Chris Lowery Gettin' Interactive

Once upon a time, SIU men's basketball coach Chris Lowery was apprehensive about Twitter, to say the least.  In an interview before I went mainstream, Lowery said he was unsure about Twitter because he hadn't looked much into it.  He knew its pros and cons, but was unsure whether or not he would add the social networking tool.

Now, it seems as if you can't get the guy off the thing.

Lowery's latest trips into the Twitterverse ask Saluki fans several questions.

• Saluki fans- what is your most memorable moment at SIU Arena?8:52 AM Nov 9th from web 
• Saluki fans- who should start in the home opener?10:33 PM Nov 8th from web  
• Saluki fans- who has been your favorite player through the exhibition games?6:04 PM Nov 8th from web

Some have brought it to the attention of TBDS, asking whether or not a man making $750,000 a year should be asking his followers to do his job for him.  Those people, in my humble opinion, really must be looking for straws to pick in regard to Lowery's coaching ability.

He's frowned upon when he looks like a big meanie.  He loosens up, and he still gets ridiculed.  We've played two exhibition games and people ask these stupid questions.

Now, I know some of them were made in jest.  Still, what does it hurt for the coach to ask his fans who they would like in the starting five on opening night?  It hurts nothing.  Except maybe your fingers if you type too quickly.

Oh, and for what it's worth, here would be my starting five after two preseason games.

1. Dillard
2. T. Freeman
3. Bocot
   
4. Fay
5. Evans
   

That's right, Nick Evans' play has put him in my projected starting five.  In 44 minutes of play, Evans has scored 19 points, 13 rebounds and is shooting 8 of 16 from the field.  Booker has struggled.  He's hit only two of his eight field goal attempts in and grabbed three rebounds in his 29 minutes of playing time.  I'm sure hurting his head in Saturday's win against Southern Indiana compounded matters, as well.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Evans in the starting line-up on Saturday night.  He certainly has earned it through the exhibition season.


And while I have the forum, I might as well answer Coach Lowery's other questions.


Favorite Player Through Preseason: Kendal Brown-Surles.


It's almost a shame that Brown-Surles didn't come in as hyped as the previous class of Saluki freshmen, because he is equally as talented.  Through two exhibition games, KBS seems to fit the mold of your prototypical Southern guard.  He values the ball on offense (4 assists, 1 turnover in 36 minutes) and pressures it on defense (8 steals).  He's not quick ... he's just flat-out fast.


Everyone knows that I hate making projections after exhibition games, especially when it comes to college kids.  (Some of you will remember the pre-TBDS days when I proclaimed Matt Shaw as MVC POY, Carlton Fay FOY and Randal Falker Sixth Man of the Year after a Saluki game -- albeit tongue in cheek.)  But there is no discounting the effort Brown-Surles puts on the floor.  You can see it in the way he plays.  And the fact of the matter is, effort always translates no matter who you play.


Favorite SIU Arena Moment:  Oh, so many to choose from.


And since there are several, I'll pick my top three-and-a-half.

1.  My 1st Creighton Game.  As a freshman, I attended every home game while school was in session, but my first Dawg Pound experience was the Creighton game.


I remember the weekend very well.  Valentine's Day was around the corner and my roommate had decided that trying to make a girl that was six hours away his girlfriend was more important than the Valley's most intense rivalry.  (Note: maybe that's why I'm still single -- no I don't regret my decisions.)  Anyway, I yelled, screamed and heckled as the Maroon & White defeated the evil Creighton Swallows Bluejays.  And in the end, I ate the chocolate covered strawberries my roommie had made for his potential lover, but had left behind.


Epic win?


2.  My Last Creighton Game (as a fan).  Who can ever forget the ESPN GameDay game?  That whole day was an experience.  Again, that was during the pre-TBDS days.  The 48-44 win for SIU yielded plenty of highlights.  Including the now-infamous picture with Erin Andrews, who complimented my sign, autographed it and then posed for a picture.

We won't ever speak of the day in which the last time I saw SIU and Creighton square off at the SIU Arena.  Worst.  Day.  Ever.  On more than one account.



3.  "The Media Pick-up Game."  It is a day that still stands as one of my favorite moments as a Saluki beat writer.  Southern had an extended film session, pushing back the start of practice.  Rather than leave and return for interviews, media members were allowed to pick up a ball and have a brief shoot around before the players and coaching staff took the floor.


