Floorburn U Flashback

It looks like SIU is reverting to its old ways and that’s a good thing.

The Salukis beat the Evansville Tuesday night by a score of 59-39. Evansville made only 15 shots from the field, shooting a woeful 35.7%. This comes only days after the Salukis held the Creighton BlueJays, the MVC’s highest scoring team, to 44 points Saturday night.

The Salukis were paced by Matt Shaw’s double-double. Shaw scored 15 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in SIU’s victory and Randal Falker chipped in with a game-high 16 points.

THREE UP:

• Randal Falker’s free-throw shooting. Falker has been much maligned—and deservedly so—for his poor free throw shooting. However, Falker went 8-for-10 from the charity stripe. Hitting free-throws in tight ballgames could be important to SIU’s second half run. Yes, I understand this was a blowout, but you’ve got to be encouraged any time Falker converts on the freebies.

• Matt Shaw’s rebounding. Shaw has collected 28 rebounds in his last three games (9.3 rebounds per game.) He’s also chipped in 16.3 points per game. Shaw is also stepping up on the court vocally, which has to be good for team morale.

• SIU’s defense turns back the clock. The Salukis allowed 44 points Saturday and 39 points Tuesday night. SIU’s calling card this decade has been its stifling man-to-man defense. If SIU can keep up the pace and continue to play like Saluki Nation has come accustomed to seeing, the Dawgs may be back at the top of the MVC before you know it.

THREE DOWN:

• Three point shooting. The Salukis were only 3-for-15 (20%) from beyond the arc. The great thing about college basketball is that the three-point line is the great equalizer. The Salukis will need to shoot higher than 20% from three-point range if they want to get back in the race for the MVC crown.

• Joshua Bone’s 0 assists and 3 turnovers. When Bryan Mullins is out, Bone shifts to the point and SIU’s offense suffers. One of SIU’s glaring weaknesses is that its bench is without a true back-up point guard. Someone needs to step up, Mullins can’t play 40 minutes at such a high level every night.

• Bench production. I might be too harsh on our bench, but I think I may have a case here. I understand the bench’s job isn’t necessarily to score points. And I realize that SIU’s bench outscored Evansville’s bench. But the trio of Tyrone Green, Tony Boyle and Carlton Fay has to do better than 7 points on 3-of-10 shooting.

NOTES:

• As of this posting, the victory gives SIU (11-10 overall, 6-4 in conference play) sole possession of third place in the MVC.

• SIU held an opponent below 40 points for the first 2006. (Def. Louisiana Tech 50-36 on Nov. 29, 2006.)

• 8 of SIU’s 11 wins have been by double digits.

The Salukis will be in action Saturday night in Cedar Falls, Iowa to take on the University Northern Iowa Panthers.

Salukis turn back the clock in win over Creighton

Floorburn U made a guest appearance in the Salukis 48-44 over the Creighton Blue Jays.

This year’s version of SIU played like the teams that helped build the program to what it is today. The Salukis played like the team that ESPN thought they would see when they chose SIU to host College GameDay.

In front of a packed SIU Arena, junior guard Bryan Mullins that starred for the Salukis. As former backcourt mates Jamaal Tatum and Tony Young watched from the crowd, Mullins willed the Salukis to victory.

THREE UP:

• Mullins strong play. If everyone on the Salukis played like Mullins, SIU wouldn’t be 10-10 and 5-4 in conference play. Mullins scored 13 points to go along with 4 assists, but that was just the beginning. Mullins is the Salukis go-to-guy and there are no ifs, ands or buts about it. He makes clutch baskets, he makes smart decisions with the basketball, and he is SIU’s most fundamentally sound player.

• Matt Shaw shows up. Shaw came to play in his last home game against the Blue Jays, leading the all scorers with 16 points. Shaw’s lack of consistency has drawn plenty of criticism from Saluki Nation, and it has been well deserved. Shaw’s back-to-back threes brought the Salukis within two points and revived a quieting SIU Arena. The way Shaw played last night is the way everyone thought he’d play all year.

• SIU fans rock The Arena. Saluki Nation was in full force last night, decked out in maroon. They were loud and proud and very much into the game. The Dawg Pound was pretty good, however some members (more to come in ‘Three Down’).

THREE DOWN:

• Guards not named “Bryan Mullins”. Saluki guards not named Bryan Mullins struggled against the Jays. The combination of Joshua Bone, Wesley Clemmons and Tyrone Green combined to score 6 points on 3-for-13 shooting (23%).

