-Quick Facts-
Allow me to bring you up to speed... Lincoln Memorial University was founded in 1899 as a living memorial to the 16th President of the United States. The aptly named mascot of this Div. II program is the Railsplitter. The campus in Harrogate, Tennessee sits among the Appalachian Mountains and is quite striking this time of year. In two results, the Railsplitters have fallen to Tennessee (61-124) and Middle Tennessee State (68-93).
-Big Picture-
In the wake of the Gardner-Webb incident, no outcome is absolutely certain prior to the tip, but this is a paid-to-play game and the Salukis should emerge victorious. Game time is 2:05 CST at the Arena. Bring the noise.
-Under the Microscope-
Carlton Fay and Josh Bone confirmed that they are capable of putting points on the board, but they need to prove they are equally capable of keeping the other team from doing the same.
Brandon Wood made some questionable decisions distributing the ball last weekend. Watch to see if he can adjust to the pace of the game and cut down on his turnovers. Like Fay and Bone, improved defense and additional care with the basketball will equal more time on the floor to knock down triples.
Wesley Clemmons and Tyrone Green played key roles off the bench last season. This year they are penciled in as starters. Defense and rebounding are never a problem for these guys. However, they will need to show more consistency and reliability on offense in order to remove the question mark that has been attached here.
Christian Cornelius took a major step forward in his return from knee surgery last week. He and Jordan Armstrong will see minutes on Sunday. Also, Tony Boyle will likely make his season debut.
As for Falker, Shaw, and Mullins... even running at 3/4 speed this trio will be dominant in the final tune-up before seeing Division I competition.
-Bottom Line-
Set the TIVO for the Rams and Bears, throw on something maroon and head to the Arena to check out the 2007-08 Salukis.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Movin' on up
The Salukis haven't played a regular season game yet but on Monday morning SIU will look to move up at least one spot in the top 25 rankings. The Kentucky Wildcats (#20 AP, #22 USA Today/ESPN) will probably drop out of the top 25 after being flat out beaten by Gardner-Webb in Kentucky!
The Salukis will most likely move to #23 in the AP and #22 in the ESPN/USA Today poll.
This game was televised on ESPN U and I was able to watch the upset brew. Gardner-Webb (approx enrollment- 3,900) did an outstanding job of rebounding against a bigger opponent and played without fear throughout the game. When Kentucky pressured their guards on the perimeter Gardner-Webb beat them with back door cuts.
What impressed me the most was the way Gardner-Webb continued to attack the Wildcats when they chipped away at the lead in the second half. Too many teams tighten up in that situation but the Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb played true to their nickname and earned every point of their 16 point win.
This is just one more example of the parity in college basketball. If a team like Gardner-Webb can blow out a ranked team on the road, then it's not too crazy to think the Salukis could knock out a 1 or 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament on their way to the Final Four.
The Salukis will most likely move to #23 in the AP and #22 in the ESPN/USA Today poll.
This game was televised on ESPN U and I was able to watch the upset brew. Gardner-Webb (approx enrollment- 3,900) did an outstanding job of rebounding against a bigger opponent and played without fear throughout the game. When Kentucky pressured their guards on the perimeter Gardner-Webb beat them with back door cuts.
What impressed me the most was the way Gardner-Webb continued to attack the Wildcats when they chipped away at the lead in the second half. Too many teams tighten up in that situation but the Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb played true to their nickname and earned every point of their 16 point win.
This is just one more example of the parity in college basketball. If a team like Gardner-Webb can blow out a ranked team on the road, then it's not too crazy to think the Salukis could knock out a 1 or 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament on their way to the Final Four.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
News and Notes
Tyrone Green is showing some improvement from last season but don't expect him to make a huge impact on offense. Green is one of the most athletic players on the squad and he will look to make his mark on defense. Green is an excellent leaper so he'll be a force on the boards, get to the rack, and slam home a few dunks. If he can hit about 70% of his free throws (last season he hit 11 of 24, 46%) he will make a solid overall contribution in his senior season.
With Green and Wesley Clemmons in the starting lineup the Salukis put their best five defenders on the floor to start the game. This is a smart strategy- not only does it set the tone for the game, but it also allows Chris Lowery to bring in some scoring punch off the bench.
Before practice on Tuesday Lowery did say there is an open competition for all five starting spots, but if Clemmons and Green stay healthy and productive I think the upperclassmen will keep their roles.
Joshua Bone looked great on offense during the first exhibition game, even running the point when Bryan Mullins was on the bench. Keep in mind, this is Floorburn U so Bone will have to earn his playing time on the defensive end, and he's not there yet.
Freshman guard Brandon Wood, is still trying to make the transition to college basketball. He needs to improve on defense and protect the basketball to earn playing time. There's no doubt that Wood is a great shooter, but he will need to get a better grasp of things before he's ready to play big minutes.
Speaking of freshmen that need to improve - Carlton Fay is not quite ready for prime time yet either. Sure, his jump shot is impressive, but he'll also need to develop a good low post game to contribute. Fay is not a particularly fast player so it is also crucial for him to get in good defensive position at all times.
