This is by far the most interesting non-conference schedule that the Salukis have played in the Barry Hinson era.
Traveling to Kentucky to start the season will be an adventure for an SIU team that brings back 6 seniors from last years squad. So it makes sense to go play the best pay game you can get in the Midwest. How much will the Salukis get to play 40 minutes at Rupp Arena? Details have not been released by 75 to 100k would be my guess. Either way the Salukis just need to play this one reasonably close and the RPI and Strength of Schedule bump will be worth it.
What's up with the Wildcats this year? Check the quote below from CBS sports and you'll see Kentucky is locked and loaded with talent.
"Two of the top five scorers -- specifically PJ Washington and Quade Green -- are back from a team that advanced to the Sweet 16. Plus, graduate-transfer Reid Travis has committed. Plus, the nation's No. 2 recruiting class -- that improved in June when five-star point guard Ashton Hagans reclassified -- is set to enroll. So the Wildcats, on paper, look like the nation's best team"
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Saturday, November 03, 2012
2012 Salukis ranked #138 by ESPN
The Salukis are ranked #138 overall by ESPN the Magazine for 2012. This ranking seems a bit high to me but I would take the following factors into consideration.
1) The transfer of Desmar Jackson- This guy is a serious baller and SIU gets some credit for adding this level of player to their roster.
2) Coaching Change- Barry Henson may not have the "big name" appeal but he did come from Kansas and someone from the East Coast Sports Network probably noticed that a changing of the guard at SIU is a good thing.
3) Fond Memories- ESPN writers probably remember the Saluki teams that were on national TV playing that rugged lock down defense and decided that this is a top 150 team
4) Ignorance is bliss- These writers don't have time to put every NCAA team under the microscope and the recent brutal injury problems were not a factor in this ranking.
All this being said if this team lives up to this #138 ranking this season I think most Saluki fans would pleasantly surprised.
1) The transfer of Desmar Jackson- This guy is a serious baller and SIU gets some credit for adding this level of player to their roster.
2) Coaching Change- Barry Henson may not have the "big name" appeal but he did come from Kansas and someone from the East Coast Sports Network probably noticed that a changing of the guard at SIU is a good thing.
3) Fond Memories- ESPN writers probably remember the Saluki teams that were on national TV playing that rugged lock down defense and decided that this is a top 150 team
4) Ignorance is bliss- These writers don't have time to put every NCAA team under the microscope and the recent brutal injury problems were not a factor in this ranking.
All this being said if this team lives up to this #138 ranking this season I think most Saluki fans would pleasantly surprised.
Thursday, November 01, 2012
Shutterhut Photo Booth
If you are looking to add some fun to your Party or Event then I would recommend getting a Photo Booth from Shutter Hut Photo Booth. I booked this photo booth for our Wedding and our guests LOVED IT!
This is a Southern Illinois company that does events for birthday parties, weddings, Prom nights, and other events. They are pretty reasonably priced and it's cool because you get to save a copy of all the crazy pictures that were taken, lol.... Anyway, if your looking to add fun to an event in Southern Illinois area check 'em out at http://shutterhutpb.com/
This is a Southern Illinois company that does events for birthday parties, weddings, Prom nights, and other events. They are pretty reasonably priced and it's cool because you get to save a copy of all the crazy pictures that were taken, lol.... Anyway, if your looking to add fun to an event in Southern Illinois area check 'em out at http://shutterhutpb.com/
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Follow Saluki Hoops on Twitter
Follow Saluki Hoops on Twitter- http://twitter.com/salukihoops
Or check back here for updates- check the right hand side bar for the latest news
Or check back here for updates- check the right hand side bar for the latest news
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Notes from SIU Media Day
Chris Lowery addressed the media on Wednesday and had the following things to say:
- Lowery is confident that the team will get back to playing the way they want to play.
- The team is much more committed in the weight room, and everyone's commitment level is higher this year.
- He'd like to get back to a ball control style of offense.
- The new facilities have helped in recruiting, and it feels more like a home court.
- Working out with the football team was impressive to the basketball players because the football team was not just talking about winning a conference championship but a national championship.
- The current players want to do what's right and this group of players has not complained about the work they've done so far.
- Lowery says the biggest area of improvement will be defense and he says that during the last two years he watched other teams do the tough things while his team just complained, and that it's not going to be that way this year.
- The biggest adjustment that the coaching staff has made is to talk about Saluki 'culture' as much as possible. He went on to say that they have been ashamed of the 'culture' that was created during the past two seasons because they didn't have the personnel to play the way they wanted to play.
