There's no such thing as magic

Over the past few seasons I've often mentioned "arena magic" on this blog. Tonight vs UNI, I realized there's no such thing as magic.

The truth is the Saluki teams over the past few seasons won home games because they played outstanding defense and finished off opponents with authority. This Saluki squad hasn't shown the ability to consistently accomplish either of those tasks, and that's why they're losing games.

Here are some notes as the Salukis fall to 0-2 in MVC play.

-Kevin Dillard was the lone bright spot vs UNI. 16 points, and 5 assists. The kid can flat out play.

-Carlton Fay had 12 points on 5 of 8 shooting. That's not a bad night, but I'd still like to see Fay take a bigger role in the offense. He has the potential to be a scoring machine.

-The Salukis beat the Panthers into bonus in the second half, then failed to get to the foul line and capitalize. Taking the ball to the basket and getting to the foul line would have given the team a great chance to win.

-UNI is not a great team, and they shot 48% vs the Salukis. This was a direct result of the Salukis not closing out the shooters on defense. The defensive rotations were slow and the Panthers got lots of good looks as a result.

-This was a game that the Salukis should have won. Improvements must be made if the Dawgs are to avoid playing a Thursday night game in the MVC Tournament.

MVC game #1- Salukis lose another road game

After losing to Bradley, the Salukis are now 1-6 away from SIU Arena. It's always difficult to win on the road, but this team isn't showing any signs of life away from SIU Arena.

Often times this year we've heard the word "patience" in reference to the youth movement on this Saluki team. However, the older players must help to bridge the gap by showing the young guys how to win. That didn't happen today.

The bright spots in this game were Bryan Mullins and Kevin Dillard. Those two guards combined to score 32 points, accouting for over 50% of the teams offense. That alone is great production from the guard spot but the Dawgs need the big guys to get into the act as well.

Carlton Fay has to fill that void by becoming a #1 type scoring option for SIU. Fay had his 3rd straight lackluster performance vs Bradley, scoring only 7 points in 19 minutes. We know he's capable of more, he started the season on a scoring spree, showing off a lighting quick trigger and range from deep.

The Salukis have won only one game (vs NIU) this season when Fay has failed to score double digits. Carlton has to be more involved in the offense if the Salukis are going to finish above .500 in the Valley.

Notes from SIU/Western Michigan

Kevin Dillard, Wesley Clemmons, and Bryan Mullins all got into a groove at the same time against Western Michigan, as the trio of guards were able to help the Salukis avoid another second half slump.

With the game tied at 29-29 in the second half, Wes hit back-to-back 3's (and just missed a 3rd one) then Dillard knocked down back-to-back 3's of his own on assists from Mullins.

Justin Bocot stepped up as well, playing 16 minutes and hitting 3 of 6 for 6 points while showing good progress on 'D'.

The increased faith in Bocot and Dillard allowed Lowery to play a lineup of all first year players during a stretch late in the second half.

Dillard, Bocot, Roundtree, Booker, and Evans composed the "first year five" that provided quality minutes while Mullins, Clemmons, and Boyle got a quick rest before returning for the stretch run.

So that wraps up the non-conference season (with the exception of bracket buster later this year) and the Salukis are 5-6 heading into conference play.

Somehow I think I'd feel much better if the team was 6-5, with the only difference being the home loss to Charlotte. Those are the types of games the Salukis will have to win at home to finish towards the top of the MVC. On the road in this conference, nothing comes easy. The Dawgs will face their first MVC road test vs Bradley on Sunday, in a game that will be a good indication of whether or not SIU can be a contender in the Valley.

Salukis Smacked Around By Gaels

The first twenty minutes of tonight's game were uniformly positive for the Salukis and it appeared that the heavily favored St. Mary's Gaels would be put to the test. SIU led by as many as 9 in the first half and carried a 31-27 lead into the intermission.

However, the second twenty minutes was an absolute mess. The Salukis came out flat and St. Mary's hit on all cylinders. The final deficit was thirteen points, 65-52, but the issue was never in doubt. The Gaels were up by as many as 22 in the second half.

As bad as that sounds, there were still some bright spots for the Salukis. Ryan Hare finished with 14 points and Kevin Dillard was en route to a big game until foul trouble landed him on the bench late in the first half.

The rest was middling at best. St. Mary's struggled from the field (39%), but they managed to rack up 22 points from the line. Patrick Mills was limited to 5 pts in the first half, but picked it up and finished with 16.

After an implosion of this magnitude, fingers could be pointed, but this was a team loss. Collectively, there was a 10 minute scoring drought in the second half and the Salukis shot just 27% from the floor. On the glass, SIU was outrebounded by 15 tonight.

The bottom line... St. Mary's was a superior basketball team and this was a comprehensive defeat. This team has got to play 40 minutes of basketball. Plenty of potential remains for this season and I am optimistic, but tonight was a very tough loss.

Notes from the SIU/NIU matchup

It was nice for Dillard, Hare, and Mullins to get to play a "home game" in the Chicago area.

For Bryan Mullins' family and friends it was just a short trip west on I-88 to see the senior from Downers Grove put on a ball handling clinic in DeKalb.

SIU has such a strong Alumni base in the northern part of the state, it only makes sense for the Dawgs to take their show on the road for the upstate fans at least once each year. While NIU isn't the best of opponents, the Salukis were in desperate need of any road win they could get.

In future seasons a matchup with DePaul might prove to be more beneficial, but for this year a game against less than stellar competition was just what the doctor ordered.

NIU Head Coach Ricardo Patton would like to get another crack at the Salukis even though he acknowledges that the two programs aren't on the same level competitively. "We saw where each of the programs stands at this point. My only wish is that we continue the series (against SIU)."

The Salukis were able to get out in transition against the Huskies, and for the first time in weeks, Kevin Dillard seemed to find his MoJo.

Pushing the ball and keeping the intensity was not a problem for Lowery, who shuffled all 11 guys into the rotation. Each time the Huskies tried to get back into the game someone stepped up and threw water on the fire by knocking down a jumper.

The Salukis were given easy looks at the basket all night and ended up shooing nearly 60% from the floor. While it's a positive sign that these young Dawgs are capable of lighting up the scoreboard its also important to remember that their Huskie counterparts just weren't very good.

photo credit- SIU sports information dept.

Nevada Knockout- Salukis fall out West

While it wasn't exactly a prize fight the Salukis were able to trade punches with the Wolfpack until a scoreless drought in the last 4+ minutes of the game left them on the canvas for good.

Offensive identity is now a serious concern for the Dawgs, who never got over the hump after a 9 minute scoreless stretch early in the second half.

Mullins, Fay, and Boyle all pitched in on offense with double digit output, but Clemmons, Hare, Dillard, and Roundtree combined to score only 5 points in 77 minutes of play. Finding a way to fix these offensive woes will be Lowery's biggest challenge of this season, and quite possibly of his career.

Northern Illinois is next and while it is a road game, it's still a game the team needs to win if they're going to turn this season around.

Where are they now? Shaw, Falker, and Tatum

With the current Saluki squad out of action this week for final exams, it's a good time to check in on three recent Salukis who are now playing for a paycheck.

Matt Shaw- U.B. La Palma (Spain)

Shaw is playing in the Spanish League, averaging 7.2 points per game for U.B. La Palma. He posted season high 16 points, hitting 3 of 3 from downtown on November 14th.