We took advantage of the opportunity, of course.  So, it was Southern Illinoisan beat writer Todd Hefferman, a pair of TV guys whose names I always seem to forget.  Oh, and Phil Oskilanec -- now at ESPN Radio -- was there too. 


We shot freely.  Then we attempted to do the Giant City Chicken game. (Lay up, free throw, 3 pointer in 30 seconds) and i was the only one to not make his three. (FAIL, I know).  But what I will claim is that in our game of 21, yours truly scored a few buckets, none more clutch than his drive to the lane while being fouled by Todd.  Of course, you don't call fouls in 21, but he got me across the arm pretty good.  He won't admit it, but I wouldn't expect him to.  He's followed Saluki basketball long enough to know it's not a foul unless there's blood or until the refs blow the whistle -- whichever comes first.



I hope answering these questions was helpful to Coach Lowery.  Maybe I'll forward him this blog post.  Or maybe someone can do it for me.

Well, At Least One Of My Teams Promises To Be Great This Season

Long-time readers of this blog know that I am a North Carolina homer despite never attending a single class at the Chapel Hill campus.  It was my love of Michael Jordan that turned into my love for everything Tar Heels.  I could have gone to school there and attended one of the top journalism schools in the country, but decided to keep it close to home.

During my freshman year at Carbondale, North Carolina beat Illinois to win the national championship.  Despite being on the campus of SIU (drop the "C" please) there were plenty of Illini fans.  Most of them wanted to see long-time Saluki coach Bruce Weber win the big one with the Orange Crush.  Then there was lil' ol' me.  The Saluki homer miffed that both Bruce Weber and Matt Painter left.  (And the fact that I apparently wasn't good enough for U of I or its school of journalism.)  The long-time Carolina fan in me wanted to see the Illini fall apart against my beloved Heels.

On that day, Talent triumphed over Team.  In the coming years my roommate would be a Duke fan -- which set up some pretty heated college hoops arguments.  Also, a close friend and former co-worker (and, at times, TBDS reader) was also Duke fan, and that set off some pretty intense moments in the office.  However, that was offset because one of my mentors was a big-time North Carolina fan too.

For two years, my roommate was a Michigan State fan.  And everyone knows how the last two games between Michigan State and North Carolina have ended.

So, let the homerism begin as THE University of North Carolina will start the season ranked No. 4 in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Coaches Poll.  Kansas is No. 1 with Michigan State and Texas following the Jayhawks.  Kentucky, Villanova, Purdue, Puke Duke, West Virginia and Butler (not the butler ... but Butler) round out the Top 10.

The Alma Mater received three votes and The Arch Nemesis of the Alma Mater received seven votes.  Northern Iowa, the reigning Missouri Valley Conference champions, received one flippin' vote.

No love for Frostbite Falls.

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.

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.

Saluki Men's Hoops 2009-10 Preview: Tony Freeman

[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.]

When I was the Daily Egyptian's sports editor, I received many e-mails about the well-dressed young man sitting at the end of the bench.  They asked if he was a coach?  Kind of, but not really.  A recruit?  Kind of, but not really.

Eventually, I got around to writing a feature about Tony Freeman, a 6-foot-1 guard from Maywood, Ill.  The University of Iowa transfer sat out the 2008-09 season because of NCAA transfer rules and will look to break out in his senior year at SIU.

And for those who fear he will be rusty, take note that T-Free was named the Most Valuable Player in a tournament played in Turkey over the summer.  One of his teammates on the trip was fellow Saluki Nick Evans, and they helped topple the mighty basketball dynasties of France, Germany and Bulgaria.

So, what should fans expect from the team's lone senior?

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?

Silence Surrounds Saluki Hoops Verbals

It's October 1, do you know where your verbals are?

Surprisingly for the Southern Illinois University men's basketball team, they are not anywhere to be found at this point.  Signing day is a little more than a month away and there has yet to been a peep from anyone anywhere in regard to the Class of 2010.

Unless the Salukis suffer from a mid-season departure, which would be very surprising at this point, the team will only have one available scholarship as Iowa transfer Tony Freeman is the squad's only senior.

In regard to the Class of 2010, I get asked about four players in particular.  Your precious answers are after the jump.

Hare's Legal Trouble Comes At Bad Time For Optimistic Lowery

It was only a few weeks ago when things were looking bright for Saluki hoops.

