more wins and they have only 7 home games remaining, so picking up a road victory vs the Shockers is a necessity. Let's put it this way- if the Salukis don't win against Wichita State on Wednesday, then SIU fans will need to make Thursday night hotel reservations for Arch Madness.

3 open scholarships for next season

When Joshua Bone left the team earlier this season, the Salukis gained the flexibility of an additional scholarship for '09. Now the number of available scholarships is up to three, and the Salukis have a glaring need for another big man to complement Fay, Booker, and Evans next season.

Earlier this week Lowery said the Salukis are "without a doubt" looking to add a JUCO big man, and have a need to add two big men and a guard. While it's difficult to find a truly skilled "big man" in the JUCO ranks, it's very possible to get a forward who has more skill than size.

If Booker and Evans can combine for 40 minutes a game next season the Salukis will basically be looking for a forward to come in when Carlton Fay needs a rest, so a 6-foot-6 JUCO with some athletic ability would fit the bill. Adding at least one JUCO would also make sense in regard to class balance, as Carlton Fay is the only Sophomore on the team this season.

Cornelius left team due to health reasons

Christian Cornelius clarified the circumstances of his departure today, in response to an email that I sent him yesterday. Here are the main points that Christian elaborated on.

-His reason for leaving is because of his health and a belief that it takes more than he can provide to consistently play at this level.

-He wishes that he could continue playing but that sometimes the pain in his knee would become unbearable when it came to playing in 2.5 to 3 hour practices that emphasize playing hard with great intensity.

-His departure is totally unrelated to Torres, and he has no idea why Torres left the team or what his reasoning was.

-He says he had nothing against the coaches or players and only wishes them the best of luck as they continue to get better and improve.

-Christian says he understands that when players leave a program it can never be viewed as a good thing, but he says he honestly believes that the defections can help the team by allowing other players to show more of their natural ability on the court.

In my observations Christian always played hard and kept a good attitude during his time at SIU. He was also able to earn a college degree during his time here which should be the main goal for all student-athletes. When a player feels that he's not able to compete at a certain level, it's usually best to move on, and I think this is case for Christian Cornelius and the Salukis.

Roundtree and Cornelius quit team via voicemail

Torres Roundree and Christian Cornelius both left voicemails for Lowery to let him know they were leaving the team.

Torres told Lowery that he felt that he didn't fit into the program. Lowery called him "a kid who's talented but isn't used to working hard and not used to following the discipline side of life on and off the court. We wanted to save his life, and help him become a better person. Unfortunately, he left before we got a chance to do that. "

The voicemail Cornelius left said he didn't feel he could play at this high of level, but Lowery said he felt that Christian could. He was playing the best basketball since he had been at SIU. Lowery is not sure if Cornelius is going to continue his career elsewhere.

I asked Lowery if he was disappointed that the players quit via voicemail, he responded saying, "They're young kids. I tried to help them and counsel them in the right ways and understand how you have to be in any program where discipline and academics are stressed. Am I disappointed? Yes. But I also understand that these are kids too."

Roundtree's high school teammate, Anthony Booker, was not made available for comment but when asked if he thought Booker would stay Lowery answered, "He's here. Booker's parents are very instrumental in his life, so obviously he's in a different situation."

Lowery admitted that the two additional open scholarships for next season increase the need to add a JUCO player. He said they "without a doubt" have to add a JUCO big, and went on to say they will need to add two bigs and a guard for next year.

He said they have never stopped recruiting and have been recruiting players as if they would have open scholarships for next year. "It's the dark side of any program, you don't want people to leave, but you still have to recruit at a high level."

According to Lowery, walk-on Brandon Allen will be out of action for the foreseeable future. Allen needs to have his knee scoped and his status remains up in air.

Lowery seems to think the departures help with the rotation and team chemistry. With the two additional departures the team is down to 9 active scholarship players, plus redshirt Tony Freeman. It's great that Freeman gets more practice time now, but if anyone else goes down with injury the team won't be able to have 5 on 5 practices... unless they give Tony Young a jersey.

According to Lowery the team's response to these players leaving is a private matter. Lowery told reporters that Bryan Mullins said the team does not need to address it, and if the players want to leave then that's up to them. However, the coach says there is an extreme level of disappointment, because the players had grown close to each other and when one of them jumps ship, doesn't give anybody a reason, and leaves in the middle of the night, that's something they don't understand.

Roundtree and Cornelius quit team

Two more players have left the Salukis after their home loss to UNI. Torres Roundtree left the team saying that he didn't fit in with the offense. While it is true that he wasn't producing big numbers offensively, it's difficult to believe that was his only reason for leaving.

Roundtree was suspended for the St. Mary's game for "violating team rules." However there was wide speculation that the reason for his suspension was because of a threat to quit the team. Now it appears that he's followed through on that and will no longer be a Saluki. The loss of Roundtree is unfortunate, but the presence of Dillard, Hare, and Bocot soften the blow of his departure.

Christian Cornelius didn't play vs UNI, but his departure is still unexpected. From my observations Cornelius always had a good attitude, and Lowery had previously expressed a desire for Christian to stay with the team. After working through a serious knee injury CC had played in all 12 of the Salukis previous games this season.