Unfortunately, he's been sidelined due to injury since November 22nd. The La Palma team blog indicates that it's a back injury and that he has received an MRI, but it's unclear exactly how long he'll be out. The good news is that Shaw has established himself as a valuable player for La Palma so he should be able to continue a pro career if he chooses to do so.

Randal Falker- Cholet (France)

First off Randal writes a personal blog that you've gotta check out. In his blog posts he talks about his trip to France (and getting lost when he got there), cultural differences, and the day he realized that basketball had become a "job". Those who had a chance to meet Randal know he's an entertaining and happy go lucky guy, which shows through in his blog.

Falker's team Cholet Basket, is currently in 14th place (out of 16 teams), but he's been able to contribute with an average of 7 points and 7 boards. Falker was voted team MVP for the month of October.

Jamaal Tatum- Idaho Stampede

Tatum, who also has his own website, signed a non-guaranteed NBA contract with Portland back in August but didn't make the final cut. Now Tatum is playing in the NBA Developmental league with the Blazers affiliated team, the Idaho Stampede.

JT is coming off the bench for the Stampede but he's still playing 30 minutes a game and averaging 16 points. After missing all of last season with an ankle injury, he will continue to develop his point guard skills and hope for a shot on an NBA roster.

Dawgs Kayoed Late

Two free throws by An'Juan Wilderness, plus six second half threes by Ian Andersen vaulted the Charlotte 49ers over SIU 66-64 on Saturday at the Arena.

The game was similar to a dock brawl throughout. Them most furious combat took place around the blocks with Tony Boyle, and wingman Carlton Fay taking on all comers. The 49ers Charlie Coley III and sidekicks Lamont Mack, Wilderness and others waded in with gusto.

Boyle closed for the Dawgs with a double double, (13 pts. and 12 rebs.) and Fay piled up 12 and 6. Meanwhile, Bryan Mullins added 13 pts. and Wes Clemmons sizzled home 12 on four threes. All nine Dawgs who played scored.

Charlotte was smarting from six consecutive reverses and so arrived revved up for action. The Niners were able to shoulder their way past Saluki perimeter defenders and push short passes into the lane for 5 footers.

Although the Salukis stalled LaMont Mack with just 2 pts, Ian Anderen bounded off the bench to get 18 on 6 threes, as Wilderness added 17.

The contest was knotted 11 times and there were eight lead changes.

Bryan Mullins was everywhere at once. A camera isolated on him in real time would have looked like it was jammed on fast forward. Regretably, when Mullins was in foul trouble or getting a breather, the Dawgs struggled against multiple Niners defenses.

Southern led 32-31 at half, and had a 62-58 lead with just over 2 minutes remaining. Charlotte soon drew even on Andersen's final three. With 23 sec. left the Niners again took possession.
A whistle screamed and Wilderness cooly plopped the winning free throws through the cords.

Still...... the clock glared 0:04. The crowd stood.......

Unfortunately, the Dawgs botched the inbound play as time evaporated.

Next up for the Salukis (3-4) is a Sun. Dec. 14 road game at Nevada at 5:05 CST.

Photo Credit- SIU sports information dept

Carolina Storm Warning

If the SIU Arena has any windows, somebody better board em up quick.

The Charlotte 49ers blow into town this afternoon. They're hungry to break a six game skid, and have a 6-1 record, all time against the Salukis.

The 49'ers (1-6) opened with a win over UNC Greensboro. Since then they've lost one game by 1, two by 2 and one in overtime. Coach Bobby Lutz has a 3-1 career mark against Southern including a rare win at the Arena on Jan. 2, 2004. That's only one of five SIU home defeats in the last 101 contests.

Last year Charlotte smacked the Dawgs around 71-56, including a 20-0 mid-game run.

This year's 49ers figure to get back on track pretty soon. They aim to start today.

Charlotte features a pair of 6-7 senior forwards, Charlie Coley III and Lamont Mack. Mack's the team's leading scorer (12.4) and Coley is the top rebounder (6.6) . He nabbed 11 against both Clemson and Arizona State. Rim punishing dunks are CC's specialty. 6-6 Soph. forward An'Jaun Wilderness (9.9, 3.7 boards) will also be a factor below the blocks.

The Niner attack is balanced. Seven different men have already posted double figures on offense and six have lead the squad in scoring.

Charlotte's reserves contribute over 20 points a game and posted 33 vs. Clemson. Sixth man Ian Anderson, a 6-4 Jr. guard, leads with 10.4

The 49ers have averaged over eight steals a game. Chief culprit: 5-9 Jr. guard DiJuan Harris.

Coach Chris Lowery's team showed marked effectiveness on the defensive end vs. SLU. SIU will look to play with control and keep the game in the 60's. The Salukis have the personnel to match Charlotte. Big versus big will be the difference.

When Duke had 40 made free throws Southern sagged. SIU's 27-31 at the line sank St. Louis. So we'll go with the stat line for free throws as the determiner today in a close one.

SIU 69 Charlotte 67.

Game time is 1:05.

SOUTHERN SENDS BILLS PACKING

St. Louis University coach Rick Majerus had heard all about SIU's trademark defensive intensity. He'd heard about the hustle, the sound positioning and layers of coverage. He heard it was all a memory.

But he heard wrong.

Southern pounced on SLU and dished out a 64-48 setback on Tuesday night. The win, which squared the SIU record at 3-3 , was proof the Dawgs are starting to comprehend the "Lowery Doctrine" of 40 minutes of manic defense.

So thoroughly bewildered were the visiting Billikens by the speeding Salukis that they were stuck on 2 on the scoreboard after more than nine minutes into the contest.

While the Southern defense was holding sway, Lowery craftily used his reserves to good advantage. SIU's subs outscored SLU's 30-9 on the night. In fact, senior guard Brian Mullins commented that it really didn't make much difference which five men SIU had out there at any one time.

Carlton Fay led the Dawgs with 17, including a perfect 12 for 12 at the line. Kevin Dillard had nine off the bench, followed by Christian Cornelius (7) and Wes Clemmons (6).

Southern led 24-16 at intermission, but the Bills crept to within 24-20 in the early going of the second half. From there on out it was all Salukis. Southern led by 23 at one point partially propelled by a 27 for 31 (.871) performance from the free throw line.

Senior guards Kevin Lisch (13) and Tommie Liddell III (12) paced the Billikens who dropped to 2-4 on the year.

SIU posted a 30-24 edge on the boards. Fay had 6 for Southern while Liddell III led SLU with 5.

Snapshot highlights of the night: 1.) Wesley Clemmons buzzer beater to end the first half. 2). Kevin Dillard's laser pass for an assist 3) Christian Cornelius' slick drive for a left handed lay-up 4.) Three Dawg pileup at midcourt pursuing loose ball.

Next up for the Salukis: Charlotte comes calling at the Arena on Saturday for a 1:05 game.

That's tonight's VIEW FROM ROW TWO.

Photo Credit- SIU sports information dept

Salukis lose first true road game, 79-70

The Salukis looked sleepy at times in a lackluster performance, falling behind by 17 points, and they were never able to get all the way back in this game.

The big men did not play well at all. Boyle was limited to 15 minutes due to foul trouble (I'm thinking of copying that phrase to my clipboard so I don't have to re-type it in every post). Booker looked completely lost on offense, which is puzzling considering his level of ability.

Carlton Fay went quiet in the second half, scoring just one field goal, and that came when the contest was already out of reach. Fay could get away with tentative play last season, but this year the Salukis are actually running plays for him, and he has to be willing to shoot the ball at all times.