Blessed with good timing, yours truly was able to sit down with Southern Illinois men's basketball head coach Chris Lowery a few weeks ago in Carrier Mills, Ill.  Lowery was there to speak to youngsters and encourage them to strive to be their best and be on their best behavior for the upcoming school year.

Afterward, I caught up with Lowery and chatted about everything from old times on the Saluki beat, our favorite Michael Jordan memories ... and eventually the future of Saluki basketball.

The SIU front man seemed to express plenty of optimism in regard to the 2009-10 team.  Sure, it lost senior leader Bryan Mullins.  But the team was also rid of distractions, controversy and other in-house issues that plagued the team during a disappointing 13-18 season. 

After a summer that saw improvements by players such as Kevin Dillard and Nick Evans on the court and in the weight room, you couldn't blame Lowery for feeling good about an upcoming season with a favorable schedule that will feature 17 home games on the docket.

And then guard Ryan Hare found himself in trouble with the law. 

Here's One For Chris Lowery's Bulletin Board: SIU Ranked No. 117

Not sure what to say here other than this preview couldn't be more off if it tried. It makes the NFL Previews at this blog look like they weren't written in jest and for fun.

Yes, I'll admit the Southern Illinois University men's basketball team isn't what it once was, especially when compared to the most recent Sweet Sixteen squad. Head coach Chris Lowery doesn't have a pair of seniors anchoring the backcourt, or two juniors up front that thrived when being fed by the little guys. Instead, Lowery has another young group of hungry kids looking to make their mark on Floorburn U.

I'll be brief with this because I do have a very premature and misguided post previewing the Saluki basketball season in the works. Instead, here is why this post should be balled up and shot like a basketball into your nearest trash bin.

If only you could do such a thing with the Internet:

If the Salukis could bring back the Tony Boyle that averaged 13.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in his last four games, I'm sure they would do so without asking twice.

Southern Illinois Basketball Preview [Collegehoops.net]

Jerry Krause's Boy Is Out at USC, For Real This Time

It wasn't too long ago when Tim Floyd was bolting Song Girls for insanity as he was this close to leaving the University Southern California for the University of Arizona. But after a stern talking to and a good night of sleep, Floyd thought better and stayed in LaLa land.

Well, this time around, Floyd is now gone as USC's head coach.

Floyd's reason, according to a letter:

I no longer feel I can offer the level of enthusiasm to my duties that is deserved by the university, my coaching staff, my players, their families, and the supporters of Southern Cal. I always promised myself and my family that if I ever felt I could no longer give my full enthusiasm to a job, that I should leave it to others who could.

I guess it has nothing to do with the allegations that included giving $1,000 straight cash to someone tied with the Ovington J'Anthony Mayo camp.

The good news for Floyd is that he now has all the time in the world to extend his pole in Jerry Krause's presence ... at the local fishing hole, of course.

Let the nationwide search for someone who is going to playing second fiddle to Pete Carroll.

USC's Floyd Resigns [Yahoo! Sports]

Rodney Watson Isn't Walking Through That Door, And That Bothers Me Inside

Photo Credit: Sean McGahan, Daily Egyptian

Sometime around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, my final day as the Daily Egyptian sports editor (again!) I was finally able to get former SIU men's basketball head coach Rodney Watson on the phone.

I expected an assistant or a secretary, instead, it was Coach Watson on the horn. When I had heard about longtime Saluki assistant accepting the head coaching job at Division II powerhouse Southern Indiana, I shot him a congratulatory text as I was unable to get to my office phone in between the time I found out about the news and the time his introductory press conference started.

So, of course our conversation started with a little bit of some good-natured ribbing.

"You've gotta pick up the phone next time and call," Watson said with a laugh.

And that's when I really realized I would miss Rodney Watson.

Known as The Dean of Missouri Valley Assistants, Watson spent 21 years as a Saluki assistant under the likes of Rich Herrin, Bruce Weber, Matt Painter and Chris Lowery. To say he was a pillar of the program is an understatement. He coached 11 MVC championship teams, nine NCAA Tourney squads and 15 teams that participated in postseason play.

He coached talented Valley stars such as Troy Hudson, Ashraf Amaya, Kent Williams, Darren Brooks and Jamaal Tatum.

Watson was not only a tireless recruiter as he was equally as tireless as a coach.

Did you ever have a good teacher who actually taught you things that were applicable to life, not just regurgitating textbook jibber-jabber? That was Watson.

Better yet, did you ever learn from that teacher? I mean, actually learn ... not just sponge information until finals week was over.