- He said it's very difficult to convince players who don't think that what you're doing can win games, which is crazy to him because that's why those players came to SIU in the first place. Lowery says he has no hard feelings towards the people who are not here any longer, that he's moved on and has guys who want to wear the SIU jersey and in the past when he's had guys who want to wear the jersey they've been successful.
- There is not an obvious vocal leader on this team, but the team has seen a lot of players leading by example in practice.
- The biggest on-court question is who will play in certain situations. The team has a lot of utility guys, like Seck and Freeman, who can do a lot of different things, but the #1 thing is that the players will play defense and that is what will ultimately determine playing time.
- Lowery expects to rotate 9 or 10 guys, so they can play the style of basketball they want to play. He said the team will not just be picking up defensively at half court anymore.
- The coaching staff has challenged Teague to show improvement physically and he has embraced that challenge. His mile time is down almost 4 minutes from last year and he weighed in at 288 a few days ago, which is down from 310 at this time last year.
- The team will not run a lot of sets this year and will focus on running the motion offense. There will be lineups where Fay plays as a 5 and Seck plays as a 4, because Seck's defense will make that possible.
- Lowery is not sure if he will redshirt Devonte Drinkard or not. Drinkard is still 17 years old and will not be 18 until April. However, his body is very mature and he is making Teague work in the paint.
(EDITORS NOTE- Drinkard is listed as being born on April 11, 1992 which would make him 18 years old. I'm not sure why Lowery is saying that he's 17 unless there is an error on his listed date of birth)
- Lowery is confident that the team will get back to playing the way they want to play.
- The team is much more committed in the weight room, and everyone's commitment level is higher this year.
- He'd like to get back to a ball control style of offense.
- The new facilities have helped in recruiting, and it feels more like a home court.
- Working out with the football team was impressive to the basketball players because the football team was not just talking about winning a conference championship but a national championship.
- The current players want to do what's right and this group of players has not complained about the work they've done so far.
- Lowery says the biggest area of improvement will be defense and he says that during the last two years he watched other teams do the tough things while his team just complained, and that it's not going to be that way this year.
- The biggest adjustment that the coaching staff has made is to talk about Saluki 'culture' as much as possible. He went on to say that they have been ashamed of the 'culture' that was created during the past two seasons because they didn't have the personnel to play the way they wanted to play.
- He said it's very difficult to convince players who don't think that what you're doing can win games, which is crazy to him because that's why those players came to SIU in the first place. Lowery says he has no hard feelings towards the people who are not here any longer, that he's moved on and has guys who want to wear the SIU jersey and in the past when he's had guys who want to wear the jersey they've been successful.
- There is not an obvious vocal leader on this team, but the team has seen a lot of players leading by example in practice.
- The biggest on-court question is who will play in certain situations. The team has a lot of utility guys, like Seck and Freeman, who can do a lot of different things, but the #1 thing is that the players will play defense and that is what will ultimately determine playing time.
- Lowery expects to rotate 9 or 10 guys, so they can play the style of basketball they want to play. He said the team will not just be picking up defensively at half court anymore.
- The coaching staff has challenged Teague to show improvement physically and he has embraced that challenge. His mile time is down almost 4 minutes from last year and he weighed in at 288 a few days ago, which is down from 310 at this time last year.
- The team will not run a lot of sets this year and will focus on running the motion offense. There will be lineups where Fay plays as a 5 and Seck plays as a 4, because Seck's defense will make that possible.
- Lowery is not sure if he will redshirt Devonte Drinkard or not. Drinkard is still 17 years old and will not be 18 until April. However, his body is very mature and he is making Teague work in the paint.
(EDITORS NOTE- Drinkard is listed as being born on April 11, 1992 which would make him 18 years old. I'm not sure why Lowery is saying that he's 17 unless there is an error on his listed date of birth)
Sunday, August 29, 2010
2011 PF Dantiel Daniels verbals to SIU
Dantiel Daniels, a 6'5" 225lb forward out of the St. Louis area (Wentzville Holt High School), has given a verbal to SIU for the 2011 class.
Daniels has been dominating bigger players on the AAU circuit this summer, and may end up being closer to 6'6" or 6'7" once he gets on campus.
Honestly, Saluki fans should be glad that he's not two inches taller right now because he probably wouldn't have given a verbal to SIU this early if the high major schools didn't consider him a touch undersized.
