Don't Worry, Chris Lowery's Job Is Safe

It seems like after every loss, yours truly gets a message, an e-mail or is directed to something asking to axe Southern Illinois men's basketball head coach Chris Lowery.

Usually, I roll my eyes.  And maybe I shouldn't.  I'm the guy who wants to launch Lovie Smith and the rest of his remaining staff into the stratosphere as soon as possible.  That analogy got me thinking that might be the reason SIU shouldn't fire Lowery.  Other than the fact that he has four years remaining on a deal worth $750,000 per season.

After each loss by my beloved Bears, you didn't need the most savvy NFL expert to tell you whatever Chicago's football team was running wasn't working.  I know 8-year-old children who have questioned Ron Turner's playcalling.

Nothing is more damning to an offensive coordinator than having to hear a youngster ask, "Why do they keep doing that?" after the 3,756th failed attempt at a bubble screen.

But it is when the Bears win, and the common fan (as well as the seasoned expert) can find holes in the game plan.  And I spend my afternoon celebrating a meaningless victory against the Lions, who couldn't stop a bubble screen if Jay Cutler handed the ball off to a defender in the Maui blue uniforms, then there is a problem.

Now that I think about it, maybe a more apt analogy would be how I feel about Vinny Del Negro.  No.  I just think he's bad.  Well, I just wasted a few precious moments of your time.  The Bulls should fire Vinny Del Negro.  He had never been a coach at any level.  To my knowledge, he has never even managed a Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball team.  That could possibly explain why he doesn't know when to put in his best players.  I hate when I forget to update my rosters daily.

I digress.

In either case, I don't get that feeling when I watch SIU lose games.  Even in last night's debacle, the Saluki defense performed quite well in regard to points allowed (61) and field goal percentage (26 percent in the second half, 38 for the entire game) but its offense was brutal.

Saluki guards staggered throughout the motion offense and looked lost at times, especially in the opening minutes with sophomore guard Kevin Dillard sidelined for an infraction of team rules.  The sharp cuts fans saw during the team's recent six-game winning streak turned into sloppy attempts at getting open.  That turned into turnovers, which turned into Northern Iowa points.

Like Lowery said in the post game, "You don't win six games in a row if you don't have a good team."

SIU still has a good team.  Senior guard Tony Freeman, busted nose and all, is still on board looking to make his senior season a memorable one.  Junior forward Carlton Fay is still posted on the block or on the perimeter, it's not as if he's going anywhere anytime soon.  And the core of young guards that people have fallen in love with, guys like Justin Bocot, Kendal Brown-Surles and John Freeman are still sporting the maroon and white.

Heck, even Anthony Booker has broke free from his early-season slumber to be a very productive sixth man for SIU.

Last night's loss was more of a lack of execution rather than game planning, in my humble opinion.  When SIU had fast break opportunities, they were quick to turn it over.  Ball movement was non-existent throughout the match-up and defensive rotations were slow to get around to the shooters.

Some would call it an off night.

Personally, I'm not sure what to call it.

After winning six straight games and starting the season 9-2, including back-to-back wins to start the conference season, SIU has lost two straight to the two teams I thought would be at the top of the Valley standings all year long.

The alma mater currently sits at 9-4 (2-2 MVC) through 13 games.  A year ago today, SIU improved its record to 6-9 (1-3 MVC) with a 74-62 win at Wichita State.  Freshman Ryan Hare led the way with 18 points.

The Salukis finished with only 13 wins that season in the school's first losing season since the end of the Rich Herrin Era.  With 16 games to go in the regular season, Southern would have to go 4-12 down the stretch to match that 13-win mark.  This team is too good to that.

But if for some reason this team losses 12 of its final 16 games, then you could start asking to push coach off the Pulliam Clock Tower.  On the flip side, if SIU goes 12-4 down the stretch, giving SIU a 21-win campaign going into the conference tournament, I'm sure my inbox will be filled with "I don't want a BCS school to scoop up our coach again" e-mails.

It's the ying and the yang that makes analyzing college hoops fun for yours truly.

Until then, relax.  Or don't.  Keep firing away those e-mails, calling in talk shows and lighting up message boards.  I doubt that a university so strapped for cash would be willing to pay for two coaches, especially when one will be making $750,000 to not coach the team.

In the end, there's plenty of basketball to be played, and hopefully, plenty more victories for the Egyptian Hunting Dawgs.

Saluki Men's Hoops 2009-10 Preview: Carlton Fay

[Ed. Note: This is the last installment of a series previewing the 2009-10 SIU men's basketball team's projected starting five.  Starting Monday, we'll look at head coach Chris Lowery's bench before writing a slick set of previews Friday that will include some notes on his coaching staff and the all-important, yet very irresponsible, pre-season prediction blog. Now to the rest of the garbage...  After finishing the 2008-09 season with a disappointing 13-18 record, Chris Lowery's Salukis are one year stronger and one year smarter as they will look to extract revenge on the Missouri Valley Conference teams that took advantage of a young squad.  Those teams will get their comeuppance soon enough.  And what better way to warn them than with a preview of each player that will tear their hearts out and step on their souls.]