Coach Watson was the kind of teacher that taught until you learned. And believe me, you learned from Rodney Watson.

I'll never forget when Coach Watson allowed me to watch his scout as he broke down an upcoming opponent. And what I saw at that practice was exactly how it played out in the game. It was like deja vu all over again. It was prophetic. It was Coach Watson at his best.

Off the court, Watson was just as good. He introduced himself to me early in the basketball season as he said I came "well recommended" from his friend Paul Povse, who happened to be one of my journalism professors.

One practice before SIU traveled to New York City to play Duke, I was story hunting as I got players' thoughts on their upcoming trek. That's when Coach Watson came up to me and suggested I talked to first year assistant Lance Irvin, who played at Madison Square Garden once upon a time.

"I'm just trying to give you a scoop, brother," Watson said.

I heeded his call and interviewed Coach Irvin. Jackpot! Another perspective on a historic trip.

After the season, the DE sports page needed an additional story and I had wanted to write something about how weird it was for the SIU men's basketball team to not be in postseason play. I had remembered that Coach Watson said I could call him anytime.

I did.

He was in the weight room at the Trout-Wittman Center and stepped away just to give me a few minutes on the phone. He explained the offseason workout plan, who was working hard, who would benefit ... he broke it down. Then he would go on to break down the NCAA Tournament for me.

Again, jackpot!

I'm selfish for not wanting Watson to go. If anyone deserved a head coaching job, it was him. Thankfully, he won't be going too far as he will be in Evansville, Ind., Chris Lowery's home town.

As we parted ways on the phone, Watson asked me about my job status and had told him I was about to accept a position at the Harrisburg Daily Register. He congratulated me and said if I ever needed anything, I could call.

Then he said it again, making sure I understood that anytime I needed anything I could call him.

And if there is one thing I learned from my time covering Saluki basketball, it was that if it came out of Rodney Watson's mouth, you could believe it.

Of course, I appreciate it ... and will likely take advantage of it. I don't think Coach Watson will mind one bit.

Au Revoir, My Dear Watson: Long-time Saluki assistant gets his big break [Daily Egyptian]
The Dean Is Done As Rodney Watson Finally Gets The Call [Daily Egyptian]

Indiana State Drops Men's And Women's Tennis Amidst Budget Cuts

Only months after the University of Northern Iowa dropped its baseball program, fellow Missouri Valley Conference school Indiana State is dropping its men's and women's tennis teams.

(Insert the joke about dropping the Sycamores' futility laden foorball team here.)

It's all a cost-cutting move for a state school, like many other state schools, trying to make a dollar outta 15 cents.

Meanwhile, the University of Illinois is considering handing men's basketball coach Bruce Weber a 50 percent raise.

Welcome to the new America.

Does a 3-18 record for the men's team and an 8-12 mark for the women's team play a factor? Sure. It must be hard to justify keeping a fledgling non-revenue athletic program to the board of trustees of a public university that is exhausting every avenue for a buck. But it is really hard to not think about the student-athletes.

Unlike power conference student-athletes in basketball and football (and to a lesser extent, baseball), the rest of the student-athlete body goes pro in something other than sports. For the kids playing NCAA tennis, the sport is just a way to ease the financial pinch of affording college life. On a smaller scale, in tennis, a scholarship to Indiana State to play tennis is a kid's free ride to a better life in the United States of America.

With the economy struggling the way it is, I am surprised more mid-major schools are not cutting non-revenue programs. And yes, these kids will get the opportunity to pursue their educations elsewhere and will get a portion of their remaining scholarships paid for. But if cost-cutting is ocurring across the board, where are they going to go.

And if any of them are reading this, I say go out to Southern Cal because Tim Floyd (allegedly) has some dough to throw around.

Indiana State Announces The Suspension Of Men's And Women's Tennis Programs [GoSycamores.Com]

The Curious Case Of The DePaul Coaching Carousel

Here we go again.

DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball coach Jerry Wainwright has had his staff raided ... by his own AD. Earlier in the college hoops off-season, Scott Wainwright (yes, Jerry's son and former staff assisstant) was given his walking papers ... much to the chagrin of Papa Wainwright.

The younger Wainwright was allegedly pushed off the Lincoln Park campus when his pops would not agree to a partial buy-out of the three years remaining on his contract. Now, the rest of his staff is looking for work.

