Letsgous!

The word of the day here at the Daily Egyptian sports desk is letsgous.

One word.

Letsgous.

The SIU Salukis have their work cut out for them, needing to win the Missouri Valley Conference tournament to ensure its seventh consecutive NCAA tournament bid. However, it’s not uncharted waters for the Salukis.

SIU turned the trick in 2006 as the No. 2 seed in the Valley tournament, upending Evansville, Northern Iowa and Bradley.

The Salukis have six members of that squad in tow for this year’s run, including senior forwards Randal Falker and Matt Shaw and junior guard Bryan Mullins. ‘The Big 3’ will likely need to play near-flawless basketball if they want to win their second conference tourney.

If the 2008 version of SIU wants to win, it will have to play like 2006 team did. The Salukis limited opponents to an average of 49 points per game. That type of stifling defense, nicknamed ‘Floorburn U,’ will need to make its presence known this weekend.

When the Salukis have the ball, they will need to capitalize on each possession, limiting turnovers and taking smart shots. When SIU shoots when time is running down on the shot or game clock, it usually results in an ugly look that nets no points.

If games become a shootout, the Salukis will need to establish their inside-outside game. Ether Falker and Shaw must establish themselves on the block or Mullins, Wesley Clemmons and Joshua Bone must hit some early outside shots to extend the defense.

Either way, the SIU offense needs to be hitting on all cylinders.

A sense of urgency has returned to SIU basketball, and if it fails in St. Louis, the NIT will likely be waiting.