SIU heads to Nashville for the first time in a Valentine's Day showdown vs the Bruins.
The Bruins lost Ja'Kobi Gillespie to a wrist injury in their game in Carbondale and recently got him back. Belmont is 9-2 at home with the losses coming to Northern Iowa and Indiana State.
Links:
SIU Game Notes
Belmont Game Notes
big game in Nash vegas for vd
With Gillespie back, Belmont has a scary Big Three, adding in Tyson and Dia. I don't think it's a stretch to say all three of those guys have First Team All-Valley ability (obviously not all three will make it this year). The rest of their roster is pretty pedestrian/young, but that's a trio that could be quite scary if they all get rolling at the same time and if Belmont could just be average on the defense/rebounding front, which is a shortcoming for them.
It'll be a tough assignment in Nashville, but when you blow the home games Southern has, this is the kind of game you need to steal to try to even the ledger. And with both teams scrapping for a Thursday bye, you'd expect some extra, mid-February intensity on display.
Hopefully Southern can keep Belmont from raining 3s like they often do at home, keep it close and give us all Valentine's heartburn by playing yet another close game (and finding a way to win).
Big game for this team’s chances of avoiding Thursday…especially with ISU blue coming in on Saturday. If they can pull this one out, I think they have a good chance at the four seed given everyone else’s schedule.
UNI probably has the easiest go of those competing for the 4 spot but dropped one of their winnable games to UIC (still have Valpo twice and Redbirds). If we can maintain that one game lead (they play Valpo so likely a win), they have Bradley this weekend (likely a loss along with us likely losing to the Trees) so that would setup a showdown the last game of the season.
Belmont is one game back already and a win here would move us 2 ahead AND we would own the tie breaker. That would make things really difficult for them to get the 4 seed.
Murray and the Bears play each other…if Murray wins that the Bears are likely out of the race for the 4 seed and Murray has probably the toughest schedule down the stretch (Drake, Us, Belmont, and the Trees).
All that to say big opportunity to separate from this logjam and secure the first round bye. Also, sets up a nice little game with a ranked opponent on Saturday!
Let’s get it Dawgs!
I hope the VD was meant for Valentines Day!big game in Nash vegas for vd
Hitting the road from NW Indiana bright and early tomorrow morning to drive the 7.5 hours to Nashville to cheer on the Salukis. I've had pretty good luck on the road the past 2 seasons with the ONLY loss @ the Redturds last season. Hoping to bring that luck to tomorrow's game which will not be easy. If the game comes down to the last possession, I'll amaze my friends predicting our last play of the game in great detail before it happens !!!! : )
Hitting the road from NW Indiana bright and early tomorrow morning to drive the 7.5 hours to Nashville to cheer on the Salukis. I've had pretty good luck on the road the past 2 seasons with the ONLY loss @ the Redturds last season. Hoping to bring that luck to tomorrow's game which will not be easy. If the game comes down to the last possession, I'll amaze my friends predicting our last play of the game in great detail before it happens !!!! : )
Bring back that BIG W, and I will most certainly purchase you a Mountain Dew of your choice!
GO DAWGS!!!
I can't see us winning this game. I hope to be pleasantly surprised.
This is one of the games where I think trying to slow it down may actually benefit us. I like our chances if we can shoot 35% or above from 3. Roll Dawgs
XJ just tied the record for free throws made in a single season in siu history.
An OK start. Missing a few too many good looks but otherwise, few complaints.
Its a very lively board here tonight.
Davis has given good juice off the bench. Rupert really struggling to finish. Poor shooting both ways.