(Aside: Seriously, has there ever been a job in college basketball history where three assistant coaches have gotten the heave-ho and the head coach has gotten to stay?)

Anyway...

Sources told WSCR afternoon host Dan Bernstein DePaul had been trying to push Wainwright and his entire staff out the door in an effort to help lure SIU head coach Chris Lowery away from his alma mater. And when Wainwright declined to resign and accept the partial buy-out, heads started to roll.

In December, Lindsey Willhite of the Arlington Heights Daily Herald, basically gauged Lowery's interest in the gig. C-Lo's response: Deserving of a block quote.

The biggest thing for me is, I want to win. That's No. 1. The only way I would leave Southern is if I thought I could go and win somewhere. I make great money. So I don't have to take a job where I feel is going to be detrimental to my career. I don't think I'm going to go anywhere that's detrimental to winning. And that's the thing: I've always been a part of winning, from high school to college to assistant (coach). Every step of the way, I've had some success. At this point, I don't need to go anywhere just for money.

In my chats with Lowery, I've learned that he likes the city of Chicago. (Most of those chats revolve around: "Hey Coach, get some Chicago games on the schedule so I can see the team once I graduates. Always my favorite ice-breaker w/C-Lo ... I digress.) He likes the city's recruits. He likes the exposure that could come from the media there. He likes Harold's Chicken (yeah, he told me that ... long story for another day). But DePaul seems like a job (right now) that could be detrimental to his career. Nothing says "detrimental to my career" like going to a school that was winless in the Big East.

Suprisingly, this is the last Lowery's name will be mentioned in this post (kind of).

Because if DePaul can't have C-Lo, it seems as if it will settle for assistant Lance Irvin, who coached under Joey Meyer in one of his many previous stops. As the Blue Demons attempt to rebuild the mess created by Wainwright (technically started by Dave Leitao but dates back to the Pat Kennedy days), Irvin is the "perfect" candidate because of his family ties to the very talented Mac Irvin Fire AAU team ran by his pappy.

At this point, Irvin should weigh his options carefully. If he returns to DePaul, it will likely be only for one year ... and likely will not land any of the Mac Irvin crew because he'll be added so late in the process. (Kind of why SIU doesn't have any Fire recruits right now. Most of those kids have already committed elsewhere.)

One year of bad Blue Demon basketball probably isn't worth the nearly six-hour trip up I-57.

Meanwhile, I can't help but wonder if Lowery is getting agitated by the situation. One of Lowery's top recruiting principles is bringing kids in who want to be Salukis. If an assistant (a highly regarded one at that) doesn't follow the same mantra, isn't that self-defeating ... or hypocritical?

Having dealt with Coach Irvin this season, I know the following:

• He's a great quote.
• In practice, he participates like he's a 20something.
• The kids love him.
• Coach Lowery loves him.
  

But if he goes, he goes. Remember when SIU had three different head coaches in three years ... and each of them won the Valley and the Valley's Coach of the Year award? If Saluki Nation can overcome that, it can overcome the loss of an assistant who had only one year worth of ties to the program.

Curry Shouldn't Steph To The NBA Yet

In 2008, while the Kansas University men's basketball team captured a national championship, Stephen Curry captured the eyes and hearts of basketball fans.

That season, Curry averaged 28.6 points per game, but it was what he did in the NCAA Tournament that put him on the map. He averaged 32 points per game as he led Davidson to an Elite Eight appearance. But that number doesn't really do what he did justice.

Curry poured in 40 against Gonzaga as he hit 8-of-10 3-point attempts. The Wildcats would need all 40 as they just squeaked by the Zags, 82-76.

As an encore, Sensational Steph dropped 30 on a Georgetown squad that was a Final Four team the year before. The Hoyas came into the game with an outstanding defensive squad that was praised throughout the nation ... of course until Curry hit 9-of-10 free throws and connected on five 3-pointers. Then he did the same dad-gum thing against Wisconsin, an even better defensive squad. Curry scored 33 on 6-of-11 shooting from the great beyond.

And even in defeat, Curry scored 25 points as Davidson (yes, Davidson!) gave Bill Self's Kansas squad one heckuva fight and one helluva scare.

That is why the Davidson star should not forgo his final season of college eligibility for the fame, fortune and comfort at the end of the bench that will come with declaring for the NBA Draft.

