First and foremost the Salukis played that old school 'Floorburn U' style defense tonight. Playing a rugged style on 'D' allowed them to overcome turnovers and win a game in which they didn't play particularly well.
-Props to Dillard and Hare who went for 17 points each. These two players are no longer playing like Freshman.
-Ryan Hare is still going to the hole without fear. He's getting called for a few charges because of his aggressiveness, but that's 100% acceptable.
-Bryan Mullins has to take some heat for not stepping up and shooting the ball more in this game. However, this is one player who always finds a way to contribute. B Mull ran down 8 rebounds in a game where the Salukis had to have production on the boards from their guards. Another example of how Mullins always finds a way to get things done.
-Nick Evans looked awkward, and never got into a rhythm. Boyle and Fay couldn't stay out of foul trouble, and Booker is still showing lingering effects from a knee injury. Overall, it was a night to forget for the SIU post players.
-Does anyone else feel much more confident in Justin Bocot lately? Bocot showed off his hops in the first half, taking the ball to the rim and leaping above a defender to bank in a layup. Then a few possessions later he came flying down the floor and swatted away the basketball, preventing Indiana St. from getting a runout. The coaching staff agrees, saying that Bocot responds well to criticism and works hard in areas of his game that need improvement.
-Illinois State is up next, and it's a game where the Salukis will have an opportunity to re-establish themselves as a force in the MVC. In order to win at Redbird arena the Salukis will need to cut down on turnovers, and get better play from their big men. If the Salukis can get those two things, then their talented guards will lead them to a watershed victory this weekend.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Game Notes - SIU v. Bradley
- In the stands... The announced attendance figure for tonight's game was only 6500, but this was the rowdiest crowd of the year. I was sitting in Section PP and the folks around me were generating the same kind of localized field of electricity that you feel just before a street fight breaks out.
- On the court... It was a physical contest, but I don't feel that the Braves were playing all that dirty. I think the refs missed a couple of calls in the second half and the game kind of came unraveled at times as a result, but calling for a whistle on every infraction in this kind of game would be like barking for a flag on every hold in a high school football game. It looked like there was a foul on nearly every possession tonight and the Salukis were getting to the line more than the Braves before the final 90 seconds of desperation fouls exaggerated the free-throw figures.
- Speaking of free-throw statistics... excluding the California (Penn) and UMass games to start the year, the Salukis have won every game in which they have outscored their opponent from the stripe and lost every game in which they have been outscored from the stripe. Tonight, the Salukis won the game by 6, were +14 at the free throw line for the night and were +5 before the final 90 seconds. The trend continues.
- SIU closed the first half on a 20-5 run to open up a 32-17 lead at the break. The 17 pts. scored by Bradley in the first half was the second lowest point total allowed by the Salukis in a half this season.
- On defense... the Salukis forced 20 turnovers, including 12 steals.
- All five starters ended up in double figures for SIU. Tony Boyle was a perfect 5 of 5 from the field. Bryan Mullins had 7 assists and 0 turnovers.
- Carlton Fay (back), Bryan Mullins (ankle), and Nick Evans (torso?) all had play stopped while they shook off injuries.
- Anthony Booker had a couple of early career highlights, a screen-roll dunk and an acrobatic blocked shot, before leaving the game with an apparent knee injury.
- After Bryan Mullins hit a jumper from the head of the key to put SIU up 57-43 with 2:00 left, I turned to the perfect stranger next to me and told her that it would take an act of God to stop the Salukis from winning this one. She didn't believe me. To her credit, things did get a little closer.
- On the court... It was a physical contest, but I don't feel that the Braves were playing all that dirty. I think the refs missed a couple of calls in the second half and the game kind of came unraveled at times as a result, but calling for a whistle on every infraction in this kind of game would be like barking for a flag on every hold in a high school football game. It looked like there was a foul on nearly every possession tonight and the Salukis were getting to the line more than the Braves before the final 90 seconds of desperation fouls exaggerated the free-throw figures.
- Speaking of free-throw statistics... excluding the California (Penn) and UMass games to start the year, the Salukis have won every game in which they have outscored their opponent from the stripe and lost every game in which they have been outscored from the stripe. Tonight, the Salukis won the game by 6, were +14 at the free throw line for the night and were +5 before the final 90 seconds. The trend continues.
- SIU closed the first half on a 20-5 run to open up a 32-17 lead at the break. The 17 pts. scored by Bradley in the first half was the second lowest point total allowed by the Salukis in a half this season.