• Officiating. It seems as if officiating complaints come after SIU games but the refs were bad at this game. I know that MVC refs have better things to do on a Saturday night, but there is no reason not to have the best refs for this game. Poor officiating left ESPN analysts Jay Bilas and Digger Phelps shaking their heads after several blown calls.

• Certain Dawg Pound members. To quote fellow sports reporter Matt Hartwig, “What is this, amateur night?” The one problem I have with these nationally televised games is that it brings out the fair-weather…dare I say…dumb Saluki fans. Dumb freshman that want to storm the court and throw things at security guards among other things. Rushing the court is reserved for unranked teams beating ranked opponents, not for teams that were ranked No. 11 as recently as last year. We’re been to the mountaintop, let’s act like it.

NOTES:

• SIU held Creighton to 44 points in the entire game. Kansas scored 44 points in the first half of its victory over Nebraska. The Salukis only scored 48, but 48 was good enough to win the ballgame.

• That brings me to my next stat. SIU (finally) picked up its first win when not scoring 63 points. Prior to Saturday’s game, SIU was 0-10 in games when they scored less than 63 points. The magic number stat is no more.

• Kaleb Korver, younger brother of NBA three-point specialist and Saluki killer Kyle Korver, was held scoreless in his first game against the Salukis. Korver didn’t do much in his 5 minutes of playing time, and I hope that trend continues for the next four years!

SIU’s win over Creighton put the Salukis in a three-way tie for third place. The Salukis will be in action again Tuesday night when they host the Evansville Purple Aces.

Are You Ready For ESPN's College GameDay?

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Pass it on to anyone you know going to the game!!!!

This is the kind of game I've been waiting to see for four years. It's too bad that it came under these circumstances.

The six-time defending Missouri Valley Conference champion SIU Salukis will host the first ever ESPN College GameDay not to be hosted by a school in one of the "big six" conferences (Big 10, Pac 10, ACC, SEC, Big East, Big XII).

Unfortunately, SIU isn't playing like a team that has been to the Big Dance for the last six years. The Salukis enter tomorrow's game with a 9-10 record overall and a 4-4 conference record. They are currently in a three-way tie for fifth place.

Still, this is a prime opportunity to show that SIU is for real. The Salukis and the Creighton Blue Jays have been the class of the MVC since I can remember, so this just might be ESPN's way of acknowledging a rivalry that can only be described as the midwest's version of Duke-North Carolina.

With that said, I hope everyone was able to get their tickets because if they don't, they are S.O.L. and will be stuck watching the game on ESPN2.

If you are fortunate enough to go to the game tomorrow, you have several duties.

Duty #1 is to wear your maroon. It's a MAROON OUT, people...rep it!

I, for one, will be wearing my new "I H8 CR8N" shirt from Pinch Penny Pub, it was only five bucks. Even my mom in Chicago will be repping her "BEAT CREIGHTON" shirt I got her last year.

(Yes, I've got my family on the SIU bandwagon!)

Duty #2 is to be there in the morning for the GameDay morning show. (Wearing your maroon, of course!)

Seriously, it's free to the public and the show is from 10-11 a.m. and will air on the original ESPN. If you go, represent SIU to the best of your ability. We're a very knowledgeable basketball school, let's act like it!

Let's show the college basketball world that there is life outside of the ACC!

Duty #3 is to be loud and proud!

The Dawg Pound is arguably the best student cheering section in the section. They're smart. They're witty. They're right on top of the court. And the way the SIU Arena is set up, you can hear EVERYTHING! If you're an opposing player, you're going to hear any insult thrown your way.

To be fair, the Salukis have to play their part. They have to give the fans something to get excited about.

Duty #4 is simple: OOOOOOOH!!! PIG! SOUIE! RAZOR-BACKS!!!

After the college hoops season ended last year, Creighton head coach Dana Altman accepted the Arkansas job after Stan Heath was canned. After coming to his senses, Altman returned to Omaha, Neb. and re-joined the Blue Jays.

Saluki Nation, let's not let him forget what he did. Attached in this "note" is the press conference from when scumbag Bobby Petrino took over as Arkansas head coach.

Let's practice this and when Creighton is introduced tomorrow, let's hit 'em with a lil' bit of "Oh Pig Souie!"