Speaking of disappearing acts, where was Wesley Clemmons in this game? Ryan Hare could very well take his spot in the starting lineup when the Salukis play St. Louis next Tuesday.

Still, the Saluki put up 70 points behind Ryan Hare's career and team high 16. Outside of Hare, there was not a lot of bright spots in the guard play, either. Western Kentucky basically got whatever kind of shot they wanted, shooting nearly 50% from the field.

Bottom line - the Salukis are way too talented to fall behind by 17 at any point vs. a rebuilding Western Ky squad. Defensive breakdowns are the reason for the loss. Scoring 70 points should be enough to get a win, but that was not the case tonight.

This will probably not be the last tough road loss these young Salukis suffer, but they have to understand that playing a fairly close game against Duke and UCLA doesn't mean you're going to automatically dominate less talented teams.

Key Facts - SIU vs Western Kentucky

- The Hilltoppers graduated three seniors that accounted for 60% of their scoring a year ago, including Courtney Lee, the 22nd pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.

- Western Kentucky is fresh off of a 28-point loss to Murray State.

- Southern Illinois has won each of the last 3 meetings against WKU and 6 of the last 7, overall.

- Head coach Ken McDonald is in his first year, after former head coach Darrin Horn took the 2007-2008 squad to the Sweet 16 and then left for South Carolina.

- A.J. Slaughter leads the Hilltoppers in scoring at 15.0 ppg. Last year, he tallied 16 against the Salukis at the Arena.

The Hilltoppers are one of the top mid-major programs in the Midwest, partially because they have the facilities and fan base to be successful. Renovated in 2003, E.A. Diddle Arena has seating for 7,500 including 16 luxury suites. Toss in brand new locker rooms, two practice courts, an academic advisement center, and state of the art video replay screens and you can see how they can attract top level talent to their program. While this may be a down year for the Hilltoppers, they'll still be hyped for the Salukis, so don't expect anything to come easy for the Dawgs.

You can catch the action from Carbondale on the MediaCom broadcast, Wednesday night at 7pm.

Nick Evans out 4-6 weeks with broken wrist

Saluki center Nick Evans will likely miss the rest of the non-conference season with a broken wrist suffered in Friday's loss to UCLA.

Evans, who was a bit of a question mark coming into the season, has played well so far and his inside presence will be missed. The 6'11'' big man from Carbondale was pulling down lots of rebounds and showed some basic scoring ability in his short tenure with the Dawgs.

Tony Boyle could see increased minutes, except his playing time will still be dictated by his ability to stay out of foul trouble. As a result, Anthony Booker and Christian Cornelius will have to take on an increased role in the post until Evans can return.

Taking a look at the calendar, it would be nice to have Evans back when conference play begins on the road vs Bradley on Dec 28th. While the loss of Evans is disappointing, it's encouraging to see that he's played so well, that the Salukis will actually miss him while he out.

Photo Credit- SIU Sports Information Dept

Notes on the Saluki loss to UCLA

For the second day in a row the Salukis stayed close with their opponent until late in the second half when the game got out of hand. UCLA had too much talent and an inexperienced SIU club couldn't stop the bleeding during a 20-2 run that sealed the deal for the Bruins.

This 0-2 outcome in NYC doesn't really hurt the Salukis in the RPI, but it does show the Dawgs have a long way to go to be considered a top 25 caliber team.

Post play will need to improve for the Salukis. Tony Boyle didn't have a good trip and Nick Evans fouled out in just 14 minutes against the Bruins. These two players will have to step up against teams with really good big men.

This team has loads of talent, but the 6 newcomers have to grow up quick. Kevin Dillard had 6 turnovers and only 2 assists. His creativity is impressive, but the Bruins had loads of points off turnovers... so valuing the ball will continue to be a point of emphasis.

On a brighter note Ryan Hare showed some good things in this game and he'll continue to get big playing time (25 mins vs UCLA) as long as he is giving the team a boost the way he did vs the Bruins.

After watching the Duke/Michigan game it's clear that the Salukis would have matched up much better against the Wolverines. Unfortunately the Salukis didn't get a chance to prove it and ended up leaving New York with two lopsided losses. There's no shame in losing to Duke and UCLA especially away from home, but they'll need to shake the hangover quick and get a win at Western Kentucky in order to get their season back on track.

Losing to Duke is like a 40 degree day

Sure they're ranked #5 in the country, and yes it was a good game for 32 minutes. That's good... That's like a 40 degree day.

Nobody has anything good to say about a 40 degree day. Fifty? Fifty will bring a smile to your face. Sixty? It's time to break out the barbecue grill. Go down to 20? Everyone's complaining. But 40, nobody cares about 4o, nobody remembers 40. Losing to Duke by 25 is like a 40 degree day.

The Salukis shot a lackluster 12 of 19 (63%) from the line in this game but they were outscored at the stripe by 28 points which was the difference in this game. The Blue Devils hit 40 of 47 (85%) from the line. It would not be accurate to say that the Blue Devils shot more foul shots because of the officiating either. The Devils took the ball to the hoop and drew fouls, that's why they got to the line, and that's why they won the game.

The Salukis lack of experience in these types of games was evident in the second half. Once the battle tested Duke squad took control with 8 minutes remaining, they never looked back.

The Salukis can still come home happy with a win on Friday. Tony Boyle will need to regroup and pull down some rebounds on Friday. Clemmons and the rest of the guards will need to make a bigger contribution.

Before the UMass game Chris Lowery said his team had to get better in less than 24 hours and they were up to the task. Friday in New York we'll see if the Salukis can do it again.

Mullins interview and Sagarin based expectations

Bryan Mullins talks about motivating the team in the locker room, the transition game, valuing the basketball, and determining defensive assignments.



Jeff Sagarin has Duke No. 3 and SIU No. 35 in his ratings.

Our staff has put together the following probabilities and projections based on those ratings, among other things.

Duke wins in rout: 25 % (85-63)

Duke wins by 7-10: 45% ( 81-72)

Duke by a whisker: 15% (69-66)

SIU squeaks one out: 13% (68-66)

SIU wins big: 2% (70-61)

This is the first true test away from SIU Arena for the Saluki newcomers. Not exactly an easy environment to get your feet wet. If the Salukis expect to win they'll have to play at the level they played at in the second half against UMass for a full 40 minutes.

Coach K and Chris Lowery talk SIU/Duke

Coach K and Chris Lowery answered questions about their teams during a teleconference on Tuesday. Below are my notes.

Coach K

Paulus will play, but his right arm is injured and they hope he'll be getting close to 100% by Thursday.

Praise for Mullins - "One of the most effective players in the country"

When asked if playing at the Garden is like a home game - "I love New York and the Garden, it's still to me the Mecca of college basketball. We have a lot of Duke fans up there, we'd love for them to help us in whatever way good fans can help a team."

"We've tried to build our team around Singler, Shyer, and Henderson. Those are our best players. Lance Thomas is having a fabulous year coming off the bench, but we think he's a starter."

Remember Chris Lowery from 1993? - "He was a really good player, but we had a very good team." Coach K went on to say, "Coach Lowery is like an old school coach, fundamentals, his kids play really well together. Each year they grow together."


Coach Lowery

What does it mean to be in the national spotlight? - "We feel we're continuously building our program on a national level, and it's a very important recruiting tool that we hope to build on."

When asked about SIU being 1-0 all time at MSG vs Duke - "It was a great moment for our program, but of course we had one of the top 50 players of all time [Walt Frazier] on our team back then."

