@salukiworld I like Miller. He would be a great fit.
Have to remember the Southland is a huge step down even from a bad Valley last year. I'm disappointed in the quality of guards we're recruiting given the massive holes we have. I think Miller would be a decent bench piece though if that's the role we're recruiting him for.
I really like Miller also with 3 years left. He a super athletic with hop. I know he played in a weak conference but he got a nice skill set. I believe we recruited him out of high school, not sure if we ever offered then.
Miller got better, and played more, as the season went on and fits he bill defensively leading his team in steals during conference play averaging around 1.5 per game. He avg'd 3.7 assists per game. He's also a great FT shooter. Seemed to struggle with the 3pt shot but that can be worked on.
@resaluki-88 Good God, stop throwing crap at each other.
What the Hell are you talking about? I haven't posted anything in this thread in quite some time. Please identify the post you are referring to!!!!@resaluki-88 Good God, stop throwing crap at each other.
Well, I think I am officially giving up my optimistic card and turning it in for an I don't feel great about this but we will see what happens card.
Well, I think I am officially giving up my optimistic card and turning it in for an I don't feel great about this but we will see what happens card.
I'm expecting a few good, not great players to come in and we'll be sold on the returning guys that couldn't get minutes last year all improving. I think with how the Valley has improved, SIU will probably be a bottom 4 team without getting any impact players that can replace Domask/Jones.
I'm still waiting to be surprised by some magical portal guy out there that I'm not hearing much like I was surprised about Howard being hired.
Well, I think I am officially giving up my optimistic card and turning it in for an I don't feel great about this but we will see what happens card.
I'm expecting a few good, not great players to come in and we'll be sold on the returning guys that couldn't get minutes last year all improving. I think with how the Valley has improved, SIU will probably be a bottom 4 team without getting any impact players that can replace Domask/Jones.
I'm still waiting to be surprised by some magical portal guy out there that I'm not hearing much like I was surprised about Howard being hired.
I'm sorry, but I feel like you're allowing your disappointment to cloud your judgement, which I typically give you credit for. Do you REALLY believe SIU will be bottom 4? As each day passes, I admittedly grow more anxious and concerned, but I don't see any scenario, even worst case, where SIU falls in the bottom 4 and am willing to bet as much.
Well, I think I am officially giving up my optimistic card and turning it in for an I don't feel great about this but we will see what happens card.
I'm expecting a few good, not great players to come in and we'll be sold on the returning guys that couldn't get minutes last year all improving. I think with how the Valley has improved, SIU will probably be a bottom 4 team without getting any impact players that can replace Domask/Jones.
I'm still waiting to be surprised by some magical portal guy out there that I'm not hearing much like I was surprised about Howard being hired.
I'm sorry, but I feel like you're allowing your disappointment to cloud your judgement, which I typically give you credit for. Do you REALLY believe SIU will be bottom 4? As each day passes, I admittedly grow more anxious and concerned, but I don't see any scenario, even worst case, where SIU falls in the bottom 4 and am willing to bet as much.
PG: Johnson/??????
SG: Brown/Ferguson
SF: Davis Jr
PF: D'Amico/Ebube
C: Rupert/Hornecker
I'm expecting an addition like De'Anthony Tipler to help out the guards and probably start at the 2 and then maybe an impact big man like Josiah Allick (although I think he's going to end up at Nebraska) to take the pressure off Ebube and Hornecker. And then maybe 2-3 developmental pieces whether that's a 2023 high school player or a Freshman coming in like the Incarnate Word guy. I think that's a team that would be on the level of UIC and Illinois State and ahead of only Valpo and Evansville.
@insaluki Dude, we have like 8 players on our roster right now and NONE of them are studs (except maybe our Freshman). As it stands, we are a cellar-dweller. Hopefully, that all changes in the next few weeks.