Carlton Fay's freshman season was a struggle.  He scored what was then a career-high 11 points against Illinois State, but it was a brief highlight as he only averaged 2.4 points per game as he lingered behind senior forwards Matt Shaw and Randal Falker.

Then came Fay's sophomore season -- and it came in a big way.  He opened the season with a double-double against Cal (Pa.) in which he scored 16 points and pulled down 11 rebounds.  Fay would go on to win the 2K Sports Carbondale Regional's Most Valuable Player as he scored 33 points in two games.

Fay would go on to score in double figures in 19 of the team's 31 games.  He averaged 13.6 points per game over the season's first nine games.  At times, he played as if he was Shaw's clone.  Getting away with garbage buckets down low while also being a threat on the perimeter.

Fay should be able to build on a solid sophomore season as he enters his second year as a starter under head coach Chris Lowery.

But first, Fay (and the rest of Saluki Nation) will need to erase the above image from their memories.  I was there in New York City as it happened, and believe it or not, it was uglier in person than it was on television.  It didn't help when you've got Duke fans surrounding you, a creepy, smarmy old man "announcing" the game (to himself?) and a Duke student sports writer bitching about a small television/stats monitor in his seating area.  Yeah -- it was that kind of weekend for all Salukis.

The good news is that Coach K's Blue Devils are not on the Salukis' schedule and would likely not meet up until the NCAA Tournament.  It wouldn't matter anyway as Duke usually has found itself out after the first two rounds over the last few years.  I wouldn't mind if it happened again.  I digress.  More on C-Fay.

A part of me wants Fay to take off like Shaw did in his junior year.  After respectable years as a freshman and sophomore, Shaw went on to average 11.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in what turned out to be a Sweet 16 year for the Salukis.  He shot 46.8 percent from the field, 80.7 percent from the free-throw line and 35 percent from the 3-point line.

Shaw, and Randal Falker for that matter, clearly benefited from having senior standout guards Jamaal Tatum and Tony Young in the backcourt.

However, a part of me remembers what happened to Shaw his senior year.  He was good, but not as great as he should have been.  In games in which he made his first shot, it seemed as if he was automatic.  But if he missed his first shot, it felt as if it was going to be a long night in Saluki country.  As a senior, Shaw saw his points per game jump to 12.7 and rebounds per game go up to 6.9 ... but at what cost?  Shaw shot 41.4 percent from the field , 32.1 percent from the 3-point line and 76 percent from the charity stripe.

So, should we expect a breakout year from Fay?  History tells me yes because the third year in the Saluki system is one that usually pays off the biggest leap in production.  Jamaal Tatum and Tony Young did it.  As did Darren Brooks and Stetson Hairston.  You can add Kent Williams to the list, too.  OK, so every year was a big year for Kid Kent.  I'm sure you see my point.

Here's hoping Fay channels his inner Matt Shaw for his junior year.  As for his senior year, well, we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Saluki Men's Hoops 2009-10 Preview: Anthony Booker

[Ed. Note: This is the newest installment of a series previewing the 2009-10 SIU men's basketball team.  After finishing the 2008-09 season with a disappointing 13-18 record, Chris Lowery's Salukis are one year stronger and one year smarter as they will look to extract revenge on the Missouri Valley Conference teams that took advantage of a young squad.  Those teams will get their comeuppance soon enough.  And what better way to warn them than with a preview of each player that will tear their hearts out and step on their souls.]

Once upon a time, M.J. Hartwig and I debated about student-athlete blogs.  It stemmed from an issue with allowing athletes to write columns -- it was about the time Nick Hill was penning pieces for the DE as he prepared for the NFL Draft.  The conversation turned to who we would have do it next year.  I said no one.  He suggested Anthony Booker, who to this day is still the highest ranked recruit the modern era of Saluki basketball player has brought in.


"I'd give him whatever he wants," is what I remember Hartwig saying at the time.  Lots of time has passed between then and now.  (P.S. This is a much better blog than it used to be.)

So, here we are in 2009 and Booker has found his way into my projected starting line-up.  And for good reason.

Photo via EdytaB (visit her blog here)

Sophomore forward Anthony Booker is arguably one of the biggest match-up problems in the Missouri Valley Conference.  Listed at 6-foot-8-inches, 230 pounds, Booker can bang down low with the big boys as his various post moves give many defenders fits.  In his high school career, and at times during his freshman year with the Salukis, Booker showed a nice touch with his mid-range game.

However, as he learned throughout the year, he fell in love with his long distance jump shot a little bit too much.  Booker only connected on one of his 11 3-point field goal attempt in the 2008-09 season.  It came in the waning moments of the Salukis' first-round loss to Bradley in the MVC Tournament.  With a full season of ups and downs under his belt, Booker should be poised for a break out season.