What do you remember about the Duke game in 1993? - "I remember being in Grant Hill's poster. It was our first time in the NCAA's in 20 years and they were coming off back-to-back National Championships. Feeling like, what can we do to stop what they are doing? So that's what we are working on in our practices, and hopefully we can do some of that."

"Duke is a measuring stick for everybody, but we have to let our kids know it's not the super bowl. If you have success against them it's not the end of your season, or if you don't have success against them it's not the end of your season."

MVC Notebook, Valley Highlights, and Duke Video

The following are links to stories and videos that I found interesting on this Tuesday afternoon:

Drake v. Butler - Recap
Butler cruised in this one and Drake will need a lot from Josh Young to stay in the upper division of the MVC this year.

Creighton v. New Mexico - Video
Booker Woodfox and P'Allen Stinnett combined for 56 points as Creighton overcame a 17-point second half deficit. This video is just over 3 minutes long and gives an extended look at the CU home opener.

Bradley v. UIC - Video
The Braves kicked off their season with a win over Illinois-Chicago.

Illinois State v. Wright State - Video
Newcomer Champ Oguchi had a big night in his Redbird debut.

Duke v. URI - Video
These highlights illustrate how fortunate Duke was to end up with a "W" in this one. A close game and an even closer finish.

MVC Notebook
This is a detailed look at the first week of action from over at the official MVC website.

Kendal Brown ready to sign letter of intent

Kendal Brown of Harrison high school in Evansville, Indiana will sign with the Salukis today at 3pm. Brown is a 5-10 point guard who was named to the Courier & Press All-Metro first team as a junior last season.

Brown joins 6-8 center Jordan Meyers and 6-6 shooting guard Drew Barham, who both signed with SIU last week.

Duke edges Rhode Island 82-79

The Blue Devils squeaked out a home court victory in their first game against some real competition before heading to NYC to face the Salukis.

Kyle Singler dropped 21 points in 38 minutes, including three 3 balls. He also iced 2 foul shots in the final seconds to give Duke the lead, and eventually the victory. The 6-8 Singler poses some matchup problems for the Salukis (and just about everyone else) because of his size, ability to take the ball coast to coast, and perimeter jump shot.

Southern will probably throw some combination of Carlton Fay and Anthony Booker on Singler, saving Tony Boyle and Nick Evans for 6-8 Lance Thomas and 7-1 Brian Zoubek. Fay has GOT to stay out of foul trouble because the Salukis need his scoring punch to spring the upset.

The Salukis would have played this weekend also, but their game against Cal (Pa.) was moved into the 2k sports tournament leaving them one game short. As it turns out this may be advantageous for the Dawgs since they were able to watch Duke's game today and can also take advantage of additional practice time before leaving for NYC on Tuesday.

The Duke-Rhode Island game has to give the Salukis confidence. Rhode Island had Duke on the ropes for most of this contest and the Blue Devils needed some end game heroics to get the win. Things won't be as easy for the Dukies away from the friendly confines of Cameron Indoor but the Salukis will still need to play the way they did in the second half vs UMass for 40 minutes to have a chance to win at the Garden.

Scouting Report - Jeremy Felton

I was able to get a look at Mineral Area College forward Jeremy Felton on Saturday at Kaskaskia College in Centralia, IL. Felton put up 21 points and double digit boards as his Cardinals (4-2) hung a 72-67 loss on the Blue Devils (1-4).

Felton had a huge first half scoring 14 points, and displayed his leaping ability with 2 monster blocks. He showed the ability to knock down 15 foot jumpers and also cashed in on a few big dunks when the Kaskaskia big men forgot about him under the basket.

This was the type of game that showed the potential for success at the D1 level. Unfortunately, Felton has not been able to consistently put together these types of games this season. He was held scoreless in a loss to SWIC last week; something that shouldn't happen to a player of his caliber.

Defensively, Felton went up against the post players for Kaskaskia and was able to hold his own. However, he wasn't particularly active and was slow to jump out and guard on the perimeter a few times. Those are the areas he'll need to improve on to make the jump to the next level of college ball.

As reported on Thursday, it's clear that Felton will not be signing with the Salukis during the early period, and I did not notice anyone from the Saluki staff at this game which is probably an indication that the Dawgs will look in another direction altogether. However, If Felton can improve his effort and defense while putting up double-doubles every night he should draw a good deal of interest from schools in the Spring.

Duke Blue Devils: At First Glance

For fans that need a quick primer on the Duke Blue Devils, the following information should quickly bring you up to speed.

The major national polls have ranked the Blue Devils at #5 (ESPN/USA Today) and #8 (AP). In addition, the ACC Coaches Poll projects Duke at #2 behind North Carolina.

Duke returns three starters from a year ago, but only one scholarship senior, Greg Paulus, who has been replaced at point guard by underclassman Nolan Smith after starting 95 of 103 games over his first three seasons as a Blue Devil.

The bulk of the scoring responsibilities will be handled by sophomore Kyle Singler, a 6'8" point-forward type, and junior Gerald Henderson, a 6'4" swingman. Both were double digit scorers a year ago and Singler has led the Blue Devils in each of the two contests thus far.

For more information... take a look at a team preview at CollegeHoopsNet or head directly to the official Duke Men's Basketball website.

For a closer look... the Blue Devils will tip-off against Rhode Island this Sunday at 3:30 CST on ESPNU.

Here at Salukihoops... next week we will put Duke-SIU under the microscope. Check back for daily posts leading up to Thursday night.

Jeremy Felton not signing with SIU during early period

According to sources I spoke with at Mineral Area College, Jeremy Felton does not currently have a scholarship offer from SIU, but the Salukis will continue to evaluate Felton and have left the door open for an offer in the Spring. Felton had previously given a verbal commitment to the Salukis.

Felton, a 6'7' sophomore forward, remains highly regarded for his raw physical abilities. However, his attitude and defensive presence is questionable at this point. The SIU coaching staff will need to see more evidence that Felton can develop into a complete player before they commit to him for the next two seasons.

Sources describe Felton's current play as not being anywhere near the level the Salukis are looking for. So while Southern has left the door open for a spring signing, unless Felton improves by then, it's unlikely that he's heading to Carbondale.

Photo Credit- StlToday.com

Mullins takes control, leads Salukis to victory

Stats and box scores are often used to judge a player's performance, but Mullins' performance against UMass can't be measured with numbers.

Sure, you can look at the statistics and see that Mullins had 16 points and 13 assists, but it was his relentless pressure on defense and leadership under fire that led the Salukis to victory.

The UMass offense relies on driving to the basket to make things happen. The Minutemen took advantage of slow defensive rotations by the Salukis to "skip" the ball out and get open 3's in the first half, resulting in an 11 point lead at the break, but Bryan refused to let his team lose.

Mullins fingerprint was on everything Southern did during their comeback, stealing the ball, dishing out assists, and draining clutch 3's to bring the Salukis back from the dead.

Evan after all the second half Saluki heroics, Southern trailed by 2 with 3:30 remaining in the game. Mullins then tied the score with a layup, and after a UMass turnover, hit Carlton Fay for an open three to give the Salukis a 70-67 lead that sent the Minutemen into desperation mode. Moments later it was checkmate.

Huge props go to Fay, who's going to be the #1 scorer for the Salukis this year. As great as Fay and Kevin Dillard performed in this game, it would have never been possible without the efforts of Bryan Mullins.