It's impossible to project how Daniels' college career will unfold, but at first glance this appears be a low risk recruit who will at the very least be able to play the post and rebound against good forwards in the MVC. Check out the quick video of Daniels below.
This is the second verbal of the 2011 class for Lowery. The first commitment came from Treg Setty, a 6'8" PF that is considered one of the top players in the state of Kentucky. I have to say it's refreshing to see SIU get back to recruiting more high school players and less JUCO quick-fixes.
One more 2011 roster spot remains for Lowery and he has some flexibility, but I would recommend grabbing the best available guard. Will Sullivan is a SG out of York (Elmhurst) and is rumored be a target, but he visited Miami-Ohio last week and may wait 'til Spring to decide. I think he's hoping for an offer from Wisconsin or other Big Ten schools, but he'd fit SIU like a glove.
In the meantime Derrick Marks, a strong 6'2" shooter from Plainfield Central (IL), is planning an official visit to Carbondale on September 17th. Marks also has visits scheduled with Boise State and Colorado State among others, but if Lowery can get him to cancel those trips and give an early verbal then it would be clutch. Things could always change, but for a team coming off a 15-15 season, I'd have to say that the 2011 recruiting class is shaping up much better than I expected.
Daniels has been dominating bigger players on the AAU circuit this summer, and may end up being closer to 6'6" or 6'7" once he gets on campus.
Honestly, Saluki fans should be glad that he's not two inches taller right now because he probably wouldn't have given a verbal to SIU this early if the high major schools didn't consider him a touch undersized.
It's impossible to project how Daniels' college career will unfold, but at first glance this appears be a low risk recruit who will at the very least be able to play the post and rebound against good forwards in the MVC. Check out the quick video of Daniels below.
This is the second verbal of the 2011 class for Lowery. The first commitment came from Treg Setty, a 6'8" PF that is considered one of the top players in the state of Kentucky. I have to say it's refreshing to see SIU get back to recruiting more high school players and less JUCO quick-fixes.
One more 2011 roster spot remains for Lowery and he has some flexibility, but I would recommend grabbing the best available guard. Will Sullivan is a SG out of York (Elmhurst) and is rumored be a target, but he visited Miami-Ohio last week and may wait 'til Spring to decide. I think he's hoping for an offer from Wisconsin or other Big Ten schools, but he'd fit SIU like a glove.
In the meantime Derrick Marks, a strong 6'2" shooter from Plainfield Central (IL), is planning an official visit to Carbondale on September 17th. Marks also has visits scheduled with Boise State and Colorado State among others, but if Lowery can get him to cancel those trips and give an early verbal then it would be clutch. Things could always change, but for a team coming off a 15-15 season, I'd have to say that the 2011 recruiting class is shaping up much better than I expected.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
CHN ranks Salukis #127 in nation and #6 in MVC
Joel Welser at College Hoops Net has his list of top 144 teams out and SIU comes in at #127.
CHN also ranks the Salukis #6 in the MVC which I think is a pretty fair guess. However, it's much more difficult to predict the Salukis this year because of the sheer volume of newcomers.
Key Losses are identified as Booker, Dillard, Evans, and Tony Freeman. However, he's quick to point out that this may be a case of addition by subtraction. (I would like to note that Tony Freeman was a team-first player and I would love to add a player just like him any time)
In his final CHN projection Welser thinks that the Salukis can exceed expectations if they improve their team defense and ultimately predicts a post-season invite to the CBI/CIT. While Kool-aid drinkers and boobirds may think this prediction is too optimistic or too pessimistic, I think it's right in line with what we all should expect to see this season.
In my view I think the Salukis will be leaning heavily on Mykel Cleveland at the PG spot and he'll need to play 20+ minutes of quality basketball if the Salukis want to beat this projection. If Mamadou Seck becomes an impact player then 18+ wins and an NIT bid is the new projection.
I also predict that John Freeman will be a starter and play at a high level, but the Salukis will need Jack Crowder to re-discover his scoring stroke to complement Freeman's strong defensive play.
Bench points can be hard to come by but if Crowder, Long, Watson, and Seck can all pitch-in off the bench the Salukis will be deep enough to finish in the top half of the conference or better. If this team gets hit by injuries or a few of these JUCO's flake out, then it might not be pretty.