The highly touted forward struggled shooting from the field in the season's first 19 games as he shot 24 percent.  No power forward should be shooting 24 percent.  But Booker shook off the slow start to shoot 52 percent from the field down the stretch.  It seemed as if Booker grew as a player as the season went on, with a lot of his improvements coming in practice.  He outhustled a lot of bigs and some smalls for loose balls in the Salukis' no-holds-barred practices.  He was a grinder on the boards -- especially on the offensive end.  Defensively, he was always good for a few blocked shots.

Finally, it appeared as if it came all together on Feb. 18, 2009, when Booker scored a team-high 18 points on 8-of-15 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds (6 offensive boards) in Southern Illinois' 78-72 loss at home to Indiana State.  It was the game SIU fans, coaches and team members had been looking forward to seeing Booker have.  He was the most dominant player on the floor as he accounted for 18 of the Salukis' 19 points off the bench while outscoring the Sycamores' bench by eight points all on his own.

Booker is capable of having an entire season like that.  That is why he's one of my five projected starters.  In the five games in which he played at least 20 minutes, Booker averaged 7.4 rebounds per game.  In Southern's 80-73 win against UMass, Booker grabbed 7 boards in 14 minutes.  Also, in those games in which he logged at least 20 minutes, Booker averaged 8.2 points per game

There is undeniable chemistry between Booker and point guard Kevin Dillard.  And I would argue that there is no more valuable relationship on the court than one between the post and the point.  Expect for Dillard to feed Booker on the low block often.  Then, expect the 6-8 forward to throw it down with authority or use his soft touch around the rim to put down two points.  It is the kind of inside-outside threat that could heat up a cold winter of basketball.

Booker reminds me of a more polished Randal Falker because both are good players around the rim on both sides of the floor.  However, Booker has a much higher upside, especially at this stage of the game as he enters his sophomore year.  Like Falker, Booker struggled at times at the free throw line.  If he can follow Falker's footsteps and improve his stroke at the charity stripe, do not be surprised if Booker is averaging double figures by the time March rolls around.

I know I won't be.

Saluki Men's Hoops 2009-10 Preview: Justin Bocot

[Ed. Note: This is the newest installment of a series previewing the 2009-10 SIU men's basketball team.  After finishing the 2008-09 season with a disappointing 13-18 record, Chris Lowery's Salukis are one year stronger and one year smarter as they will look to extract revenge on the Missouri Valley Conference teams that took advantage of a young squad.  Those teams will get their comeuppance soon enough.  And what better way to warn them than with a preview of each player that will tear their hearts out and step on their souls.]

Justin Bocot exploded onto the Saluki hoops basketball scene when he scored a career-high 28 points in Southern Illinois' 72-64 win at Missouri State.  But really, his on-the-court success began with a homecoming of sorts as he scored a team-high 14 points in a 70-63 loss at Illinois State.

From that point on, Bocot averaged 10.8 points per game -- including the 28 point game that was in the team's second game after losing senior guard Bryan Mullins to what would eventually end up being a season-ending stress fracture.

So, what does Bocot do for an encore?  Replacing Ryan Hare, who was dismissed from the team on Sunday for violating team rules, in the starting line-up would be a good start.

Image via

There might not be a more humble member of the SIU men's basketball team than junior guard Justin Bocot.  The 6-foot-4-inch guard from Bloomington, Ill., was a two-sport star in high school as he excelled on the hardwood and on the track. 

A naturally gifted athlete, Bocot was recruited by high majors such as Big Ten schools Illinois, Iowa and Purdue.  However, Bocot did not qualify academically as a freshman (as detailed here by SIU sports information director Tom Weber) and that scared away many other powerhouse programs.  And rather than run away from Bocot as other schools did, the Salukis welcomed him as part of the family and Bocot paid his own way through what would have been his freshman year.

This sidebar story I wrote after his 28 point game reveals some details via head coach Chris Lowery, who comes off as a proud poppa when he discusses Bocot.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Last season, Justin Bocot could not help the SIU men’s basketball team even if he wanted to.

The sophomore guard sat in the stands of the SIU Arena awaiting his turn as he was sidelined because of academic issues as his ACT score fell short of the NCAA’s eligibility requirement.

Head coach Chris Lowery said Bocot paid his dues off the court and is now paying dividends for the team on it.

“He was sweeping up in the locker room. He was working in the gym. I couldn’t have done that as an 18-year old kid,” Lowery said. “I couldn’t mop the weight room and the bathrooms and done all that stuff, no way I could have done that. But it’s all paying off for him.”

To this date, Bocot is still on the straight and narrow, and it is expected that Bocot will eventually be granted a fifth year of school and a fourth year of eligibility to play basketball for SIU.  It couldn't happen to a better player.

So, maybe my expectations are homer-ish because of a good story.  Or maybe they're realistic for the former Bloomington Pantagraph Player of the Year.  Bocot was an elite scorer at the high school level, averaging 20 points as a senior.  If you watch Bocot's game, you could tell he is more than just a scorer.  He averaged 3.2 assists and 2.3 steals per game. His lengthy wingspan allows him to pick off lazy entrance passes and defend all three guard spots.