- On defense... the Salukis forced 20 turnovers, including 12 steals.
- All five starters ended up in double figures for SIU. Tony Boyle was a perfect 5 of 5 from the field. Bryan Mullins had 7 assists and 0 turnovers.
- Carlton Fay (back), Bryan Mullins (ankle), and Nick Evans (torso?) all had play stopped while they shook off injuries.
- Anthony Booker had a couple of early career highlights, a screen-roll dunk and an acrobatic blocked shot, before leaving the game with an apparent knee injury.
- After Bryan Mullins hit a jumper from the head of the key to put SIU up 57-43 with 2:00 left, I turned to the perfect stranger next to me and told her that it would take an act of God to stop the Salukis from winning this one. She didn't believe me. To her credit, things did get a little closer.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
MVC Standings at the 1/3 mark
The Salukis are in the #7 spot (2-4) with 6 games in the books, and 12 left to play. Usually, this would be a good reason to panic, but a sharp improvement over the last two weeks is a reason for optimism.
So here's how the standings shape up-
Bradley and UNI are tied at the top with 5-1 marks. The Salukis are already 3 games behind these teams, so it looks like a #1 or #2 seed in the MVC Tourney is probably out of the question.
Illinois State, Creighton, and Drake are all one game back at 4-2. Not much separates these teams from each other in my opinion.
Any of these top 5 clubs could win the Valley and I wouldn't be surprised. The league has incredible balance this season, and we're seeing that reflected in the standings.
Evansville sits alone in 6th place, one game better than the Salukis at 3-3. This is the spot where the Salukis need to be. Circle Jan 31st on your calendar as the Salukis head to Evansville with a chance to sweep the season series against the Aces. If the Dawgs win that game, they'll just have to match Evansville's win total during the remainder of the season to earn the #6 seed and avoid playing a Thursday night game.
Sure, earning a 1 or 2 seed makes your path to the semi-finals much easier, but there is hardly any difference between 3, 4, 5, or 6 seed in the Valley this year.
Regardless of their seeding, the Salukis will have to have to beat at least 3 of the top 5 teams in the current standings to get an NCAA Tournament bid. The only way that can happen is if the team continues to get better. There's no better measuring stick for that improvement than Sunday's game against a Bradley team that throttled the Salukis in a 16 point beat down just 3 weeks ago.
Sunday's match up vs Bradley- 6:05 pm ESPNU- (Dan McLaughlin and Mac McCausland)
B
radley (11-6, RPI #61) has been going to a 4-guard set at times year despite losing junior guard Andrew Warren (broken foot) for the season. While the Braves have 6 newcomers in their lineup, they're young players are not nearly as talented as Southern's freshman class. 5-11 guard Eddren McCain (6.1ppg, 3.6apg) is the only freshman that has the potential to make an impact, and the Braves will rely mostly on Theron Wilson and Sam Maniscalco to carry the load.
For very short stretches the Salukis could counter the Braves with a 4-guard
lineup of their own. Unless the big men get into early foul trouble I wouldn't expect a 4-guard set for long though, because Evans and Booker are both earning increased playing time.
One key improvement since the last time these teams met, is the movement and spacing of the Salukis in their motion offense. Better spacing has allowed for more open looks, and the results have shown in the stat sheet. Look for more of the same on Sunday.
SalukiHoops Prediction- the Salukis even the score against the Braves with a 72-64 victory at SIU Arena.
So here's how the standings shape up-
Bradley and UNI are tied at the top with 5-1 marks. The Salukis are already 3 games behind these teams, so it looks like a #1 or #2 seed in the MVC Tourney is probably out of the question.
Illinois State, Creighton, and Drake are all one game back at 4-2. Not much separates these teams from each other in my opinion.
Any of these top 5 clubs could win the Valley and I wouldn't be surprised. The league has incredible balance this season, and we're seeing that reflected in the standings.
Evansville sits alone in 6th place, one game better than the Salukis at 3-3. This is the spot where the Salukis need to be. Circle Jan 31st on your calendar as the Salukis head to Evansville with a chance to sweep the season series against the Aces. If the Dawgs win that game, they'll just have to match Evansville's win total during the remainder of the season to earn the #6 seed and avoid playing a Thursday night game.
Sure, earning a 1 or 2 seed makes your path to the semi-finals much easier, but there is hardly any difference between 3, 4, 5, or 6 seed in the Valley this year.