Saluki Hoops Starting Lineup Predictions (minutes per game)
PG- Mykel Cleavland, Jr (22)
SG- Justin Bocot, Jr (26)
SF- John Freeman, Sr (18)
PF- Carlton Fay, Sr (27)
C- Gene Teague- So (24)
Bench Predictions-
PG- Kendal Brown-Surles, SO (21)
SG- Troy Long, Jr (9)
SF- Jack Crowder, Sr (11)
F- Ernest Watson, Jr (12)
F- Mamadou Seck, Jr (20)
PF- Nate Mitchell, Sr (6)
C- Jordan Myers, Fr (4)
Diamond Taylor**
Davante Drinkard***
**-DT will be sitting out 1st semester due to transfer rules, but he should be ready to play double digit minutes right away once he's eligible
***-I'm predicting a redshirt year for Drinkard
These are just pre-season predictions so obviously these minutes can, and probably will change. We'll be talking in more detail about all the newcomers, and all topics surrounding Saluki basketball more as the season draws near. In the meantime follow the Saluki Hoops Twitter Feed for instant updates.
CHN also ranks the Salukis #6 in the MVC which I think is a pretty fair guess. However, it's much more difficult to predict the Salukis this year because of the sheer volume of newcomers.
Key Losses are identified as Booker, Dillard, Evans, and Tony Freeman. However, he's quick to point out that this may be a case of addition by subtraction. (I would like to note that Tony Freeman was a team-first player and I would love to add a player just like him any time)
In his final CHN projection Welser thinks that the Salukis can exceed expectations if they improve their team defense and ultimately predicts a post-season invite to the CBI/CIT. While Kool-aid drinkers and boobirds may think this prediction is too optimistic or too pessimistic, I think it's right in line with what we all should expect to see this season.
In my view I think the Salukis will be leaning heavily on Mykel Cleveland at the PG spot and he'll need to play 20+ minutes of quality basketball if the Salukis want to beat this projection. If Mamadou Seck becomes an impact player then 18+ wins and an NIT bid is the new projection.
I also predict that John Freeman will be a starter and play at a high level, but the Salukis will need Jack Crowder to re-discover his scoring stroke to complement Freeman's strong defensive play.
Bench points can be hard to come by but if Crowder, Long, Watson, and Seck can all pitch-in off the bench the Salukis will be deep enough to finish in the top half of the conference or better. If this team gets hit by injuries or a few of these JUCO's flake out, then it might not be pretty.
Saluki Hoops Starting Lineup Predictions (minutes per game)
PG- Mykel Cleavland, Jr (22)
SG- Justin Bocot, Jr (26)
SF- John Freeman, Sr (18)
PF- Carlton Fay, Sr (27)
C- Gene Teague- So (24)
Bench Predictions-
PG- Kendal Brown-Surles, SO (21)
SG- Troy Long, Jr (9)
SF- Jack Crowder, Sr (11)
F- Ernest Watson, Jr (12)
F- Mamadou Seck, Jr (20)
PF- Nate Mitchell, Sr (6)
C- Jordan Myers, Fr (4)
Diamond Taylor**
Davante Drinkard***
**-DT will be sitting out 1st semester due to transfer rules, but he should be ready to play double digit minutes right away once he's eligible
***-I'm predicting a redshirt year for Drinkard
These are just pre-season predictions so obviously these minutes can, and probably will change. We'll be talking in more detail about all the newcomers, and all topics surrounding Saluki basketball more as the season draws near. In the meantime follow the Saluki Hoops Twitter Feed for instant updates.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Saluki Hoops Podcast 8/16
Here's a 12 minute podcast about the Salukis out of conference schedule, the first home game vs Northeastern, and more.
If there is something you'd like to hear on a future podcast or if you'd like to call in and join a future show, just leave a comment below or email salukihoops@gmail.com
Click here to listen!
If there is something you'd like to hear on a future podcast or if you'd like to call in and join a future show, just leave a comment below or email salukihoops@gmail.com
Click here to listen!
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Competitive scheduling from an MVC prospective
The Salukis constantly face challenges putting together a quality schedule. The idea is to ticket up with NCAA tournament caliber teams that you have a chance to beat, and also get a few of those premium match-ups on your home floor. However, getting both of those tasks done can be difficult for any MVC team.
Mid-major teams have to get their RPI up if they want a chance at an at large bid. There are a few ways to do that. The most conventional way to do that is to schedule games against other quality mid-major teams; the Salukis have done that in the past with games vs Western Kentucky, St. Louis, Saint Mary's and others.
The bracketbuster can also help if you are playing well enough to get a good opponent. The Salukis scored a game vs nationally ranked Butler a few years back and got a return game at SIU Arena for the next season. On the flipside if you aren't playing well then you'll get a poor bracketbuster matchup and most likely an undesirable return game the next season.
