Big Wins:
at Creighton (74-67), vs Northern Iowa (55-46), vs Bradley (59-46)
Bad Losses:
vs Monmouth (68-80), at Alaska-Anchorage, at SLU (42-56)
Last NCAA
Appearance: 2005, Second Round
Top
Players:
Jamaal Tatum,
Jr, G, 15.1 ppg, 3.3 apg
Tony Young, Jr,
G, 11.8 ppg, 1.9 apg
Randal Falker,
Jr, F, 8.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg
Bryan Mullins,
Fr, G, 5.8 ppg, 3.3 apg
All the
Saluki’s bad losses came in November. If you think about it, it’s not so
surprising that Egyptian dogs have problems in Alaska. That was a long time
ago and the important thing is after a mid-February slide, SIU won four in a
row heading into the NCAAs, including the MVC Tournament. Apparently
defense really does win championships. Southern Illinois only gives up 57
points per game, ranking them fifth in the nation. Keep an eye on freshman
Bryan Mullins. He is a good ball handler, but he can force up a few too
many shots when he’s feeling hot.
Seed: 11
First Round:
West Virginia
Joel's Likely
Finish: First Round
CHN's
Official Prediction: First Round
