Sunday, February 24, 2019, 3:00 p.m.
SIU Arena, Carbondale, Illinois

With only three games left in the regular season and four teams bunched within two games of the top, the Loyola Ramblers head 350 miles downstate to face off with Southern Illinois. The Salukis struggled to start the conference season at 2-4, then fought back to the .500 mark before losing last time out at Valpo. Loyola’s 75-50 win over SIU at Gentile Arena on Jan. 27 was SIU’s second-worst loss of the season, surpassed only by their 28-point home loss to Murray State.

SIU’s mediocre record-- despite being picked near the top of the MVC and regarded as having a lot of talent, experience and athleticism-- has put Coach Barry Hinson on the hot seat. The Salukis were healthier, deeper, and more experienced this season after coming within an overtime loss of reaching the Arch Madness final last year. But then again, the league as a whole is much more competitive and better coached this season than last.

SIU has played very competitively at SIU Arena in conference play, but wound up on the losing side of several close games. They are 4-3 in conference in Carbondale, but the three home conference losses have come by a combined total of 10 points. Loyola is 3-4 on the road in conference play, winning at Drake, Indiana State, and Valpo, losing at Evansville, Missouri State, Illinois State, and Bradley. Loyola and SIU are 3-3 all time at SIU Arena.

The Salukis start 6’10” senior center Kavion Pippen, and four guards: 6’2” junior Aaron Cook, 6’2” junior newcomer Eric McGill, 6’5” senior Sean Lloyd, and 6’5” senior Armon Fletcher. Cook, Lloyd and Fletcher have been playing together for three years, and they added Pippen two years ago. Cook is the playmaker for SIU, and McGill is their best defender, leading in steals and rebounds at 5.9 per game. Fletcher leads the team in scoring with 15.2 per game, and the other starters each average between 12.5 and 9.6 points per game.

The top bench players are 6’5” sophomore guard Marcus Bartley, 6’3” freshman guard Darius Beane, and 6’8” senior forward/center Thik Bol.

SIU currently leads the league in three-point percentage and blocked shots. They have the second-best field goal percentage defense, and they’re second in steals. Usually, teams with those kinds of numbers are near the top of the standings. But despite their rim protection and height/length in the front court, SIU is a mediocre rebounding team. And despite having four experienced guards on the court most of the time, SIU is at the bottom of the league in turnover margin.

When Loyola beat SIU in January, they got great games from a lot of the supporting cast. Aher Uguak started and scored nine points. Christian Negron had one of his best games of the season, scoring nine points and pulling in five rebounds in only 11 minutes on the court. Cooper Kaifes played 29 minutes off the bench and scored seven points, going perfect from the field and the foul line and dishing three assists.

A win for the Ramblers on Sunday would maintain a one-game effective lead for the conference title no matter what else happens over the weekend. Loyola came into weekend play with a one-game lead over surging Missouri State, and tied with surprising Drake. But since Loyola swept Drake during the season, the Ramblers have the top tiebreaker should they finish with the same conference record as the Bulldogs.


Loyola game notes: https://loyolaramblers.com/documents/20 ... df?id=8378

SIU game notes: https://siusalukis.com/documents/2019/2 ... df?id=9070

TV/Streaming video: ESPN U http://www.espn.com/watch/_/id/3478181/ ... n-illinois

Live stats: https://siusalukis.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary

Vegas odds: SIU by 1

What, no mention of Chester Cheetos? That's all they talk about on the Saluki message board.

Hopefully Bryan Mullin’s last game in Carbondale until 2020

If my eyes don’t decieve me, looks like Lucas is in practice clothes, participating, no brace

https://twitter.com/ramblersmbb/status/ ... 49249?s=21

It’s not everyday you get the chance to beat the next Governor of Oklahoma.

Best post of the month... IMO.

It sure does look from that photo that Williamson is practicing and not in the cast

Even if Lucas is medically cleared to play I don't see how he could possibly be expected to be a big contributor down the stretch and in the tourney.
It's gotta take some time following surgery to your shooting hand to regain your touch.
I think there is an argument to be made to shut him down this year so as not to.jeapordize his career. He's only a soph. after all.

I could see that if he hadn't come back for those conference games, but I think those games made ineligible for a redshirt. As it stands, I think you play him if he's healthy.

As for the game, good to see these midrange shots from Custer.

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Williamson looked really good in his third game back in January. Unfortunately he got hurt again in that game. If he can come back for UNI, that would give him two games to shake off the rust before the Conference Tournament.

As for this game, we can’t buy a 3, yet we’re still up. Gotta start hitting some of those threes, though, or this lead won’t last.