Regardless of their seeding, the Salukis will have to have to beat at least 3 of the top 5 teams in the current standings to get an NCAA Tournament bid. The only way that can happen is if the team continues to get better. There's no better measuring stick for that improvement than Sunday's game against a Bradley team that throttled the Salukis in a 16 point beat down just 3 weeks ago.
Sunday's match up vs Bradley- 6:05 pm ESPNU- (Dan McLaughlin and Mac McCausland)
B
radley (11-6, RPI #61) has been going to a 4-guard set at times year despite losing junior guard Andrew Warren (broken foot) for the season. While the Braves have 6 newcomers in their lineup, they're young players are not nearly as talented as Southern's freshman class. 5-11 guard Eddren McCain (6.1ppg, 3.6apg) is the only freshman that has the potential to make an impact, and the Braves will rely mostly on Theron Wilson and Sam Maniscalco to carry the load.For very short stretches the Salukis could counter the Braves with a 4-guard
lineup of their own. Unless the big men get into early foul trouble I wouldn't expect a 4-guard set for long though, because Evans and Booker are both earning increased playing time.One key improvement since the last time these teams met, is the movement and spacing of the Salukis in their motion offense. Better spacing has allowed for more open looks, and the results have shown in the stat sheet. Look for more of the same on Sunday.
SalukiHoops Prediction- the Salukis even the score against the Braves with a 72-64 victory at SIU Arena.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Quick hits - SIU vs Creighton
First off, I'd like to say that was the most intense SIU game that I've watched on television since the Sweet 16 game vs KU. The Dawgs played the game at their pace and the loss was certainly not for lack of effort.
-The starting 5 for SIU continued to click. Lowery has pushed the right buttons getting these 5 players on the floor at the same time. It took some time for this group to come together, but the team is playing better now that roles have been established.
-The Creighton bench got lots of pub heading into this game, but the Saluki bench was better. Justin Bocot showed off his shooting range with some clutch 3's. Meanwhile, Booker and Evans did a nice job of holding down the fort while Boyle and Fay were on the bench. High marks go to the big men in this contest.
-Creighton was a double digit favorite in this game but the Salukis didn't let the game get away from them when the Jays went on an early run. This is an encouraging sign from a team that looked lost on the road just a few weeks ago.
-I seriously question the foul called against Dillard at the end of regulation. It looked like he got all ball on the play, which resulted in 3 foul shots for Creighton. Still, I don't blame the officials for the loss. There are lots of other things the Salukis could have done to win, including fouling earlier in the possession, forcing Creighton to take 2 foul shots when they were trailing by 3.
-Any way you slice it this was a difficult loss for SIU, but is anyone else feeling better about the Salukis' chances in Arch Madness after this game?
-You might have noticed a few minor changes at salukihoops.com this week. One is the display of the stat counter which we've been keeping for some time now, and with the support of the massive readership at Salukitalk we're nearing the 50,000 hit mark. So thank you to all the readers we've had since this site started in 2006, we appreciate your support. Also, we've opened up the comment section so feel free to drop in a comment, and chat about Saluki hoops anytime.
-The starting 5 for SIU continued to click. Lowery has pushed the right buttons getting these 5 players on the floor at the same time. It took some time for this group to come together, but the team is playing better now that roles have been established.
-The Creighton bench got lots of pub heading into this game, but the Saluki bench was better. Justin Bocot showed off his shooting range with some clutch 3's. Meanwhile, Booker and Evans did a nice job of holding down the fort while Boyle and Fay were on the bench. High marks go to the big men in this contest.
-Creighton was a double digit favorite in this game but the Salukis didn't let the game get away from them when the Jays went on an early run. This is an encouraging sign from a team that looked lost on the road just a few weeks ago.
-I seriously question the foul called against Dillard at the end of regulation. It looked like he got all ball on the play, which resulted in 3 foul shots for Creighton. Still, I don't blame the officials for the loss. There are lots of other things the Salukis could have done to win, including fouling earlier in the possession, forcing Creighton to take 2 foul shots when they were trailing by 3.
-Any way you slice it this was a difficult loss for SIU, but is anyone else feeling better about the Salukis' chances in Arch Madness after this game?