GO DAWGS!

P.S. Let's try to sing real lyrics to our school fight song. The song doesn't go "Go Southern Go! That's all the words we know!"

http://www.lyricsondemand.com/miscellaneouslyrics/fightsongslyrics/illinoissouthernfightsonglyrics.html


P.P.S. Not only will Carbondale be hosting ESPN Gameday, they will also host the most beautiful sideline reporter (and one of the most gorgeous women I've ever seen) Ms. Erin Andrews.

I'd love to meet her and maybe, JUST MAYBE, get a picture with her!

It'd be my profile pic for a looooong time!

Not Shocked at all, SIU beats Wichita State

SIU is now playing like it realizes that a seventh straight NCAA appearance isn’t guaranteed to anyone.

The Salukis victory over the Shockers of Wichita State University put the Dawgs at .500 overall (9-9) and moved them to 4-3 in Missouri Valley Conference play.

SIU was led by senior forward Randal Falker, who scored 13 of his game-high 15 points in the first half. And even though he only scored two points in the second half, Falker impacted the game by getting two of WSU’s big men to foul out, shortening the Shockers bench.


THREE UP:

• Falker’s play. Falker did the things that senior leaders are supposed to do. He led the Salukis with 15 points, got the Shockers in foul trouble and got his teammates involved by passing out of low-post double teams.

• The SIU Bench. Tyrone Green, Tony Boyle and Carlton Fay played effectively as a unit, and that is going to be a key for the Salukis down the stretch. They combined to outscore the Shockers bench 18-14.

• Joshua Bone. Bone went 4-for-6 from the field and 3-for-4 from the three-point line. His outside shooting ability is one of those things that can carry SIU when he’s on.


THREE DOWN:

• Matt Shaw’s 0-fer beyond the arc. SIU head coach Chris Lowery mentioned in the post game show that Shaw has recently struggled behind the arc, but still wants him to shoot because he’s “earned” it. That irked me a bit, seeing that Dusty Baker used to say that his vets “earned” starting spots despite struggling and being on the downside of their careers. But Shaw isn’t a Baker guy, he’s a SIU guy…and if it’s one thing I know about Matt Shaw is that he WILL break out of his slump and contribute to SIU’s success.

• Chris Lowery’s Technical Foul. Not that it was a bad thing, but if C-Lo would have burst out later and got a second ‘T’ he would have been gone. I’m not sure how the Salukis would manage without their head coach.

• Whoever fouled PJ Couisnard in the closing seconds. Fouling a three-point shooter is a bad idea, no matter where it happens in the game. It’s unacceptable…unless you’re fouling Shaq or Ben Wallace, of course.


NOTES:

• Bryan Mullins is becoming the undisputed leader of this team. Mullins posted 11 points, five assists, and two steals. He’s also becoming Mr. Last Second Shot for SIU. That doesn’t surprise me…knowing that Mullins has beaten a few teams with last second shots…including my personal favorite against Creighton, in Omaha, Neb.

• SIU is giving up 62.1 points per game in Valley games, a far cry from what they did last year. SIU is going to need to step up its ‘D’ down the stretch.

• With their 63 point effort this afternoon, the Salukis moved to 9-0 in games in which they score 63 or more points. Again, it looks like 63 is SIU’s magic number.


The Salukis are in action again on Wednesday when they travel to Springfield, Mo. to face the Missouri State Bears in the last game the Dawgs will play in the Hammond Center. Thank God!!!!

SIU picks up first road win at the expense of Evansville

Now, that is how a pre-season top-25 team is supposed to play on the road.

The Southern Illinois University Salukis picked up their first road win of the season with its 80-67 victory over Evansville University's Purple Aces thanks in large part to its hot shooting which ignited a 15-0 run to start the game.

THREE UP:

· After only scoring 4 points on 1-for-3 shooting in SIU’s loss to Indiana State, Randal Falker showed why he was a pre-season Wooden Award candidate by stuffing the stat sheet with 16 points, nine rebounds and a team-high five assists.

· The Salukis as a whole made significant strides since their Saturday night loss to the Sycamores. SIU shot 53% from the three-point line and 59% overall.

· The Salukis sported a balanced scoring attack with eight different players scoring including Bryan Mullins and Wesley Clemmons, who chipped in with 14 points each and Matt Shaw, who added 8 points.