The SIU vs UMass game had the feel of a late season battle, in November. While attendance at SIU Arena didn't top 6k, the fans who were there were going nuts. Now the Salukis get a chance to play a top five program in the nation on a neutral floor, a rare opportunity. Check back all week for more Saluki discussion, an update on Jeremy Felton, and a look ahead to the 2k Sports Championship at Madison Square Garden.

Photo Credit- SIU Sports Information Dept

Salukis face Attack Attack Skip Attack offense

UMass head coach Derek Kellogg is in his first year at the helm after serving as an assistant at Memphis during their Final Four run last season.... and he brought the Tigers offensive scheme with him. But Kellogg didn't just bring the AASAA offense to UMass, he also brought the man who created it, Vance Walberg.

How does the Attack Attack Skip Attack Attack offense work?

The AASAA offense attempts to eliminate the old school "mid-range jumper." The emphasis on offense is to attack the rim, and if that doesn't work "skip" the ball back out to another wing player and he'll also attempt to penetrate.

Eventually the idea is to either get a clear path to the bucket or draw the defense, then hit someone on the perimeter for an open 3 or dump it to a big man.

Here's how Walberg describes his offense, "Shoot, shoot and shoot some more. It's really very simple. What we do is spread you out and attack the different gaps."

How can the Salukis stop it?

The Salukis can shut down UMass by stopping the dribble. Everything is created off the dribble in the AASAA, so Mullins and Co. will need to shut things down on the perimeter before the Minutemen can get started. The key will be to pressure Chris Lowe and Ricky Harris into making mistakes early on in a possession. You know Mullins will be up to the task, and if the other guards flank him defensively, the Salukis will move on to MSG.

You can discuss the AASAA offense or join in on the UMass vs SIU game thread at Salukitalk.

Fay drops double double, Salukis prep for UMass

Carlton Fay dropped 16 points and 11 boards in just 25 minutes of action to help the Salukis advance to face UMass for a trip to MSG. Fay could easily lead the team in scoring this season if he stays out of foul trouble (he only had 3 fouls tonight).



Kevin Dillard lived up to his reputation of dishing the basketball with a nifty assist to Tony Boyle followed by a behind the back pass to Nick Evans for an easy bucket. When asked about his fast break highlight pass to Evans, Dillard responded, "He (Evans) trailed the play, and when a big man runs the floor you gotta reward him."



Preparing for UMASS

Lowery knows this young Saluki team will see their first true test on Wednesday. "All I know is my guys better get better in the next 24 hours," said Lowery after the game.

UMass has the best athletes the Salukis have seen so far, which makes fundamental defense and ball handing even more important. Lowery addressed what the Salukis need to do to get better. "We're talking about following our game plan defensively... then taking better care of the ball at the other end," said Lowery.

Photo Credit- SIU Sports Information Dept

Examining the role of Wesley Clemmons

Wesley Clemmons entered last season with huge expectations. Coming off a Sweet 16 run the Salukis looked to Clemmons to help fill the void at guard left by then departing seniors Jamaal Tatum and Tony Young. While Clemmons did have some bright spots, including a 24 point performance against Western Kentucky, his overall average of 6 points and 3 rebounds left the Salukis lacking production at the guard spot.

What will his role be for this year’s team? The Salukis won't need as much offensive support because of their influx of depth and talent at the guard spot. Now with those additional options, Wesley can focus on taking what the defense gives him, without feeling pressure to carry the load.


After his rock solid performance against Southwest Baptist, I asked him how his role was developing. "I'm still trying to figure it out," said Clemmons. "I'm just trying to see where I stand with the year’s team. Show the (younger players) what to do and be a leader. Listen to the scouting report, listen to what coach says, and if they follow right behind me then everything will be fine."

So while Clemmons might not have a role as a premier scorer he can still be a major factor leading by example on defense. "Some nights people are going to have bad offensive games,” he said, “but you should never have a bad defensive game.”

Playing lock down defense, crashing the boards, and leading by example will be exactly what this team needs from Wesley Clemmons. If he can do all those things, not only will he set the tone for the younger players, but he’ll provide the team with the type of consistency that they’ll need to be successful.

Photo credit- SIU Sports Information Department

Can a DII program spring an upset on the Salukis?

Is it possible for a for a DII program to beat the Salukis? Of course it's possible. Is it likely to happen? Not with the level of talent that the Salukis have this year, and certainly not on the hallowed grounds of SIU Arena.

However, the current parity in college basketball has trickled down all the way to the DII ranks. Look no further than the slick shooting Southern Missouri guard (#12) Skyler Bowlin, who dropped 18 points against the Salukis on Monday night. Bowlin has serious game, and he's just a sophomore.

The Southwest Baptist team that the Salukis will face tonight will bring in considerably more talent than Missouri Southern did. While Monday night was a nice "practice game" for the Dawgs, on Thursday they will face a team poised to make a run at the DII National Championship.

Got your attention yet? If not, Bearcats center Matt Rodgers might. He's 6-11 and averaged 14.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, while leading his conference in blocked shots as a sophomore last season.

Another reason Southwest Baptist will be dangerous is because they have a roster chock full of seniors. D’Ante Harris (6-3, 15 ppg) and Nick Kovacevich (6-5 11 ppg) will join 6-10 forward John Tiemeyer in the starting lineup against Southern. This team might not have the talent level to compete with the Salukis, but they have plenty of veterans and they sure won't be giving up any size.

Southwest Baptist also benefits from netting 3 Division I transfers. Tomas Brock will run the point for the Bearcats. Brock was the backup PG for Missoui State last season. He'll share time at PG with senior, Wendell Madris, who transferred in from Alabama State. Also from the DI ranks 6-8 senior Johnnie Harris from New Mexico.

The local media in Bolivar, Missouri certainly didn't give the Salukis much props, calling them "a team moving to the NCAA Division I." (They've apparently mistaken SIU-C for SIU-E).

So is there really a possibility for an upset here? For the answer to that question you could just go ask Bryan Mullins. Flashback to Mullins' freshman year when Division II Alaska-Anchorage beat the Salukis 72-64 in the land of the midnight sun.

But this game is a home so an upset could never happen here, right? Ask Michigan State about it. It was just one year ago that Grand Valley State (ranked two spots below Southwest Baptist in this year's preseason poll) pulled off an 85-82 double overtime upset of the #8 ranked Spartans AT the Breslin Center.

All this being said, is an upset really likely to happen? Probably not. The Salukis will be running 11 deep tonight, on their homecourt, with superior talent. The Salukis simply need to cut down on the turnovers and they'll be lighting up the scoreboard all night long.

Salukis v. Southwest Baptist

The Salukis are set to take on the Southwest Baptist Bearcats Thursday night in the second and final game of the exhibition season. While the game will likely have all of the competitive zeal of a Harlem Globetrotters - Washington Generals match up, fans of SIU basketball will still have plenty to get excited about.

This game will feature our first extended look at Ryan Hare, who will be making his college basketball debut after sitting out Monday night's game for reasons unspecified by Chris Lowery.

In addition to the newcomers, the returning Salukis will be tuning up for the regular season, which begins next week. Senior point guard Bryan Mullins will look to keep the rest of the squad under control and in the process, cut down on the 34 turnovers recorded against Missouri Southern.

- Opponent Info -

Southwest Baptist is highly regarded among D-II aficionados. Preseason polls have ranked the Bearcats at #6 (Sporting News) and #12 in the nation (NABC). They return four starters and have some players with D-I experience. Matt Rogers is 6'11" and a preseason All-American.