Contrary to recent reports, Tony Boyle is still wearing a cast on his right hand. No word yet on exactly when it's coming off. Update 11/7: DawgTracker is reporting that Boyle had the cast removed Wednesday.
We'll be back later this week with a preview of Sunday's final exhibition game vs Lincoln Memorial. And don't forget the Saluki Women tip-off their regular season opener vs. DePaul on Saturday night at the SIU Arena.
With Green and Wesley Clemmons in the starting lineup the Salukis put their best five defenders on the floor to start the game. This is a smart strategy- not only does it set the tone for the game, but it also allows Chris Lowery to bring in some scoring punch off the bench.
Before practice on Tuesday Lowery did say there is an open competition for all five starting spots, but if Clemmons and Green stay healthy and productive I think the upperclassmen will keep their roles.
Joshua Bone looked great on offense during the first exhibition game, even running the point when Bryan Mullins was on the bench. Keep in mind, this is Floorburn U so Bone will have to earn his playing time on the defensive end, and he's not there yet.
Freshman guard Brandon Wood, is still trying to make the transition to college basketball. He needs to improve on defense and protect the basketball to earn playing time. There's no doubt that Wood is a great shooter, but he will need to get a better grasp of things before he's ready to play big minutes.
Speaking of freshmen that need to improve - Carlton Fay is not quite ready for prime time yet either. Sure, his jump shot is impressive, but he'll also need to develop a good low post game to contribute. Fay is not a particularly fast player so it is also crucial for him to get in good defensive position at all times.
Contrary to recent reports, Tony Boyle is still wearing a cast on his right hand. No word yet on exactly when it's coming off. Update 11/7: DawgTracker is reporting that Boyle had the cast removed Wednesday.
We'll be back later this week with a preview of Sunday's final exhibition game vs Lincoln Memorial. And don't forget the Saluki Women tip-off their regular season opener vs. DePaul on Saturday night at the SIU Arena.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Sunday Sports Review on 91.1FM
This morning at 10am(91.1FM) we rolled back the clocks and then talked some Saluki basketball. Click here to listen to the show.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Game Notes
Everything went pretty much as expected for the Salukis today. SIU held King to just 38 points, got a breakout type performance from Josh Bone, and the freshmen combo of Brandon Wood and Carlton Fay made their college debuts.
Bone went 4 of 6 from the field, including 2 of 3 from beyond the arc, for a total of 13 points in just 18 minutes. He had some problems with cramps but said they were nothing to worry about.
Not only did Bone show the ability to score, he also looked comfortable in the role of backup PG when Bryan Mullins was on the bench. After the game, Bone said that he knows he still needs to improve on defense but he'll be ready to play big minutes.
Matt Shaw had a nice game scoring 13 points in 28 minutes. It was just another day at the office for the senior forward from Centralia.
Fay and Wood made their fair share of freshmen mistakes. Wood had 6 turnovers in 18 minutes, and Lowery acknowledged that Wood needs to improve but he also expressed confidence in his shot. Fay was a step slow on the defensive end at times, but he also showed off his tremendous ability to shoot the basketball.
Christian Cornelius was able to play 8 minutes and collected a rebound, a steal, and an assist. This has to be viewed as a very positive step forward for Christian who missed all of last season due to injury.
The Salukis look like they will be a well balanced team offensively so it's probably time to close out the "how do we replace Tatum and Young" questions. Shaw, Falker, and Mullins will be rock solid and from what Bone showed today he will be ready to score double digits almost every night. As an added bonus the Salukis should also be able to get scoring contributions from the bench this season. However, make no mistake, this team's strength will once again be its defense.
Bone went 4 of 6 from the field, including 2 of 3 from beyond the arc, for a total of 13 points in just 18 minutes. He had some problems with cramps but said they were nothing to worry about.
Not only did Bone show the ability to score, he also looked comfortable in the role of backup PG when Bryan Mullins was on the bench. After the game, Bone said that he knows he still needs to improve on defense but he'll be ready to play big minutes.
Matt Shaw had a nice game scoring 13 points in 28 minutes. It was just another day at the office for the senior forward from Centralia.
Fay and Wood made their fair share of freshmen mistakes. Wood had 6 turnovers in 18 minutes, and Lowery acknowledged that Wood needs to improve but he also expressed confidence in his shot. Fay was a step slow on the defensive end at times, but he also showed off his tremendous ability to shoot the basketball.
Christian Cornelius was able to play 8 minutes and collected a rebound, a steal, and an assist. This has to be viewed as a very positive step forward for Christian who missed all of last season due to injury.
The Salukis look like they will be a well balanced team offensively so it's probably time to close out the "how do we replace Tatum and Young" questions. Shaw, Falker, and Mullins will be rock solid and from what Bone showed today he will be ready to score double digits almost every night. As an added bonus the Salukis should also be able to get scoring contributions from the bench this season. However, make no mistake, this team's strength will once again be its defense.
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