It would have been nice to see Bocot be the first Dawg off Lowery's bench, seeing that he was named to the MVC's All-Bench Team for his role as a Saluki Sub.  But as the situation  goes, he is a high-energy player whose athletic gifts and basketball instincts will be used as a starter.  Bocot played very well down the stretch for a Saluki team that played without its senior leader and seemed to get stronger and better as the season progressed.

Even though I have delivered a glowing endorsement of Bocot's skills, there is still work to be done.  One of the knocks on Bocot's game are his jump passes -- a move that is highly frowned upon by Coach Lowery.  Turnovers play a major role in Saluki ball games, and if Bocot can limit his -- most of which come off the jump pass -- then Southern's backcourt should be in good shape.

His points per game should get a bump upon joining the starting line-up as he will likely average somewhere between 20 and 25 minutes per game as I'm sure Lowery will not want to over-extend any of guards -- an ideology shared with previous coaches Bruce Weber and Matt Painter.  It's a game plan that has helped fresh Saluki guards play their best all season long.  It's the game plan that helped SIU basketball become the premier mid-major in college basketball with its lengthy steak of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, Missouri Valley Conference titles and Sweet 16 appearances in 2002 and 2006.

And finally, my favorite Justin Bocot story, as originally posted here at the DE Sports Blog:

After covering a women's basketball game during the first semester, Bocot was having a personal post-game shootaround.  Dressed in a sweater, a collared shirt, khakis and some loafers, I asked Justin if I could take a couple shots with him.

I went on to airball my first few and Bocot cracked a smile and a slight laugh.

"That's why I do what I do and you do what you do," I told him.

Eventually I made a few layups.  In between him drilling shots and my failed attempts at filling the basket I asked him if he ever got tired of being at the SIU Arena.  It was a Friday night.

"This is my home.  I love this place."

Bocot's love for the game should translate well to the 2009-10 Saluki season.

Saluki Men's Hoops 2009-10 Preview: Kevin Dillard

[Ed. Note: This is the first in a series previewing the 2009-10 SIU men's basketball team.  After finishing the 2008-09 season with a disappointing 13-18 record, Chris Lowery's Salukis are one year stronger and one year smarter as they will look to extract revenge on the Missouri Valley Conference teams that took advantage of a young squad.  Those teams will get their comeuppance soon enough.  And what better way to warn them than with a preview of each player that will tear their hearts out and step on their souls.]

Kevin Dillard became the first Saluki freshman to lead the team in scoring since Kent Williams.  So how does the former Illinois Mr. Basketball follow up a stellar first-year campaign?

By bulking up.

Dillard earned many accolades as a true freshman, including being named to the Missouri Valley Conference's All-Freshman and All-Newcomer teams and being named the conference's Freshman of the Year.  He averaged 12.2 points per game leading SIU and ranking first among all freshmen. Dillard also finished second in the Valley in 3-point percentage (45.2 percent) and third in assists (4.2 per game).

Still, it didn't mean that there wasn't room for KD to improve.

A microcosm of the talented guard's season can be found in the SIU men's basketball team's 73-72 overtime loss on Jan. 14 at Creighton.  This story, written by yours truly details the action.

Freshman guard Kevin Dillard led the Salukis with 21 points in 39 minutes of play and dished five assists, but a pair of freshman mistakes hurt the team in the game’s closing seconds.

After hitting a pair of free throws to give SIU (7-10, 2-4) a 63-60 lead with 10.4 seconds remaining in regulation, Dillard fouled guard Cavel Witter as he attempted a 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds, giving the Bluejays a chance to tie the game.

Witter proceeded to hit all three free throws to tie the game. Senior guard Bryan Mullins had a chance to win the game in regulation, but his desperation 3-point heave near midcourt glanced off the rim to send the game into overtime.

It's a situation I replayed about a month ago with SIU head coach Chris Lowery who said now that Dillard has added some muscle, situations like that will likely never happen again.

KD has bulked up in the offseason, a process that began shortly after the team's season ended with an opening round loss to Bradley in the MVC Tournament.  And even though Dillard is stronger, his added strength has not altered the sugar-sweet jump shot that helped him to carry a hefty scoring load.

With Bryan Mullins completely out of the pictuer, Dillard becomes the team's main ball-handler.  He will be in charge of running the offense and getting his teammates involved -- all while trying to create his own shot.  It seems like a tall task for a sophomore floor general. 

The biggest area in which Dillard can improve as a sophomore is in the turnover department.  Dillard needs to handle his business in regard to his ball handling skills because 1.3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio isn't going to cut it.  Not at SIU.  Not when your head coach is Chris Lowery, who knows a thing or two about running the point as a Saluki.  And especially not when you're following one of the best point guards, not just in school history, but in Missouri Valley Conference history.