This year's NCAA Tournament missed the kind of dramatic flair that came when Curry stepped on the court. Overlooked by the big boys on Tobacco Road, Curry landed at Davidson and started to light up opposing defenses from the day he stepped on campus. He was stuntin' like his daddy, Dell Curry, an NBA Jam Tournament Edition favorite as he dropped threes from every angle. And before you knew it, Curry was arguable the face of college basketball.

However, Davidson flopped in the SoCon postseason tournament, which cost the Wildcats an at-large bid to The Big Dance ... and without the proper credentials in the eyes of the NCAA committee, the 'Cats ended up in the NIT.

Sports fans and hoops experts hoped Curry could lead his team to Madison Square Garden as they crossed their fingers hoping for one more shining moment on basketball's most grand stage. Curry scored 58 points in two games, but fell just short of one more appearance at the Garden.

Thus, the speculation of Curry jumping to the NBA Draft began. The sharp-shooting, bucket-filling combo guard is projected to go 15th to the Detroit Pistons. (Makes me wonder if the rebuilding Phoenix Suns could use a gunner like Curry at 14.) This scouting report compares Curry to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (another NBA Jam legend) and Steve Kerr.

Both were more-than-servicable NBA players, but that is where Curry must answer the biggest question not on any mid-term exam.

What is worth more to Curry?

He could return to being a college superstar being beloved by fans, media and even opposing coaches for just one more year. He would likely be competing for one last shining moment in the NCAA Tournament while completing the four-year trek that nearly no college star ever finishes anymore.

Or he could forgo all that for the NBA's riches, and the torture of having to live in Detroit.

Word On The Street [Draft Express]

Bruce Pearl Just Set Rap Music Back Forever

There aren't enough tracks by Kanye, Jay, Nas, Lil' Wayne (no vocoder), T.I., Ludacris or anyone else for that matter that can bring rap music back from the depths Bruce Pearl took it the other night.



ATTN: Dr. Dre: Bring me Detox, or bring Bruce Pearl death.

Hear ye! Hear ye!

I've got the same news resources as you do.

Google and Google news are nice tools. So are sites such as rivals.com and scout.com. But call me old fashioned when I say I appreciate a good tip via a phone call ... or even an e-mail. Nothing in the snail mail inbox though. Mailman must be late.

Message boards are nice. At times, they are what is good about the fandom of college sports. Passionate people who want to see their team win by any means necessary. Dr. Harold Bardo once told me the best things about fans is that they know how to coach, recruit, shoot, pass, dribble and defend. And that's why we should listen to them.

It's true. It's very true, in fact.

I saw Lamar Owen play two years at SIU and admired his playing style ... to the point where I was disheartened when Chris Lowery inserted freshman Matt Shaw into his starting spot. It was one of many times Lowery proved to me why he is the coach and I am the guy asking coach questions.

I also fell in love with Tyrone Green's play in his two years as a Saluki. Not as much as, say, my mentor Jeff (yes, TBDS' NBA writer), but you I appreciated the fact that Green could play the kind of demanding man-to-man defense SIU has become known for.

That's why I want John Freeman to be that guy for SIU. Not because some guy on some message board wrote it. Because I saw how good that kind of player was to this program. I watched courtside and in press row as Osiris Eldridge, Shy Ely, Theoren Wilson and others picked apart the Saluki defense and thought to myself Tony Young would never let that happen ... and guys like Tyrone Green and Lamar Owen would have at least softened the blow. It's no surprise to me that others share my feelings.

As for Teague, Jr., well, look. Here's an thought: Go to C-Lo and ask him his top priority for his program and he'll probably say graduate his kids before winning. Winning has become expected for this program, so last season's 13-18 mark was a downer ... especially for yours truly who was spoiled by MVC titles and NCAA appearances his freshman, sophomore and junior years (2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07) and expected more as he fell in love with the Carbondale community to the point where I stayed five years.

So, when I say my first concern is if a kid is academically eligible ... it's probably the top concern of the staff and the university. And it should be the top priority to its fans. Because seriously, no matter how skilled a kid is, how much is 6'8" 290 worth sitting at the end of the bench?

Like UNC head coach Roy Williams once said: "When I recruit a kid I think will be one and done, I tell him you've got to do the things in the class room. I can't have you sitting around campus all spring semester after the season's over. I never heard back from that kid."

The point here is that I know you're out there and you know that I'm here. We're on a level playing field ... except you probably have much more free time on your hands than a 22-year-old kid balancing a full-credit load, a full-time job, editing the stories of two rookie reporters who he is trying to prime to be just like him, graduation, etc.