Photo Credit- SIU Sports Information Dept

Salukis 'run' 10 deep

The Salukis had 10 guys play double digit minutes and put 82 points on the board vs Missouri Southern. It was an up-tempo pace that Saluki fans aren't used to seeing, but with the guard depth that this team has, a fast break style will play to their strengths.

Carlton Fay came out shooting, scoring 17 points in only 11 minutes of action, but tallied just one rebound. This team will need Fay to hit the boards hard when they start playing against some talented big guys. Overall, the Dawgs won the battle of the boards 57-23, but it won't be so easy when teams like UMASS come to town. Nick Evans had some awkward moments but ended up with 11 rebounds in 15 minutes.

Anthony Booker played calm and collected, for the most part, shooting 4 for 9 with 9 points and 4 rebounds. However he did commit 4 fouls in 15 minutes, something he'll have to improve on if he's going to see big time action.

Kevin Dillard looked slick in his debut. After the game he indicated that he didn't feel nervous because of the hard work that he and his teammates have put into each practice. The talent level of this freshman is through the roof, but he'll have to limit his turnovers (he had 8 tonight) and be careful not to carry the ball. The refs let him get away with at least one carry, but called him on it when he did it a second time.

Christian Cornelius looked comfortable and went for 8 points and 9 rebounds in 23 minutes of action. After the game he said he feels healthy for the first time since his knee injury.

Clemmons had a rough game and didn't seem to get into a groove at any point in the night. Ryan Hare didn't play, and Lowery did not give a reason why, but did say that Hare will play on Thursday.

This year's team looks quite a bit different than those of years past, but the talent is undoubtedly there. We'll get another chance to evaluate that new talent on Thursday night when the Dawgs play their second exhibition game of the season.

Photo Credit- SIU Sports Information Dept

Saluki basketball kicks off with tune up #1

Monday night against Missouri Southern, six new Salukis will look to get their first taste of action in a game environment at SIU Arena.

Kevin Dillard, Justin Bocot, Ryan Hare, Torres Roundtree, Nick Evans, and Anthony Booker aren't just looking for a few cleanup minutes in an exhibition game. All six of these players will be attempting to be impact players right away.

You can expect to see 11 guys get some playing time in this game, which will probably look like some form of organized chaos over 40 minutes.

Elsewhere around the net-

Jim Henry of the Joplin Globe looks back on Lowery's years as an assistant coach at Missouri Southern

At the DE, Louis Medina notes Bryan Mullins task will be to distribute the ball equally in the motion offense as well as being a defensive stopper.

At the Southern, Todd Hefferman examines Kevin Dillard's role as the point guard of the future.

MVC/MWC Challenge

The Missouri Valley and the Mountain West conference will matchup in a Big Ten/ACC challenge style showdown starting next year. This match up is basically a no-brainier for two leagues that have problems scheduling games against quality opponents.

Too bad it didn't start this year for the Salukis, who have an open spot on their schedule for the upcoming season. But what if it did start this season? What sort of games would we see? Using last seasons conference standings as a baseline here's what the match ups would have looked like this season, with last years RPI in parenthesis.

BYU (25) vs Drake (10)

UNLV (26) vs Illinois State (33)

New Mexico (59) vs SIU (62)

San Diego St (81) vs Creighton (46)

Air Force (173) vs Bradley (105)

Utah (96) vs Northern Iowa (131)

Texas Christian (198) vs Missouri State (123)

Wyoming (219) vs Indiana State (128)

Colorado St (265) vs Wichita State (199)

As you can see by looking at the RPI, these teams are pretty even at the top. Towards the bottom, the MVC shows more depth than the MWC, so I'd have to say the Missouri Valley will be the favorites.

Will the Valley dominate the way the ACC has owned the Big Ten? It's to soon to tell if that will happen, but for now the Salukis can add one more quality non-conference opponent to their slate for next season.

Saluki basketball tickets remain in high demand

Saluki Athletics issued a press release this week saying that season tickets sales have reached and all-time high of 4,744 tickets.

This is good news for a program that is coming off an 18-15 campaign, which resulted in an NIT bid. Fans seem to be excited by the talented recruiting class and that's no doubt one of the reasons behind the increase. Also, "Big Dawg" seating, which offers two additional inches of space in the bleachers, has been a big draw.

The #1 complaint I hear about seating at SIU Arena is how uncomfortable the bleachers are. If the comfort level of the bleachers are improved when the Arena is renovated (padded bleachers w/seat backs) I could see season tickets sales crushing the current record.

SIU Athletic Director Mario Moccia address this question in one of his past "Ask the AD" mailbags.

Will the bleacher seating in the renovated arena at least be padded and have back rests? Also, will we get the bleachers that have the "walk ways" to the seats enclosed, so we don't have to worry about children falling through the gaps as we do today?

We are not to the point to finalizing this yet. We are attempting to get as many seats into the arena as possible, and this is why the upper level will have some bleachers seats. Chairbacks reduce the seating capacity of the arena. We will try to make the bleacher seats as comfortable possible, and I know they will be much better than what currently exists. The upper level will be a continuous permanent seating area, so there will be no gaps for anyone to fall through. I know exactly what you are referring to, and it is a bit unnerving.

Here are some sketches of what the Arena would look like after the renovation. If these sketches are accurate, the old barn is in for quite an improvement.



Speaking of mailbags, if you have questions for the staff at salukihoops.com, send them in. Our email address is salukihoops@gmail.com.

Maroon Madness Dunk Contest Video

Mullins, Dillard, and Roundtree talk Saluki Hoops

Roundtree and Dillard


Bryan Mullins

Notes from Saluki interviews

The Salukis talked with the media on Monday, answering questions about the upcoming season. Below are some notes from those conversations. Check back later this week to listen to audio interviews with Bryan Mullins, Torres Roundtree, and Kevin Dillard.

Justin Bocot- When I asked Bocot about why he chose SIU, he said the Saluki coaches were in on him early and that was a major factor in his decision. This was a common answer from first year players, and shows that Lowery and his staff are doing a great job of identifying talented players early.

Bocot said he worked on getting physically stronger over the last year. He's confident in his jump shot and ability to get to the hole; while listing defense and boxing out bigger players as areas that he is working to improve.

Ryan Hare- Decided to come to SIU because he felt the Salukis played the type of physical basketball that he wanted to play, and he also wanted to stay fairly close to home. Hare says he is comfortable playing anywhere on the court but sees himself playing mostly the "2" or "3" positions at SIU.

Wesley Clemmons- Admitted the Salukis were short on guard depth last season, but said that will not be an excuse this season. Clemmons says that if players are tired they'll come out of the game and there will be another talented player ready to come in and play hard. Clemmons feels that all everyone is getting along well, and that the team will be able to do a good job playing together early, even with all new additions.

Anthony Booker- When asked about why he chose SIU, Booker said he was a "late bloomer" but Lowery was in on him before he was recruited by others and that was a big reason why he became a Saluki. Booker admitted that other schools tried to coax him away from Southern, but he was already confident that he had made a good decision.

Booker was glad to have the experience of matching up with bigger players in Canada, and feels that the young players are all better prepared because of it.

Check back later this week to listen to Bryan Mullins talk about his new role on the team, and hear Kevin Dillard and Torres Roundtree talk about their first impressions of Saluki basketball.