THREE DOWN:

· After a strong first half, Shaw was held scoreless in the second half, going 0-for-7 field.

· In the 2006-07 season, the Salukis were one of the top defensive teams in all of college basketball, limiting their opponents to about 56 points per game. Tuesday night, the Salukis gave up 67 points to the Purple Aces, and are giving up almost 64 points per game in Valley play.

· I can’t come up with a number three, so that’s a good thing!

It looks like the Salukis might have to find a way to win some shootouts if they want to finish in the top three in the MVC this year. Falker, Shaw and Mullins will have to lead this team down the stretch and get some help from Clemmons, Joshua Bone and the SIU bench.

NOTES:

· SIU moved to 8-0 in games in which they score 63 or more points.

· SIU put up its third 80+ point effort of the season, its first since the 88-78 victory over Western Kentucky

· In its three MVC wins, SIU is averaging 78.6 points per game. In its losses, SIU is only averaging 53.3 points per game. It looks like if SIU isn’t blowing teams out, they aren’t winning the close games.

The Salukis are in action again Saturday afternoon when they host the Shockers of Wichita State University.

SIU Basketball: It's not over, but...

…it might be getting to that point.

The Indiana State University Sycamores 64-62 double overtime victory against the Southern Illinois University Salukis is a microcosm of the Salukis 2007-08 season. Tonight's loss puts SIU at 7-9 overall and 2-3 in Missouri Valley Conference play while putting the Salukis' six year NCAA tournament appearance streak firmly in jeopardy.

THREE UPS

• Bryan Mullins led the Salukis in scoring with 18 points, including a three-pointer that gave the Salukis a brief 62-61 lead.
• Matt Shaw added 16 points and 14 rebounds and looks to be coming out of his early season funk with solid play in recent games.
• Tyrone Green chipped in off the bench with 14 points and nine rebounds, seven of which were offensive boards.

THREE DOWNS

• The pre-season MVC player of the year Randal Falker struggled tonight, scoring only 4 points on 1-of-3 shooting.
• One game after Carlton Fay put up 11 points in 18 minutes in a victory over Bradley, Fay struggled in the loss against Indiana State, scoring 0 points in 11 minutes.
• SIU probably would have won had it shot better than 20.8% from three-point range. SIU only hit five three point shots (24 attempts)

SIU BY THE NUMBERS

• Tonight's loss keeps SIU winless in "true" road games (0-6), winless in games in which they score less than 63 points (0-9) and winless in games decided by less than 10 points (0-4)
• SIU averages 75.57 points per game in wins, but only 51 points per game in losses
• In wins, SIU beats their opponent by an average of 14.57 points
• In losses, SIU is beaten by an average of 10.78 points

Needless to say, SIU has its work cut out for them and will need to go on a lengthy winning streak to get themselves back in the hunt.

SIU is playing like a Jekyll and Hyde act with a 5-2 record at the SIU Arena and a 2-7 record away from Carbondale. SIU is 2-1 in games played on a neutral court.

To get back into NCAA tournament consideration, SIU will likely need to win out at home and find a way to finish with at least a .500 record on the road. If not, they will face the daunting task of having to win the MVC Tournament in St. Louis to punch a guaranteed ticket to the NCAA's.

The Salukis' next game will be on the road against the Purple Aces of Evansville University. Evansville sports a 0-5 record in MVC play and is 5-10 overall. If SIU can't beat the Aces on the road, they will take another significant step backwards.

An Open Letter To: Saluki Basketball

One of my favorite segments on the blog has been the “An Open Letter To…” series which began on June 4, 2007 when I wrote a letter to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo after he broke up with Carrie Underwood. I would later go on to write “open letters” to St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa and Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano.

Today’s open letter goes to a group near to my heart, the Southern Illinois Salukis men’s basketball team.

Dear Salukis,

I see that conference play is underway and that we currently sit at 1-2 in Missouri Valley Conference play and 6-8 overall and that is quite disappointing, and that is why I am writing this letter.

6-8 is unacceptable for a program that was preseason top 25. 1-2 in MVC play is unacceptable for the six-time defending MVC champions. And to be honest, I’m not sure where you have gone wrong.

You guys have Chris Lowery, the two-time MVC coach of the year leading the way. You have two seniors in the front court that should be leading the team in Matt Shaw and Randal Falker (who was the pre-season pick to win the MVC player of the year).