I love my job at the DE more than anything (even my BlackBerry). I love working for the DE more than anyone ever should. I've paid my way to travel to cover the team to Indianapolis, New York City and all around the Missouri Valley Conference ... including St. Louis. I'm in your boat ... I love this school and I love the Salukis.

So, if I happen to view the similar view points as you ... it's probably because at least 51 percent of me bleeds Saluki Maroon (the other 49 percent is Carolina blue). Maybe you should be honored we share the same mindset ... isn't that old saying "great minds think alike?"

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Verbal committments could spark Saluki signing class [Daily Egyptian]
The DE article about Teague! [Saluki Talk]

Salukis find presence inside, TBDS finds angry mug shot of said presence

Word of mouf is all the rage these days on the campus of SIU, especially when it comes to men's basketball.

While head coach Chris Lowery can't say a peep about verbal commits such as Eugene Teague, Jr., and John Freeman, I can. And will.

Teague, Jr., (that imposing looking figure to your right) is a 6-foot-8-inch monster who weighs about 290 pounds. He could be the answer inside as he possesses a few low-post moves that could open up outside threats such as Kevin Dillard, Ryan Hare, Justin Bocot and Tony Freeman.

Sure, he couldn't qualify at the University of South Florida, but sometimes you have to take a risk a player like that. In practice, Lowery has a way with words and can really motivate a kid to outperform expectations. If C-Lo can do that in the class room as well as the court, the Dawgs might have just landed a steal.

Based on his angry mug alone, he could be good for a few minutes of intimidation.

And before anyone says SIU shouldn't take a risk with this kid, see Justin Bocot and hit me up when he pans out and is a star.

Joining Teague Jr., in the world of verbal committments is Vincennes forward John Freeman. The 6-foot-5-inch forward averaged 14 points, 4 assists and 2.4 blocks last season and my hope is that he brings to the team the kind of intensity Tyrone Green or Lamar Owen brought. Actually, all I want Free II to do is to get in the way of Osiris Eldridge for about 20 minutes in games played in Normal, Carbondale and St. Louis.

SIU has one more scholarship available and it could go to one of two JUCO studs: Torye Pelham or Tony Lewis. Both are forwards that could provide the Salukis with even more much-needed bench depth.

If the Dawgs are to land the 6-foot-6 inch forward, it would mean Pelham turned down the generous offers from power-conference schools such as Florida State, Iowa, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech ... along with Missouri Valley Conference rivals Creighton and Wichita State.

On the other hand, bringing Lewis to Carbondale might be more of a distinct possibility. The recruiting gurus at Rivals.com list SIU and Illinois State as schools with offers on the table for the JUCO all-American, but ISUred just recently filled all of its scholarships, so Southern might be just going up against Loyola-Chicago for Lewis' services.

And as much as I like Chicago, better basketball exposure awaits Lewis in Carbondale.

Photo Credit: Scout.com

Shutting The Door On The College Hoops Season (Kind Of)

Tyler Hansbrough is your overlord, UConn is perfect and Courtney Paris doesn't owe Oklahoma a dad-gum dime. College basketball season is closing its books ... kind of.

The coaching carousel is slowly coming to an end with only Xavier's coaching vacancy needing to be filled. (Anyone know where Billy Gillispie is?) It is a risky proposition following Sean Miller because even though the talent is there, I would not be surprised if the recruiting efforts by the Ohio State and Cincinnati (and Cleveland State?) could easily turn the Muskateers to Ohio's third best school even though it plays in the very winnable Atlantic 10 Conference.

As for Mr. Miller, I will bid him good luck because he is going to need every ounce of it as he steps directly into the shadow of Lute Olson and tries to replace three NBA first-round picks.

Then there is Memphis, which is seeing a mass exoudus in the wake of John Calipari heading to Kentucky. Calipari's replacement, well, some think he should have ended up at Arizona, but since the Tigers still play in Conference USA I will peg Josh Pastner as an early candidate for Coach of the Year.

Oh, by the way, signing day part deux starts April 15. This is where the de-committs and the diamonds in the rough find their respective teams.

And that's where yours truly will shift to the local front.

SIU Director of Athletics Mario Moccia left the men's Final Four in Detroit and headed to the women's Final Four in St. Louis as Moccia searches for a replacement for the recently resigned Dana Eikenberg. There is a lot of work that needs to be done to restore a program that went from conference champions in 2007 to the athletic department's biggest question mark.