Expect Dillard to bump his scoring a tad into the 13 or 14 ppg range, especially if he can improve on his stroke from the charity stripe, where he shot only 72 percent.  KD should also see his assist numbers rise, especially if his turnover rate dips.

Saluki fans are always craving a big man, but the truth of the matter is that guard play will carry you not only through the conference season, but through postseason play as well.  There will be 12 other ballers decked out in maroon and white joining him in the huddle this upcoming season.  But the team' will go only as far as Dillard (and the rest of the guards for that matter) will take them.

Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow: Salukis Dismiss Sophomore Guard

Two days after the Southern Illinois University men's basketball team tipped off its season with its annual Maroon Madness, the team finds itself without an integral member of the team.

Sophomore guard Ryan Hare was dismissed from the team according to a release via the school's Web site on Sunday night.  Hare averaged 7.5 points per game and started 26 of the team's 31 games as a freshman.  In September, Hare was suspended after being arrested and charged with felony battery and trespassing.

TBDS sources have informed the blog that the charges stemmed from a fight that might be related to a domestic issue.  Hare was given a second chance, but citing a violation of team rules (also known as breaking whatever rules Coach Lowery laid down after the suspension) Hare was dismissed and has left the SIU Carbondale campus.


On the court, the Chicago native drew favorable comparisons to former Saluki great Stetson Hairston.  Like Hairston, Hare was a left-handed shooting grinder who excelled on the defensive end of the court.  I would make the argument that Hare was the team's best on-the-ball defender after senior guard Bryan Mullins bit the dust with a stress fracture injury.

Hare was expected to log heavy minutes for the Salukis in the upcoming 2010 season.  But rumors of his dismissal started as whispers on Friday when Hare was not announced, nor was he in attendance at the team's Maroon Madness event.  The rumors were put to rest Sunday with the official announcement of the dismissal.

So, you won't see Ryan Hare in any of the upcoming Saluki previews that will be posted over the next two weeks.  It's a shame, too.  Soft-spoken and always polite with the media whether the mic was on or off, Hare looked poised to be another great Saluki guard in Southern's stable of backcourt ballers.

Hare is the second member of the much-heralded 2008 recruiting class that also landed guard Kevin Dillard and forward Anthony Booker.  Guard Torres Roundtree left the team after the team's Dec. 31 loss against Northern Iowa.  Hare is the sixth Saluki to leave Lowery's program after playing in the system, joining Roundtree, Christian Cornelius, Joshua Bone, Brandon Wood and Mike Dale.  Other Saluki commitments to never make the court include Josh Tabb, who was snagged by Bruce Pearl at Tennessee and Drew Barham, who got picked up by Memphis after backing out of his commitment in one of the strangest recruiting sagas (see: total bullshit on behalf of Memphis recruiting -- which really shouldn't shock anyone) in recent memory.

Hare's dismissal will likely set off a backlash in the southern Illinois.

At times, there is a divide among the Southern Illinois community.  Chicago and its surrounding suburbs make up a healthy chunk of the Carbondale campus.  And like yours truly, some of the northern kids become Southern transplants.  It's an awkward situation that sometimes sets off rivalries between former city slickers and life long members of a tight-knit rural community.  I have already received backlash as "you Chicago kids" are apparently no good despite the fact that I have a clean record.

It would not surprise me to hear and read those types of comments on blogs, in comment sections and on message boards.  When really, a small sample size shouldn't put everyone in a dark light.

In the end, a black eye for my alma mater is a black eye for everyone involved.

Diamond In The Rough? SIU Sure Hopes So

Maybe Diamond Taylor should have gone to the Southern Illinois University in the first place.

The 6-foot-4 guard was once pursued by Big Ten schools such as Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Purdue.  Southeastern Conference schools such as Kentucky and Vanderbilt, along with Wake Forest of the Atlantic Coast Conference.  Missouri Valley Conference foe Bradley also had an interest in Taylor, who eventually chose Wisconsin over the rest.

The talented guard from Bolingbrook is on his way to the Carbondale campus via the University of Wisconsin after being suspended, then booted from the Badgers' basketball program after he and teammate Jeremy Glover were charged with burglary and underage drinking.

In an interview with ESPNChicago.com, his former AAU coach Mike Mullins (yes, father of future Saluki Hall of Famer Bryan Mullins) said going to SIU would be a good fit for Taylor.

"It'll be a great opportunity for him to get back into basketball and on the road to doing positive things with his life. He made a foolish mistake, and he has paid the penalty for it. There's no excusing it. He's accepting the consequences."

It's not necessarily the story some Saluki fans want to hear after the Ryan Hare arrest, but if there is anyone Saluki fans should trust, it has to be Mike Mullins, right?  Mullins has sent some pretty talented players down I-57, including his son, and junior forward Carlton Fay.  The Mullins family and Lowery family are close, so I do not feel as if the senior Mullins would send a bad apple down to Carbondale.