Another route is taking a "one and done" vs a major conference opponent, playing an away game without getting a return visit. The upside is that major conference teams will often pay schools like SIU for these "one and dones". The Salukis will get $80,000 for their visit to University of Illinois this season.
Paul Suellenthrop of The Wichita Eagle asked RPI guru Jerry Palm about the subject of mid-major scheduling and Palms says to be careful about scheduling road games with no return matchup. "Teams don't grab one of the 34 (now 37) at-large spots by playing the role of road loser."
Later in the article Sullenthrop gets MVC commish Doug Elgin's take who says- "We can't lose sight as a league of the importance of getting NCAA-caliber teams to play in our arenas".
Then in a related blog post, he digs a bit deeper looking at scheduling from a WSU prospepective. Check out the blog for yourself, but here are some interesting notes that also apply to SIU.
-Most of those at-large teams play in tournaments, play high-profile teams at neutral sites, play home-and-homes with BCS schools when possible and play other mid-level opponents.
-When thinking about scheduling, repeat this over and over: Coaches want to win. Road teams lose.
-Bradley coach Jim Les said the MVC-MWC challenge is good deal. However, he said the BCS conferences in challenge series cuts down on the number of those schools willing to go on the road. If Auburn is forced to go to Rutgers, it often isn’t looking for another difficult game.
The Salukis staff did a nice job getting a neutral site game vs Prudue this year. It's a game in which SIU will be a huge underdog but it's hard to complain about getting a high profile game at a neutral site. In addition they'll also get Wright State or Richmond in the same tournament. If the Salukis can go at least 1-1 in these games they'll get media exposure, a higher strength of schedule and an RPI boost.
It's never going to be easy for SIU to put together an at-large bid caliber schedule but I think I would have rather seen the Salukis take a 2 for 1 deal with U of I so they could get the Illini on their home court at least once. Another home and home series with Butler would be nice, but may not be a possibility now with the recent success of the Bulldogs.
Moral of the story- getting quality home games has to be the top priority for Lowery and his staff. Getting more good teams like Butler, WKU, and an occasional major conference team like Indiana to the revamped Arena will be critical for this team to return to a level of prominence.
Mid-major teams have to get their RPI up if they want a chance at an at large bid. There are a few ways to do that. The most conventional way to do that is to schedule games against other quality mid-major teams; the Salukis have done that in the past with games vs Western Kentucky, St. Louis, Saint Mary's and others.
The bracketbuster can also help if you are playing well enough to get a good opponent. The Salukis scored a game vs nationally ranked Butler a few years back and got a return game at SIU Arena for the next season. On the flipside if you aren't playing well then you'll get a poor bracketbuster matchup and most likely an undesirable return game the next season.
Another route is taking a "one and done" vs a major conference opponent, playing an away game without getting a return visit. The upside is that major conference teams will often pay schools like SIU for these "one and dones". The Salukis will get $80,000 for their visit to University of Illinois this season.
Paul Suellenthrop of The Wichita Eagle asked RPI guru Jerry Palm about the subject of mid-major scheduling and Palms says to be careful about scheduling road games with no return matchup. "Teams don't grab one of the 34 (now 37) at-large spots by playing the role of road loser."
Later in the article Sullenthrop gets MVC commish Doug Elgin's take who says- "We can't lose sight as a league of the importance of getting NCAA-caliber teams to play in our arenas".
Then in a related blog post, he digs a bit deeper looking at scheduling from a WSU prospepective. Check out the blog for yourself, but here are some interesting notes that also apply to SIU.
-Most of those at-large teams play in tournaments, play high-profile teams at neutral sites, play home-and-homes with BCS schools when possible and play other mid-level opponents.
-When thinking about scheduling, repeat this over and over: Coaches want to win. Road teams lose.
-Bradley coach Jim Les said the MVC-MWC challenge is good deal. However, he said the BCS conferences in challenge series cuts down on the number of those schools willing to go on the road. If Auburn is forced to go to Rutgers, it often isn’t looking for another difficult game.
The Salukis staff did a nice job getting a neutral site game vs Prudue this year. It's a game in which SIU will be a huge underdog but it's hard to complain about getting a high profile game at a neutral site. In addition they'll also get Wright State or Richmond in the same tournament. If the Salukis can go at least 1-1 in these games they'll get media exposure, a higher strength of schedule and an RPI boost.