The '08 Saluki schedule and the 2k Sports Classic

Finally, the Coaches vs. Cancer 2k Sports Classic teams have been announced. Per Dawg Tracker SIU will play Division II California (Pa.) at home in the opening round on November 11th. After winning that game (yes, I'm already predicting a blowout) they'll play UMass with a trip to semi-finals at Madison Square Garden on the line. All games in New York will be televised on ESPN2.

Getting to play a home game against a quality program like UMass is a major benefit of playing in the 2K Sports Classic. The Minutemen come in at #57 on the college hoops net pre-season rankings.

On the flip side, the Salukis had previously scheduled California (Pa.) on Nov. 16th but apparently the 2k Sports people could not find another team to come play in Carbondale. So to accommodate the tournament organizers the game was changed to a first round tournament game. I get the feeling the 2k Sports folks ran into the same problem that the Salukis have every year- teams don't want to come to SIU Arena because they know they'll probably get beat.

Now the Salukis are a short a home game, and it's getting pretty late in the year to get something else setup. Maybe the coaching staff has a trick up their sleeve, but I'd be surprised if the Salukis can get a quality opponent to come to SIU Arena on this late of notice.

The process of creating a schedule in NCAA basketball is no easy task and is often misunderstood. Here are a few of the basic guidelines as I understand them.

NCAA rules allow teams to play up to 33 games, not including conference tournament or NCAA tournament games. Teams can schedule less than 33 games but it's obviously advantageous to play as many games as possible.

Teams can play two exhibition games. The Salukis will use these games as home game tune-ups against DII competition.

Teams can play up to 4 games in an exempt tournament. That's the 2k sports classic this year. As long as they make it to New York they'll play the max total of 4 games. Evan if they fall in the semis, there is a 3rd place game in this tournament.

That puts the number of remaining regular season games at 27.

18 of those 27 games are conference games leaving SIU with 9 non-conference games to play this season. It's important to get high quality teams in these games to build a high RPI but it's also important to get some home games to generate revenue.

Two of these remaining 9 games are the Bracket Buster, the Wooden Classic (vs St. Mary's).

That left SIU with the flexibility to schedule 7 more games against opponents of their choice. So far 6 of those spots are filled. There are 3 homes games against St. Louis, Charlotte, and Western Michigan; and 3 road games at Western Kentucky, Northern Illinois, and Nevada.

The California (Pa.) game was originally scheduled for Nov. 16th but is now an empty space. If this game isn't replaced and the dawgs were to (gasp) get beat by UMass on Nov. 12th they would have a two week stretch in the middle of November where they would not play a basketball game. So while this game doesn't have to be replaced it would be nice to give this young team another home game, as well as additional game experience before potentially taking on Duke, UCLA, or Michigan at MSG.

SIU Basketball Recuiting Spotlight- Phillip Jackson

With the class of '09 squared away, Chris Lowery and co. can turn their full attention the recruiting class of 2010. The '10 class is widely regarded as a strong class for big men, and the Salukis will be in the market for at least one post player. Currently on the Saluki radar is 6'8' forward Phillip Jackson.

Jackson has already gained a reputation as a high energy player with loads of athleticism. Not only does he run the floor and rebound, but he's also shown the ability to knock down a jump shot. Jackson raised his stock this summer while playing AAU ball for the Mac Irvin Fire. He'll look to continue his development this season playing for Providence St. Mel high school in Chicago.

Jackson profiles as a bit of a late bloomer, so it could be a while before he makes his decision. He currently has offers from Southern Illinois and Indiana State, but he's also receiving interest from Illinois, Kentucky, and Depaul. If Jackson has a huge season for Providence St. Mel, some big name coaches could try to swoop in and attempt to land him.

It's too early to call the Salukis the favorite but they do have two major factors in their favor. The first being that Lowery has shown in the past that when he gets in on a recuit early he can keep them even after the major conference schools come calling (see Booker, Anthony). Another huge factor is new Saluki assistant coach Lance Irvin. Irvin has earned a reputaion as an outstanding recruiter and his father runs Jackson's AAU team, the Mac Irvin Fire.

Talking Saluki Hoops on 91.1FM

Check out a clip from the Sunday Sports Review w/Mark Bausch of stlsports.com.

You can listen to the Sunday Sports Review at 10a.m. on 91.1 FM or listen online.

WDBX is listener supported so if you enjoy the Sunday Sports Review you can contribute by making a secure paypal donation online.

The '09 Saluki recruiting class and Jeremy Felton

Saluki fans have been asking for a JUCO big man all year, and Chris Lowery has delivered just that with 6-foot-7 forward Jeremy Felton. So who is Jeremy Felton? I spoke with one of his former coaches this week to get a better feel for what kind of player the Salukis will be getting. Here are some thoughts.

-A very athletic kid, hops are described as "ridiculous"

-Outside jumper needs work, but the Salukis won't be asking him to shoot outside of his comfort zone anyway. However, his JUCO coach Corey Tate recently told bnd.com "he's sharpened up a lot of skills he had as far as shooting the ball and running the floor, being more than a dunker."

-He's been listed at various heights, but he's either 6-7 or a very solid 6-6

-Felton's defense in high school was not great, but he has the talent to be a plus defender if he buys in to Lowery's system.

-He transfered around all 3 Belleville area high schools (also played for Love-Joy as an 8th grader) so some might assume that he has attitude problems, this does not appear to be the case. Felton was described to me as a "yes sir, no sir" type kid.


It's difficult to recruit two strong classes in a row, because most kids don't want to come to SIU and sit on the bench or redshirt. After assembling a blue chip class in '08, recruiting the same caliber players two years in a row was going to be a challenge. That being said, Felton is exactly the type of player that Lowery needed to add to the '09 class. With Tony Boyle set to graduate, Felton has the talent and physical attributes to come in as a junior play a role off the bench.

The addition of Felton takes a lot of pressure off 6-8 recruit Jordan Meyers who profiles as a bit of a project. The Salukis should have the low post covered next season with senior Christian Cornelius, juniors Carlton Fay and Jeremy Felton, and sophomores Nick Evans and Anthony Booker.

To round out the '09 class the Salukis already have a verbal from PG Kendal Brown but could still use a pure 3 point shooter to replace Josh Bone. Drew Barham a 6-6 shooting guard from Memphis, TN could fill that need (click here to watch video of Barham repeatedly knocking down open 3's). Southern will once again be in a recruiting battle with Miami-OH along with Stanford, Davidson, Belmont, St. Josephs, and Butler also vying for Barham's services.

Update- Barham has given a verbal commitment to SIU.

Photo Credit- stltoday.com and rivals.com

Rumor Confirmed- Josh Bone leaves Salukis

The rumor that Joshua Bone has left the team is now official.

Bone was one of the few Salukis that didn't fare well on the Canada trip. In the three games played he went 1-13 shooting for a combined total of 4 points. He fouled out in 18 minutes during the first game, and only played 11 minutes in the next two.

Bone probably should have been red shirted his freshman year, after missing the first 9 games of the season due to injury. However, the Salukis were in the midst of a Sweet 16 run and it's understandable that the coaches wanted to have some additional depth at the guard position in case they needed it.

As a sophomore Bone averaged 8.1 points in 27 minutes per game. It's likely that he would have seen a sharp decrease in playing time as a junior with the arrival of Kevin Dillard, Torres Roundtree, Justin Bocot, and Ryan Hare. There wouldn't have been much of an increased opening for playing time his senior season either, with Iowa transfer Tony Freeman waiting in the wings.