Taylor was not only one of the best recruits in the state of Illinois when he graduated, but he was also among the best in the nation.  His talent and body style alone should make Saluki fans giddy about this get.  He will likely have four years of eligibility after redshirting last season with the Badgers.  He'll be a third-year "freshman" -- like many SIU undergrads.  But it really is hard to focus on the on-court stuff when the off-the-court issues loom large.

When Taylor finally takes the court, he will be surrounded by what should be a team on the brink of something special.

Kevin Dillard, Ryan Hare, Anthony Booker and Nick Evans will be juniors.  Kendal Brown-Surles, Gene Teague and Jordan Myers will be sophomores, with the possibility of Myers being a redshirted freshman.  Carlton Fay, Jack Crowder and John Freeman will be seniors, while Justin Bocot will be in his third year with the Salukis and classified as a senior, but is currently on the path to gaining a fourth year of eligibility.

Anyone afraid of Taylor's cloudy past should try to remember the name Roland Roberts.  He was a transfer from a power conference school with a questionable past.  Roberts was able to shake off his baggage and lead SIU to two NCAA Tournaments including a very successful Sweet Sixteen season in 2002.

Sometimes a change of scenery can benefit a player off -- and on --  the court. SIU head coach Chris Lowery is no stranger to dealing with baggage-filled ballers.  Balancing the addition of Taylor with the suspension of Hare could be Lowery's biggest challenge.

But those are the things one must deal with when they make $750,000 per year.

Saluki Basketball Guard Ryan Hare Suspended Indefinitely

It is never fun when a team must deal with legal troubles on the outside. The Southern Illinois University men’s basketball team was known to be a young squad last year, and that was an excuse on the court.

Unfortunately, the youth took another turn over the weekend as sophomore guard Ryan Hare was arrested for aggravated battery and criminal trespassing.

Head Coach Chris Lowery announced today that Hare has been suspended indefinitely. Hare was a key performer last year, with 26 starts and appearances in every game during his freshman year.

Lowery's twitter update reads, "It is always tough when you have to discipline people in your family. The most important thing is that a lesson is learned from it."

Hare was a bigger guard, with the ability to get to the rim despite not being as quick as some people. He was also able to use his long arms on defense, and was one of the better Saluki defenders a year ago…something that is very important in Coach Lowery’s system.

Carbondale police said they responded to a fight at 9:20 am on Saturday. Hare was sent to Jackson County Jail. The victim, an acquaintance of Hare, was treated at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale and released.

Indefinitely can mean a lot of things. Right now, Hare has bigger troubles than just basketball. I wish him, his family and the team the best as they get through this. The 20-year-old Hare is still maturing, and unfortunately, this is a step backwards in the process.

Jamaal Tatum, a former star guard under Lowery, was once charged with a DUI. Tatum was very remorseful and learned from the mistake. He became one of SIU's leaders on and off the court.

Now, a young Hare brings another legal issue to the team. Again, basketball is not the top priority right now. We still do not have all the details, but there are enough there for Lowery to suspend his key performer indefinitely.

Introducing Bryan Mullins. Future Celtic?

Could Bryan Mullins be making another appearance at Madison Garden, this time in a NBA uni?

Needless to say, fans of the Boston Celtics must have felt clueless when ESPN.com Insider Chad Ford pegged the C's as drafting Southern Illinois point guard Bryan Mullins with the 58th pick in the NBA Draft. I know I was a bit stunned myself.

Fear not, Celtics fans, for I can shine some light on this mystery known as Mr. Mullins.

As the Daily Egyptian's basketball beat writer, I can tell you that no one worked harder in practice and on game day than Bryan Mullins. He would not be outhustled or outworked by anyone. Yes, that includes you Tyler Hansbrough.

He was the pass-first point guard every Saluki detractor heckled and booed to their lungs content, but quietly wished he was on their side.

And there is no denying that Mullins improved in every facet of the game. (You'll read that in the scouting report I whipped up below.) It's a rarity in this day of basketball where a player improves his offensive game while still being a terror on the defensive end.

Most importantly, Mullins imposed his will on his teammates. I remember an interview with then-freshman Kevin Dillard and I asked him what he had learned from playing with Mullins on game day and against Mullins in practice. It came down to two things: Composure and a will to win. Both of which would have been Mullins' major at SIU had it not been for that 4.0 GPA in finance.

If Stephon Marbury had Mullins' wits and heart, he would be a Hall Of Fame caliber point guard. Instead, he's just a headcase.

Sure, it looks like a project now, but you can't teach the intangibles Mullins has.

And after diving through several of the Celtics' message boards and knowing that Mullins is, at times, hidden in the relative obscurity that is Southern Illinois University Carbondale, I decided to blog up a scouting report on one of the all-time great Salukis.

Ready? Let's do this.

Mullins was a four-year starter as a Saluki, even though he started his first few games on the bench as juniors Jamaal Tatum, Tony Young and Mike Dale garnered starting roles. Dale struggled early (and often) for SIU and his spot was handed to Mullins, a pure point guard. Eventually, Dale disappeared into relative obscurity and is now one of my favorite punchlines over at SalukiTalk.