It's never going to be easy for SIU to put together an at-large bid caliber schedule but I think I would have rather seen the Salukis take a 2 for 1 deal with U of I so they could get the Illini on their home court at least once. Another home and home series with Butler would be nice, but may not be a possibility now with the recent success of the Bulldogs.
Moral of the story- getting quality home games has to be the top priority for Lowery and his staff. Getting more good teams like Butler, WKU, and an occasional major conference team like Indiana to the revamped Arena will be critical for this team to return to a level of prominence.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Summer Saluki Roundup
As the Salukiway project continues to progress, lets take a look around the web at recent Saluki news.
Jason Maholy of the Reporter Online says that Fay, Bocot, and Teague form an impressive trio and predicts that the Valley could be a two or even a three bid league this year.
Big Gene Teague has shed 20 pounds this offseason, and indicates that team chemistry will be improved this season in this WSIL TV video.
Diamond Taylor tells the Bolingbrook Sun that he's ready to make the most of his second chance. He also adds that he's added 12-13 pounds of muscle after redshirting last season (thats the good "freshman 15"). The article doesn't mention this, but due to his transfer date from Wisconsin, I don't think DT will be eligible to play until the first semester is over.
Over at the Southern, Todd Hefferman gives updates on the pro careers of Falker, Shaw, and Mullins.
Last but not least, the folks at salukitalk.com have redesigned their message board. Looks good!
Jason Maholy of the Reporter Online says that Fay, Bocot, and Teague form an impressive trio and predicts that the Valley could be a two or even a three bid league this year.
Big Gene Teague has shed 20 pounds this offseason, and indicates that team chemistry will be improved this season in this WSIL TV video.
Diamond Taylor tells the Bolingbrook Sun that he's ready to make the most of his second chance. He also adds that he's added 12-13 pounds of muscle after redshirting last season (thats the good "freshman 15"). The article doesn't mention this, but due to his transfer date from Wisconsin, I don't think DT will be eligible to play until the first semester is over.
Over at the Southern, Todd Hefferman gives updates on the pro careers of Falker, Shaw, and Mullins.
Last but not least, the folks at salukitalk.com have redesigned their message board. Looks good!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Saluki Hoops coverage for 2010-2011
Welcome back to the Saluki Hoops blog! It's been quite a while since I've posted here but I'm thinking of giving it another shot this season.
Last season, I shipped tidbits of information directly to the twitter feed (which you can still view right here on the blog) but this year I may get things back in full swing with thoughts on the team, interviews, links and other odds and ends.
Everyone knows that the Salukis have extremely passionate and knowledgeable fans. With Carbondale being in a smaller media market sometimes it feels like the Salukis don't get enough exposure to satisfy the rampant fanbase. The basic goal of this blog is to give the Salukis a little bit more coverage and allow fans to ask questions and get Saluki fans the coverage they want.
I realize its been a year and a half since there has been new content here so site traffic is light right now but we've had over 90,000 page views since the site began so I'd like to open it up for suggestions from any readers who subscribe to these posts via the RSS feed, follow on twitter, saw this post on the news feed at salukitalk.com, or otherwise stumbled back across this site.
The question is this- what would you like to see covered on salukihoops.com this year?
The comments section is open, and as I have in the past I'll always answer any reader mail at salukihoops@gmail.com. Let me know what you'd like to see!
Last season, I shipped tidbits of information directly to the twitter feed (which you can still view right here on the blog) but this year I may get things back in full swing with thoughts on the team, interviews, links and other odds and ends.
Everyone knows that the Salukis have extremely passionate and knowledgeable fans. With Carbondale being in a smaller media market sometimes it feels like the Salukis don't get enough exposure to satisfy the rampant fanbase. The basic goal of this blog is to give the Salukis a little bit more coverage and allow fans to ask questions and get Saluki fans the coverage they want.
I realize its been a year and a half since there has been new content here so site traffic is light right now but we've had over 90,000 page views since the site began so I'd like to open it up for suggestions from any readers who subscribe to these posts via the RSS feed, follow on twitter, saw this post on the news feed at salukitalk.com, or otherwise stumbled back across this site.
The question is this- what would you like to see covered on salukihoops.com this year?
The comments section is open, and as I have in the past I'll always answer any reader mail at salukihoops@gmail.com. Let me know what you'd like to see!
Thursday, June 04, 2009
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.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
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.
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.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
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
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
Saturday, February 21, 2009
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.
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.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
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.
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.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
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.
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.
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