As far as career highlights go Bone hit 5 of 6 from three point range in a win over Miss St last season. He also scored a career high 19 points against Butler, and followed that with a 17 point performance helping SIU to a 79-71 win over Missouri St.

In his Saluki tenure Bone showed tremendous shooting potential as well as weakness defending against the dribble. Also, in my opinion he was a pretty nice kid. No word yet on where Bone will play next but he'll likely have to sit out two full semesters after transferring. In addition to SIU, Bone was recruited by UNC-Wilmington, Arkansas St., Bradley, George Mason, and Miami-OH.

Photo Credit- SIU Sports Information Dept.

SIU Basketball talk on 91.1 FM

Listen in on a clip from the Sunday Sports Review on 91.1 WDBX. Saluki Basketball is discussed.

Lowery talks about Canada trip

Chris Lowery answered questions Thursday about the team's recent trip to Canada. Below are some of the topics that were covered along with some of my thoughts on this years team.

-The level of competition the Salukis went up against was strong, the team got to face 6-8 and 6-10 big guys and also gained experience defending against a disciplined Princeton offense.

- Dillard, Bocot, and Hare, all spent time at point guard during the trip and Lowery was happy with their play. Also, Bryan Mullins was extremely pleased that he didn't have to bring the ball up the court every time.

-After taking most of the summer off to rest his injured foot, Mullins was rusty on offense but Lowery described him as a "nightmare" for opponents defensively. The increased depth allowed Mullins to stay fresh, roam the floor, and he was able to get more steals as a result.

-The depth of this team looks to be a huge strength and Lowery sounds like he plans on staying with a deep rotation even when the regular season begins. If the Salukis are going to give 10 or more guys regular playing time I would expect to see an aggressive full court defense that will wear down the opposition. In my opinion the biggest challenge of playing so many guys will be establishing roles on offense and teaching the young players how to play hard without fouling. If those issues can be addressed other teams in the Valley will have their hands full.

-With 5 big men on the roster (Boyle, Fay, Booker, Evans, Cornelius) Lowery has no plans of playing a 4-guard lineup this season.

-Roundtree was cleared to play yesterday, and while he could have played in Canada the coaching staff decided to rest him and make sure that he was completely healthy. This was a good decision by the staff, but with a crowed backcourt it will be interesting to see if this will affect how much playing time Roundtree will be able to earn. Can Lowery really find playing time for 7 guards? edit 9/7 These things do have a way of working out, and I can easily see the Salukis playing a 6 guard lineup this season.

-Carlton Fay did some great things on the trip and Lowery feels that last season Fay did too much to try to "blend in" with Shaw and Falker and as a result didn't play up to his full potential. Fay stepped up big time in the final moments against Western Ontario hitting two 3's and grabbing two rebounds in the final minutes of a close win.

-Blocking out and rebounding is the area that needs the most improvement. Lowery feels that if this team can do a good job on the boards then they'll be able open things up in transition.

Photos- Credit SIU Sports Information Department

Kelly still an '09 option for Salukis

Update- 9-1-2008, Kelly is heading to Miami, OH. This is a good pull for the RedHawks. Speaking of Miami, OH they may make sense as a future opponent for the Salukis. Last season the RedHawks finished with an RPI of 73, the Salukis finished with an RPI of 62.

How important is coaching continuity to recruiting? 6-7 forward Drew Kelly was on his way to Western Kentucky before their coach, Darrin Horn, departed for South Carolina. "I would have gone there for sure" said Kelly. As of right now Kelly doesn't have an offer from the new WKU staff and Horn doesn't have a scholarship open for him and South Carolina.

What does that mean for the Salukis? With Tony Boyle scheduled to graduate after this season, the Dawgs have a strong need for a big man to compliment Booker, Fay, and Evans. Unfortunately the '09 class for big men is not particularly deep. While it appears that Mike Broghammer is heading elsewhere Kelly could fill a need the Salukis while giving himself a good opportunity to play right away on a winning team.

A two sport athlete from Franklin, Tennessee; Kelly also has football offers from Louisville, Vanderbilt, and Memphis but says he would prefer to play on the hardwood at the college level.

Kelly has said he likes SIU, but Miami of Ohio, Notre Dame and Iowa are also in pursuit. It's too early to tell if he'll choose Southern Illinois, but when you combine Kelly's strength in defense and rebounding with the Floorburn U style of play there's no doubt he'd look good in the Maroon and White.

Going Pro- Matt Shaw signs with Spanish league

Matt Shaw is headed to the Canary Islands to play professionally in the Spanish league. WSIL is reporting that it's a one year deal worth 40k.

Shaw's size combined with his ability to shoot the three is a big reason that he was given the opportunity to play at the next level. Once the Spanish league season starts I'll try post a few updates on how Shaw is doing. The next question is when will Randal Falker sign a pro deal?

Salukis get verbal from '09 PG Kendal Brown

Chris Lowery landed his first '09 verbal on Tuesday. Kendal Brown, a PG from Lowery's old stomping grounds, Harrison High School in Evansville, Indiana. Brown wasn't heavily recruited by major schools but that doesn't mean he can't have a big impact for the Salukis. Averaging 15 points and 5 assists as a junior, Brown has shown the quickness and athleticism necessary to succeed at the next level.

Looking ahead to the '09 class, Kevin Dillard will be a sophomore and Tony Freeman will begin play as a 5th year senior. Unless there is an injury to Dillard or Freeman it would probably make sense to redshirt Brown, but that decision is still a long way off. For now it's good to see the '09 class shaping up and with the point guard position squared away, Lowery can now focus on landing a big man for '09. Mike Broghammer and Drew Kelly are two likely targets.

Tony Freeman to SIU

Iowa's leading scorer and 3rd team All Big Ten guard Tony Freeman is heading to SIU. Freeman will have to sit out a season, but he will certainly help soften the blow of Bryan Mullins impending graduation after next year. Freeman will have one year of eligibility remaining for the Salukis. More to come...

Salukis add another guard for '08

A team that was lacking in guard depth last season shouldn't have any problems in that department next season. Adding to an already deep '08 class the Salukis have apparently received a verbal commitment from all-state guard Ryan Hare.

Hare originally committed to Oregon State, but now intends to sign with SIU once the spring signing period begins.

Reports on Hare indicate that he is a strong defender who attacks the basket and features a college ready frame. If he's as strong as advertised he shouldn't need a redshirt and could conceivably compete for minutes right away.

The Coaching Carousel

It's that time of the year again, when the final buzzer sounds and coaches from around the country put up "for sale" signs in their front yards and leave their respective jobs for greener pastures.

With the Salukis having so much success over the past few seasons it's only natural that Chris Lowery would be a target for other schools who are looking to pay top dollar for his services.

This year is no different- rumors have linked Lowery to Oklahoma State if the Cowboys can't land Bill Self. At this point it appears to be mostly speculation, but Saluki fans have been conditioned to major conference schools taking an interest in their head coach.

As long as the Salukis are successful there will always be a program on the prowl that can afford to offer more money to a head coach than SIU can afford to match. Such is life in Southern Illinois.

The Salukis have built a rock solid program despite falling victim to the coaching carousel, and have responded by signing Chris Lowery to a competitive long term contract. So should Saluki fans fret over rumors of Lowery's departure? A coaching change would certainly present a new set of challenges for the program, but life would go on.

Will Lowery actually leave? I doubt it, but no one really knows for sure. What I do know is that as long as SIU has a top 25 caliber team this conversation will be a yearly occurrence, and for Saluki fans thats a nice problem to have.