You have one of the most unselfish point guards in the country, Bryan Mullins who also is a lock down defender. You have Joshua Bone, a jump shot specialist who can light up the scoreboard in the blink of an eye.

And yet, we find ourselves here at 6-8 looking up at the MVC. But you know what guys, all is not lost. There are plenty of games to play.

If you can go 8-0 at home and 5-2 on the road in your remaining games, you can finish with 19 wins and would likely be crowned with another MVC regular season title. At this point, I’d just like to see some more points scored and for you guys to get on a bit of a hot street before Arch Madness in St. Louis.

In closing, this can be turned around. This is SIU…this is Floor Burn U. We don’t do NIT! We find ways to make the NCAA tournament. Remember two years ago when you guys won the MVC tourney with your backs against the wall and no one outside of Carbondale, Ill. had you guys in the tourney?

I do. I believed it could happen then, and I believe it can happen again.

Sincerely,

Luis C. Medina

(Speaking on behalf of Saluki Nation)

Unheralded NFL Prospect Alert, SIU's Nick Hill

People laughed at me when I suggested that the Chicago Bears should take a look at Southern Illinois running back Brandon Jacobs in the 2005 NFL Draft.

It might have been the “homer” thing to say at the time, but when I saw Jacobs play during my freshman year at SIU in the fall of 2004, I believed that I was seeing something special. Jacobs shredded Div. 1-AA defenses while on offense and on special teams as a kick returner.

This season Jacobs became the New York Giants feature back after Tiki Barber retired after the 2006-07 season. He capitalized on his opportunity, rushing for over 1,000 yards and six total touchdowns (4 rushing, 2 receiving).

In Sunday’s 24-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacobs scored two touchdowns helping the Giants win their first playoff game under Coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning.

And when the 2008 NFL Draft rolls around, I’ll be leading the charge for the Bears to take a look at SIU quarterback Nick Hill.

If Hill isn’t granted another year of eligibility at SIU, his career as a Saluki is over and he will be eligible for the NFL Draft. By no means is Hill a blue-chip prospect, but he is a player that should be given serious consideration to make an NFL roster.

I won’t go as far as to suggest that Hill is the next Tony Romo, a product of Div. 1-AA Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill. who made good as an undrafted free-agent with the Dallas Cowboys. But Hill could be the type of quarterback that could manage a game and lead winning teams like Brad Johnson or Jeff Garcia.

Hill stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 210 pounds, and in 2007 he lead the Salukis to a 12-2 record and an appearance in the semi-finals of the FCS (formerly Div. 1-AA) against the University of Delaware. He had a terrific year, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns and gained over 350 yards in the ground game with four rushing touchdowns.

Two other things that make Hill appealing to NFL scouts are his accuracy and his ability to protect the football. In 2007, he completed over 71% of his passing, while only throwing 7 interceptions (3 of which came in a 30-24 loss to then No. 1 Northern Iowa).

The FCS quarterback that will likely get the most attention is Delaware’s Joe Flacco. Flacco looks like your prototypical NFL quarterback, he stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 220 pounds. In 2007, he passed for over 4,000 yards with 23 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He is projected to be a second or third round pick and could be the steal for the right team.

There’s plenty of time between now and the NFL Draft, but if Presidential campaigning has taught me anything, it’s that it’s never too early to throw a quality candidate out there for the people.

My Teams 2007 Review, 2008 Preview

CHICAGO CUBS: (2007: 85-77, NL Central Champions. Lost to ARZ 3-0 in NLDS)

My favorite moment of the 2007 Cubs season was Lou Piniella's dirt-kicking tirade on June 2. In an attempt to deflect attention from the "Slugout in the Dugout", Piniella picked a fight with third base umpire Mark Wegner after a close play at third base. After that, the Cubs had one of the best records in the NL and went on to win the NL Central for the first time since 2003.

My least favorite moment was when the Cubs were swept in Florida in the second to last series of the season. It looked like it was going to be another classic Cubs collapse at the hand of the lowly Florida Marlins, which would have only been fitting, seeing that it was the Marlins who did you know what to you know who in 2003. The Cubs would go on to win the NL Central in the first game of the next series against the Reds.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· The 100 Year Anniversary and the questions and stories that will follow.

· Will the Cubs have a new owner in 2008? Sam Zell says it could happen before Opening Day.

· On the field, the story to follow will be right fielder Kosuke Fukudome's transition to big league ball.