-You might have noticed a few minor changes at salukihoops.com this week. One is the display of the stat counter which we've been keeping for some time now, and with the support of the massive readership at Salukitalk we're nearing the 50,000 hit mark. So thank you to all the readers we've had since this site started in 2006, we appreciate your support. Also, we've opened up the comment section so feel free to drop in a comment, and chat about Saluki hoops anytime.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Dawgs Moving Up
Southern tripped up Evansville 70-63 at the Arena Saturday night. The win moved SIU closer to the thick of the MVC race.
After the excitement of playing against Duke and UCLA in New York, it's been a rough stretch for the Salukis of late. Kicking along dead last in the Valley chase as of last week, Southern, however, is now rapidly rounding into form.
The Evansville win was hard earned. The Aces entered the contest at 11-3 and conceded nothing all night long. In the first half coach Marty Simmons' club romped to a nine point lead, causing bewildered SIU fans to mutter to themselves- as has frequently been the case this season.
The Salukis, however, looked stern. The good kind of stern. Nine men on a mission kind of stern.
Suddenly the Dawgs close the half with a Wesley Clemmons buzzer beater from the left baseline for a 39-35 lead..and...nobody's muttering....
The nine men trod back onto the court, and they all score. Tony Boyle's jamming the ball. He racks up a double double with 14 and 10. Kevin Dillard nets 13 and guts out 34 minutes with severe leg cramping. He's on the court at the finish. Bryan Mullins gets his nose bashed bloody but logs 36 minutes, dishes out 7 more assists while adding 8 pts. Most of us see lights and hardwood. He sees blueprints of the stadium. Vectors...angles..........
Justin Bocot executes a 270 to make a highlight layup. Anthony Booker gets two and wants more. Fire in the eye. Good sign. Nick Evans and Carlton Fay battle to a draw with platoons of Aces in the low post. Advantage: Dawgs.
Wes Clemmons and Ryan Hare nail up 9 pts. apiece mainly by driving the lane. Hare manages it grinning ear to ear. More effective Dawgs. Cue: Band, crowd noise. Across the way Coach Chris Lowery peers through his wire rim spectacles and nods approvingly.
Whoops.... Here comes Evansville. They close to 64-61 until a Dillard layup makes the crowd breathe easier.
Post game show: Pesky Indiana State has derailed Illinois State in O.T. The MVC race is tightening...........
Next stop for Southern : Creighton, and 3 of the next 4 games on the road.
More tests and adventures for.......... Nine Men on a Mission.
THAT'S TONIGHT'S VIEW FROM ROW TWO
After the excitement of playing against Duke and UCLA in New York, it's been a rough stretch for the Salukis of late. Kicking along dead last in the Valley chase as of last week, Southern, however, is now rapidly rounding into form.
The Evansville win was hard earned. The Aces entered the contest at 11-3 and conceded nothing all night long. In the first half coach Marty Simmons' club romped to a nine point lead, causing bewildered SIU fans to mutter to themselves- as has frequently been the case this season.
The Salukis, however, looked stern. The good kind of stern. Nine men on a mission kind of stern.
Suddenly the Dawgs close the half with a Wesley Clemmons buzzer beater from the left baseline for a 39-35 lead..and...nobody's muttering....
The nine men trod back onto the court, and they all score. Tony Boyle's jamming the ball. He racks up a double double with 14 and 10. Kevin Dillard nets 13 and guts out 34 minutes with severe leg cramping. He's on the court at the finish. Bryan Mullins gets his nose bashed bloody but logs 36 minutes, dishes out 7 more assists while adding 8 pts. Most of us see lights and hardwood. He sees blueprints of the stadium. Vectors...angles..........
Justin Bocot executes a 270 to make a highlight layup. Anthony Booker gets two and wants more. Fire in the eye. Good sign. Nick Evans and Carlton Fay battle to a draw with platoons of Aces in the low post. Advantage: Dawgs.
Wes Clemmons and Ryan Hare nail up 9 pts. apiece mainly by driving the lane. Hare manages it grinning ear to ear. More effective Dawgs. Cue: Band, crowd noise. Across the way Coach Chris Lowery peers through his wire rim spectacles and nods approvingly.
Whoops.... Here comes Evansville. They close to 64-61 until a Dillard layup makes the crowd breathe easier.
Post game show: Pesky Indiana State has derailed Illinois State in O.T. The MVC race is tightening...........
Next stop for Southern : Creighton, and 3 of the next 4 games on the road.
More tests and adventures for.......... Nine Men on a Mission.
THAT'S TONIGHT'S VIEW FROM ROW TWO
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