As a freshman, Mullins was named the Missouri Valley Conference's Freshman of the Year, placed on the All Newcomer Team and All-Defensive Team. Those are nice titles to have, but if anyone ever earned it, it was the Downers Grove, Ill., native.

B-Mull was a flat out crook as he registered a SIU single-season record 94 thefts (including a MVC record 8 in one game against arch-rival Creighton), good enough for a 2.85 steal per game average ... which ranked 7th in the nation.

Full of moxie and poise, Mullins helped lead the Salukis to their first MVC Tournament championship since 1995.

There was no sophomore slump for Mullins, who earned All-Defensive Team honors again to go along with being named to the All-Academic squad. Much to the chagrin of Valley foes everywhere, Mullins improved his offensive skillset adding a long-range jump shot as his 3-point percentage went up nearly seven percentage points from 30 percent to 36.8 percent and his free-throw percentage went up from 60.98 percent to 74.8 percent.

With Tatum and Young in the backcourt, and the emerging frontcourt of Randal Falker and Matt Shaw, Mullins' offensive contributions meant that no opposing player could rest on defense. As a result, SIU won 29 games that season, and Mr. Mullins highlighted a pair of unforgettable Saluki wins.

Mullins hit a running, left-handed 10-foot jump shot with 4.1 seconds left to give the Salukis a win against Creighton, etching his name among great Bluejay killers in SIU history.

B-Mull was an instrumental force in Southern's Sweet 16 run, and will always be remembered for this killer crossover against Kansas' Mario Chalmers, who happens to be currently employed by the NBA's Miami Heat.

As a junior, Mullins was hampered by a stress fracture, yet he had another solid season donning the maroon and white. He won his first MVC Defensive Player of the Year award, while continuing to improve his game on the offensive end as he nailed 48 percent of his 3-point shots. And for everyone keeping score at home, it was Mullins who got the honor of being interviewed by Erin Andrews on ESPN's GameDay -- which was the first such episode to be hosted by a "mid-major" school.

Senior year came around and, once again, Mullins fell victim to the injury bug. In an injury-shortened season, he still managed to win the Valley's Defensive POY award, cementing his legacy among the great MVC defenders. When on he was on the court, Mullins averaged 9.3 points, 5.6 assists and 2 steals per game. His field goal percentage was a career best 42 percent while shooting the three at a 43 perecent clip. Mullins surpassed Wayne Abrams' school assist record and became one of only two players in the Valley's history to record 500 assists and 250 steals.

And if you don't know, now ya' know.

(An aside: Even if Mullins isn't picked up by a NBA squad via draft of free agency, this is just the buzz that my alma mater and the Saluki basketball program needed. So, if anything, thanks Chad Ford. Forget about that stuff I said earlier about that whole failure of a grade you gave the Pistons for taking Darko.)


Mullins Works Out For Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics [Daily Egyptian]
Update: Ford's Mock Has C's Taking Mullins [Celtics Hub]
BMull To The Bulls? [Saluki Talk]

I H8 CR8N (and the reasons why)

The professional journalistic side of me puts this kind of story out for the newspaper. Fine and dandy. It details some of SIU-Creighton rivalry through the eyes of the Saluki head coach, senior leader, budding freshman star and former player now on the coaching staff.

Then there's the side of me that you guys know. The fan whose blood pressure goes up a little bit whenever the name Creighton is muttered.

That's right, the Missouri Valley Conference's best rivalry is renewed tonight at 7:05 when the Salukis travel to the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb., to take on the Bluejays.

So get your game face on and get your wittiest heckles in order and prepare for a little lesson on why I H8 CR*N!

1. Their coach's name is Dana, which happens to be the name of the SIU women's basketball coach. How can a group of young men take a man named Dana seriously ...
2. ... especially when said coach takes a job at Arkansas, does the "ooo pig sooie" trick and turns around one day later to return to Creighton and everyone acts as if nothing happened ... LAME!
3. Blue Jays. Two words. That's how it should be. That is how any level-headed person would expect the team name to read. Nope, not in Omaha. They bring it together to where it reads "Bluejays" which makes no sense.
4. P'Allen is the name of one of their stars. Really? What kind of hallucinogen must you be on to name a child that. And then as a child, how do you not change your name to something respectable the minute you turn 18. Honestly, how can you take someone named "P'Allen" seriously?
5. Kyle Korver. Screw you Korver and all those 3s you nailed over the years. Screw your brothers, who aren't nearly as talented as you are but received scholarships because of their last name. And screw you for being a one-dimensional fantasy basketball player who really isn't that good at that dimension at the next level.
6. Creighton cheerleaders. Three words of advice for these young ladies: Get some sunlight. Had some drinks with a few of these fine young ladies a few years ago, but it was apparent to me that Omaha was a city deprived of sunlight and apparently tanning salons.
7. The Bluejays are the among weakest mascots out there. There might be no less intimidating than a Bluejay in the Missouri Valley. Even Evansville's Purple Aces mascot is a pimp with a cane. You can't f*ck with an angry pimp with a cane ...
8. ... as a continuation of that ... the Bird Cage? Of all the intimidating student sections, the least intimidating has to be one named after a Robin Williams movie.
   