CHICAGO BEARS: (2006-07: 13-3, NFC Champions. 2007-08: 7-9, missed playoffs)

My favorite moment was Devin Hester's return of the opening kick in Super Bowl XLI. Since then, it's been all downhill for the Bears who went from NFC Champs to chumps in the blink of an eye. Hester's ability gives Bears fans a glimmer of hope, no matter what the situation.

My least favorite moment was when the Bears gave up 34 points in the fourth quarter in a loss to the Detroit Lions. That was one of two losses to the Lions, who played like world beaters against the Bears.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· How will the Bears improve their offense? The Bears have a tendency not to spend money in the off-season, which is a shame seeing that they need a quarterback, a running back and a big play wide receiver.

· Will Lance Briggs get that contract extension he craves? In a sense, he does deserve it because he's been one of the best players on the team. However, the Bears have a quality replacement in Jamar Williams and probably could put that $7.2 million into a need area.

· Will the coordinators return? Bob Babich is a Lovie Smith guy and he will likely return. Ron Turner could return only if he burns the John Shoop playbook he used for most of the season.

CHICAGO BULLS: (2006-07: 49-33; lost in Eastern Conf. semis. 2007: 11-17)

My favorite moment from the Bulls was when they swept the defending NBA champion Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. At that time, it looked like the Bulls were ready to take the next step in the post-Jordan era with rising stars Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Luol Deng.

My least favorite moment from the Bulls was the NBA Draft. It would have been easy to pick one of the bad losses or the firing of Scott Skiles, but I was not a happy man on draft night. The Bulls could have (hypothetically) used a combination of youngsters and their first round pick to acquire a bonafide star like Kevin Garnett or Kobe Bryant. Instead, they drafted Joakim Noah—who is playing like Tyson Chandler, circa 2004.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· Who is going to be coach in the future? Will Jim Boylan get the job full-time after his stint as the interim head coach? Will the Bulls bring in a high-profile guy like Larry Brown? Will Scottie Pippen get a chance to coach in the NBA?

· Will the Bulls acquire a low-post scorer or the type of go-to-guy they desperately need?

· Will the Bulls make the proper adjustments and make a run at a playoff spot again?

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SAUKIS FOOTBALL (2007: 12-2; lost in FCS semi-final)

My favorite moment from Saluki football was the 34-31 come from behind victory against in-state rival Northern Illinois University. It was the second straight year that SIU came from behind to beat a FBS (formerly Division 1-A) school (they beat Indiana University in 2006). Down 21, the SIU comeback began with an interception returned for a touchdown and two touchdown passes from Nick Hill.

That prompted a phone call to my friend at NIU who taunted me prior to the game. The message was simple: "Earlier you asked 'What's a Saluki?' Well, it just kicked your ass!"

My least favorite moments from the year were SIU's two losses. The loss to the then No. 1 ranked University of Northern Iowa was a tough loss, especially since SIU fell six-yards short from what could have been a game winning touchdown. The loss to Delaware in the FCS semi-final was more painful, having to be there.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· Will QB Nick Hill be given another year of eligibility by the NCAA?

· How will new head coach Dale Lennon implement his system at SIU?

· How will SIU do in the new look Gateway Football Conference?

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY MEN'S BASKETBALL (2006-07: 29-7, MVC champs, Sweet 16; 2007-08: 6-6)

My favorite SIU hoops moment was Senior Night at the SIU Arena. SIU's 76-69 victory over Evansville served as a great sendoff for senior leaders Jamaal Tatum and Tony Young. Young scored 17 and Tatum added 15, including his first dunk in front of the Saluki faithful. Junior forward Randal Falker provided the oxymoron of the year, quietly pouring in 30 points.

I have three least favorite moments; two of them involve road trips that ended in SIU losses against Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind. and Creighton University in the MVC tourney championship game in St. Louis. The other was the heartbreaking loss in the Sweet 16 against Kansas University. Coming up a distant fourth was SIU's loss to Indiana University on Super Saturday in Carbondale.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· Can SIU shake off an early 6-6 start to come back and win another Missouri Valley title and make another NCAA tourney appearance?

· Will seniors Randal Falker and Matt Shaw lead SIU the way that SIU combos Tatum and Young and Darren Brooks and Stetson Hairston have in recent years?

· Will SIU find consistent guard play with Bryan Mullins, Joshua Bone & company.