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.

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: 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.

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?

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.

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.

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. 

Drew Barham Bails On SIU, Will Be Walkin' (On?) In Memphis

 

To me, Memphis is known for BBQ and broken windows. (photo via)

The Drew Barham saga is over.  Actually, it's kind of been over for a while.  We've just been waiting to see the closing credits.

Who is Drew Barham?

Barham was a signee for the Southern Illinois University men's basketball team, expected to lace 'em up and take the court for the Salukis during the 2009-10 season.  The 6-foot-7 guard was expected to be an outside sniper for the Dawgs -- something Chris Lowery and his gang could have desperately used as a weapon.

The Tennessee native was supposed to be on the SIUC campus this fall. 

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]

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]

Tweet This: Lowery Inks Jack Crowder

He's not John Wall, but it doesn't matter because SIU head coach Chris Lowery just inked himself another body for the 2009-2010 season.

Via a Twitter post (dear God I love tweets), Lowery said Jack Crowder of Cowley Community College inked with the team this morning. A simple Google search lists Crowder as a 2008-09 NJCAA Region VI All-American.

The Wichita, Kansas native is a 6-foot-4 shooting guard with a penchant for scoring. OK, so the link is from October 2008, but still serves a point. This link says he averaged 10.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Via recruiting Web site Rivals.com, Crowder was recruited by Ball State, Fresno State, Northwestern State, Tennessee State and Central Arkansas.

(Yes, the same Central Arkansas that produced Scottie Pippen.)

So, SIU is getting Scottie Pippen? I'm sold.

And check out this glowing endorsement from February.

Who: Jack Crowder III, 6-foot-4 sophomore forward at18th-ranked Cowley College (W. Southeast ‘07) What: 43 points, 9 rebounds, 7 threes, 2 steals and 14 of 15 from the charity stripe … Tigers win 93-91 in OT at Coffeyvile to force what seemed like (two weeks ago, at least) it was damn near impossible, a tie for first in the Jayhawk East with the Red Ravens. Why: Because that’s how he’s wired — play hard, never quit.

Sounds like a winner to me. Good grab, C-Lo.

SIU Loses Out To ISU (Red) For Prized JUCO Prospect, Now What?

A long time ago in a newspiece somewhere buried in the Internet, I made mention of one available scholarship on the SIU men's basketball team.

Long story short: It came down to JUCO stud power forwards Torye Pelham and Tony Lewis. Short story long: Lewis is off the board.

Bloomington-Pantagraph beat writer Jim Benson reports one of the Midwest's worst-kept recruiting secrets as Lewis will join former teammate Osiris Eldridge and former Phillips High School (Chicago) head coach Paris Parham, who currently serves as an assistant on Tim Jankovich's staff at Illinois State.

Lewis said even though Southern had the scholarship space, he did not want to be buried on the depth chart:

“I think I might have a chance to start (for ISU). It’s something I can work on. Illinois State has a better academic program. Southern has two, three and four people at my position. I felt I could come to ISU and come in and play.”

Had Lewis chosen Carbondale over Bloomington-Normal, he would have been fighting freshman prep-school transfer Eugene Teague, Jr., and sophomores Nick Evans and Anthony Booker for playing time as the post presence. Despite his 6-foot-8-inch frame, Carlton Fay plays more like a "3" and is more of a matchup problem on the offensive end in the Valley as a tweener.

The $750,000 question in Carbondale is what will head coach Chris Lowery do with the last remaining scholarship.

C-Lo and his staff want to fill out this last schollie, as it would love to avoid being shorthanded at any point next season. Lowery could begrudgingly go back to the high school straits, but unless John Wall is walking through that door, the prospects immediate impact will be questioned by a fanbase expecting a JUCO standout to fill out its roster.

But with a boatload of talent coming out of Illinois high schools in 2010 and 2011, maybe rolling the scholarship over wouldn't be the worse thing in the world.

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.

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

It could be ... it might be ... but is it going to be?

Every year for the past five years, a familiar refrain has been heard around the great state of Illinois.

"The Hiding Illini won't play us, Big Bad Bruce is afraid of the monster he helped build."

"What's a Saluki? We don't need to go to Carbondirty to prove our supremacy."

So every now and again I'll ask SIU head coach Chris Lowery or Director of Athletics Mario Moccia about a potential match-up that would pit mentor against pupil. Lowery says he calls Illini head coach Bruce Weber, and it's among the things that get discussed. Moccia has also said he would like the teams to play a game as well.

Well, shoot, kids. Let's get this game together already. Allow me to break it down.

I want a three-game set. No buyouts. No bullshit.

Game One at the home of the Fighting Illini so the fans at Chambana get the first crack at the series, something they would probably ask for. Then, Game Two takes place at a renovated SIU Arena, where Lowery debuts a Maroon sports coat to offset the creamsicle-colored git-up from Coach Bruuuuuuce.

Finally, Game Three. The game that will take place to please the two biggest alumni bases in the city of wind. That's right. Game Three, at the United Center in Chicago.

I can see it now: The House That Jordan Built torn apart. Half maroon. Half orange.

Hat Tip: Paul Klee

Remembering the days where the "Lowery to (BCS School)?" threads struck fear in Saluki Nation

As I attempt to hunt down the kind of JUCO players Southern Illinois head coach Chris Lowery wants to fill out his roster with, I found this instead from the New York Times:

[H]ere comes Southern Illinois. If this team finds a way to beat Kansas in the Round of 16 get ready for ad nauseum talk about the Salukis rough-and-tumble practices.

The S.I.U. players compare cuts after their workouts and stitches often follow. There is no out of bounds and no fouls are called. There is clutching and hacking and pushing. The defense in practice, insist the Salukis, is tougher than what they see in games.

Nowadays, fans think his practices are too rough and are one of the main reasons a number of players have taken their ball and played elsewhere. Personally, I like the practices because they're fun to watch. That's easy for a guy on the sideline to say, I guess.

Southern Illinois Coach Chris Lowery is already one of the next hot mid-major coaches.

Now, no one wants him ... not even certain segments of Saluki Nation.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was "Floorburn U."

Marcus, Save The Salukis?

While this isn't an official post for the "God, Save The Salukis" series, it should be noted that there is a Class of 2009 prospect that isn't on any SIU radar that I know of.

His name: Marcus Jordan.

Yes, the son of Michael Jordan (a.k.a The Greatest Basketball Player in the History of the World) is unsigned and only has one scholarship offer ... from Toledo.

So my pitch to you, Chris Lowery (who may or may not read this blog ... hell, I don't even know this place exists) is to bring in Marcus Jordan. Sure, it might sound like a ploy to grab a piece of the Jordan legacy ... but it's worth a shot.

He's proven to be a pretty good high school player, as he recently helped lead Whitney Young to a state championship. And who knows the kind of benefits that could come with it. I'm sure Director of Athletics Mario Moccia wouldn't mind receiving a check or two from Michael Jordan that goes toward Saluki Way.

And I'm sure C-Lo wouldn't mind having another backcourt presence to go along with returnees Dillard, Hare and Bocot, signees Kendal Brown and Drew Barnham and not to forget about the difference-maker-to-be Tony Freeman.

I know the Saluki braintrust in working the JUCO circuit in search of a big man, a wing player with size and/or a defensive presence with a way around the rim ... but why not take a chance on a name that could change the face of SIU basketball.

Marcus Jordan Recruiting Update [Chicago Tribune]