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.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
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
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
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
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
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.
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
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