9. Poor spelling. You expect that from drunks like myself, but how do you misspell a stadium? The Qwest Center? Really? Learn to spell you silly goofs.
10. They're Creighton, 'nuff said. Cubs fans don't like the Cardinals. Cardinals fans don't like the Cubs. Yankees fans don't like the Red Sox. Red Sox fans don't like the Yankees. Since the dawn of time there has been the Alpha male and his rival. And in the end, that's what it boils down to.

GO DAWGS!

Google Scouting Saint Mary's (minus the Google) and a Purdue/Davidson update

Coming into the first game of the John R. Wooden Tradition, Davidson guard Stephen Curry looked primed to break the tournament's scoring record if he matched his game average.

However, the Purdue Boilermakers asserted themselves as the physically dominant team as they outhustled the Wildcats en route to a 47-24 halftime lead.

Curry is an ice cold 3-for-17 from the floor and 1-for-8 from the 3-point line and still leads the team with 7 first-half points. If the Wildcats want to make a run in this game, they would be wise to move Curry off the point guard position and let him run wild off screens. But for that to work, Davidson is going to have to set more solid screens as they ahve looked lifeless on both ends of the court.

Purdue's E'Twaun Moore leads all scorers with 10 points as seven different Boilermakers tallied points in the first half in what has turned out to be a home game in the team fittingly wearing the white jerseys. Kyle Orton and Drew Brees must be proud.

Google Scouting Presents: Saint Mary's (without the Google)

The combination of a terrible internet connection and access to a Saint Mary's media guide has given me the opportunity to do Google scouting without opening an additional web browser. Here's what I've got for you today.

Location: Moraga, California. According to the SMC media guide, its campus is 13.5 miles away from Oakland (yuck!), 21 miles from San Francisco and 46 miles from Great America. So that's cool.

Mascot: Gaels. It is some sort of horse. I'm assuming it is fast. Who would want a slow horse to be a team mascot?

Conference: West Coast Conference. Better known as the WCC. Also known as the conference Gonzaga dominates. Hey, wasn't SIU supposed to be the next Gonzaga? Just wondering.

Record: 8-1 with wins over powerhouses such as Seattle Pacific and Vanguard. OK, let's give 'em some credit here. They have beaten Providence (81-75), Kent State (75-69) and Oregon (78-73).

Who to watch for: Patrick "Patty" Mills. The 6-foot guard was an Olympic star for the Australian national team. He is averaging 20 points per game and will be a handful for Saluki defenders to guard this evening. I'd also watch out for 6-foot-7 forward Diamon Simpson, who is averaging 12.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per contest and 6-foot-11 center Omar Samhan who averages 15.4 points and 9.6 boards per game.

Don't worry about... Daniel Kickert. The former Gael star graduated in 2006 finishing as the school's leading scorer with 1,863 points.

The 'X' Factor: It's a homecoming for senior guard Wesley Clemmons, who is an Indianapolis native.

Notable: SIU will be playing its third game on a neutral court this season.

Quotable: "I'm looking forward to Stephen Curry dropping 40 on Purdue tonight." - Me, prior to the Purdue-Davidson game.

Prediction: Someone's gotta pull an upset in this tourney, right? I think SIU wins a squeaker in the house that Danny Granger dominates, but no one cares or knows about. Southern Illinois 67 Saint Mary's College 64

Um...The ESPYs Forgot An Award

Courtesy of the Daily Egyptian.

And the understatement of the year goes to...

"They underachieved, obviously, but with us four coming in we should be able to pick that up. They need some kids who can score and help out, and I think we can really do that for them."

Welcome to Saluki basketball, Torres Roundtree.

Roundtree joins guards Ryan Hare, Illinois' Mr. Basketball Kevin Dillard, Justin Bocot and forward Anthony Booker as newcomers to the Southern Illinois men's basketball program looking to rebound from a disappointing 18-win campaign that saw SIU land in the NIT, missing the NCAA Tourney for the first time since 2001.

Gone from that squad are star forwards Randal Falker and Matt Shaw, who averaged 25.5 points per game, accounting for 40.7 % of the team's scoring (for those of you who want a lil' bit of Stat Boy action on a Monday morning.)

The only returning starter to average double digits is senior floor general Bryan Mullins. Mullins, the Missouri Valley Conference's Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 10.7 points per game and will be in charge of jump start an offense that averaged only 62.6 points per game during the 2007-08 season.

Filling up the basket would be a step in the right direction for a program known for its stifling defense. In 2008, the magic number for the Dawgs was 63, where they went 16-1 when scoring 63 or more points.

No pressure, Mr. Roundtree.