Moccia has made two great hires in his time at SIU: Dale Lennon (football) and Audra Nothwehr (tennis). And while Saluki tennis is hidden in relative obscurity because it is not a revenue sport, Nothwehr has done a stellar job rebuilding a program whose coach left right before the Fall 2007 semester began. There is no need to rehash the awesomeness that was year one of the Lennon Era.

Then, there is Saluki men's basketball.

Since SIU finished a disappointing season 13-18 with a quarterfinal loss against Bradley, head coach Chris Lowery has been beating the recruiting path like it owed him milk money. I've had the pleasure to speak with Lowery on trips to Kansas and Florida, not to mention randomly running into him in Lingle Hall. Our conversations have centered around size, class balance, JUCO hunting and depth.

At this point, a shot of depth is what the Salukis really need because the starting five is basically set. An educated guess, you ask?

Kevin Dillard, Tony Freeman, Ryan Hare, Carlton Fay and Anthony Booker. Hare and Justin Bocot will duke it out for that third starting guard spot, but whoever does not make it will be the team's go-to-guy off the bench where they will be joined by Nick Evans. As for the Saluki signees: point guard Kendal Brown seems like the real deal and a true hidden gem and I can see Drew Barham going places as long as he stays off my YouTube radar. Forward Jordan Myers could be a steal if SIU can throw the redshirt on him.

And this is where JUCO hunting becomes important.

SIU already has a verbal committment from John Freeman, who fits the bill as an athletic wing defender. The Salukis also have an offer on the table for 6-foot-6 forward Torye Pelham -- who is also weighing offers from Oklahoma and Iowa. As for the third and final schollie at C-Lo's disposal: I've heard everything from a 6-6 point guard to a 7-foot center. Anything can happen, but no one knows when.

Meet Your New College Hoops Overlord: Tyler Hansbrough

Without a doubt, North Carolina big man Tyler Hansbrough is among the most despised players in college basketball.

But for just one (shining?) moment, put down the Haterade and consider this.

In the history of the ACC, Hansbrough is the only player to be on the all-conference team in all four years where he would go on to become the all-time ACC career points leader with 2,789 points. 953 of those points came on free throws ... which happens to be the most freebies made by anyone in college hoops history. On a bigger scale, he was a four-time all-American, with the last three years being on the first team.

And of course, his team made the NCAA Tournament in all four years as North Carolina went from a second-round out in 2006 to an Elite 8 in 2007, the Final Four flop in '08 to this year's culminating point: A National Championship.

But the media's love fest (specifically Jay Bilas' "Tyler Hansbrough would out-compete everyone ... including Michael Jordan) really turned the tide against the gritty/grindy/gutsy kid from Poplar Bluff, Mo.

The Haterade will flow (especially from Durham, N.C.) but there's no denying the following: Hansbrough put up big numbers and in turn, his team won ... a lot!

In the end, you have to embrace and respect a player that could have been a top-20 pick after his freshman year returning for the full college experience to win a national title.

No Doubt In Detroit: North Carolina Wins

Since I picked North Carolina in the beginning of the year and in my bracket, I win the ultimate bracket prize, right?

I came into Monday's game expecting a close game from Michigan State. ESPN told me to forget about the Tar Heels' 35-point drubbing from earlier in the season because the Spartans were a different team. MSU came into the national title game with the momentum of knocking off two No. 1 seeds and the top two teams from the Big East. Not to mention the "home court advantage" of playing in Detroit at Ford Field.

So maybe it was fitting Sparty came out and laid an egg between the 35-yard lines. Maybe it was fitting that it happened in Detroit, where things have been sputtering of late. Maybe it was fitting that college kids that skipped out on the mega-millions that come with NBA contracts actually achieved their goals.

But let's be honest, UNC won't likely repeat next season. Tyler Hansbrough and Danny Green are gone for sure. Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington will likely be gone.

Ed Davis' return is questionable, but if teamed with Deon Thompson could create a formidable front court with Tyler Zeller coming off the bench. But what Carolina has in strength, it loses in speed and shot-making. Thankfully for North Carolina, it is coached by Roy Williams. All that means a new class of stellar recruits is lurking somewhere.

But that can wait for another day.

This year was full of disappointments for the school I will soon call my alma mater ... but for the school that could have been, they were able to give me what I missed out on this year.