Bruh 😊 , if the season started today I would agree with you both. Fortunately, our first game isn't until November. Again, I am willing to bet either one of you that after the season is over, we will not finish in the bottom 4. Either one of you can IM me if you'd like to take me up on it. I sincerely hope I'm wrong bc if I'm not, the program is essentially unrepairable unless they hired an experienced head coach that can move the needle.
With our roster as-is today, IMO:
Teams we are still clearly ahead of:
- Evansville (No, just no, a 1-19 Valley team that lost everyone is in no way ahead of us even with a nice 4-star recruit)
- Valpo (No more Krikke, Kobe King, or pretty much anyone else from last year)
- UIC (they lost their 2 best players, by FAR, and added ... Marquis Kennedy. Do not see how we are close here.)
Teams we are still probably ahead of:
- Illinois State (Yes they have some Big 10 transfers, but only time will tell; not everyone equates to a Barret Benson; I do like their incoming Mr Basketball though, but is he > Kennard Davis?)
- Murray State (Lost Rob Perry, DJ Burns, and Jamari Smith among others, and like SIU has not replenished yet; still have Moore and Wood, but at this point I don't think they're ahead of SIU)
Teams that are still solid and for sure ahead of us on paper, but wouldn't say they "got better":
- Missouri State: Lost Mogbo, and have added ... ?
- Bradley: Hard to replace a POY candidate in Reink Mast.
- Belmont: Hard to replace an NBA-level player in Sheppard along with a starting big man in Braun who went to Iowa.
- Indiana State: Hardest one to list here, but they lost two prominent weapons; have reloaded nicely, but again, did they get better?
Upper tier teams that are hands down far ahead of us on paper and I see contending for the league title as of now:
- UNI
- Drake
With our roster as-is today, IMO:
Teams we are still clearly ahead of:
- Evansville (No, just no, a 1-19 Valley team that lost everyone is in no way ahead of us even with a nice 4-star recruit)
- Valpo (No more Krikke, Kobe King, or pretty much anyone else from last year)
- UIC (they lost their 2 best players, by FAR, and added ... Marquis Kennedy. Do not see how we are close here.)
Teams we are still probably ahead of:
- Illinois State (Yes they have some Big 10 transfers, but only time will tell; not everyone equates to a Barret Benson; I do like their incoming Mr Basketball though, but is he > Kennard Davis?)
- Murray State (Lost Rob Perry, DJ Burns, and Jamari Smith among others, and like SIU has not replenished yet; still have Moore and Wood, but at this point I don't think they're ahead of SIU)
Teams that are still solid and for sure ahead of us on paper, but wouldn't say they "got better":
- Missouri State: Lost Mogbo, and have added ... ?
- Bradley: Hard to replace a POY candidate in Reink Mast.
- Belmont: Hard to replace an NBA-level player in Sheppard along with a starting big man in Braun who went to Iowa.
- Indiana State: Hardest one to list here, but they lost two prominent weapons; have reloaded nicely, but again, did they get better?
Upper tier teams that are hands down far ahead of us on paper and I see contending for the league title as of now:
- UNI
- Drake
Not going to address all of this for now but UIC also landed Rivera from Colorado State in addition to Kennedy, and I liked what I saw last year from the young wing from East St. Louis (Christian Jones) when he was healthy. They have better guards than Southern right now (as does everyone outside Valpo and Evansville) and you win primarily with guards, so despite having virtually no home-court advantage, I would place UIC ahead of SIU as of lunch time on April 28.
To make a long story short, either SIU finds some guards who can play from what remains in the portal, or next year is going to be a problem. I like some of SIU's inside options but guards are most important (and Mullins hasn't shown much of a penchant yet for leaning into a post game).
If Barkeep adds a Saluki sports betting section to the site, this fall is gonna be FUN.
The Salukis aren’t gonna finish in the bottom 4. I will be surprised if they don’t finish Top 5 yet again.
Remember, the Valley sucks. Stop giving it more credit than it deserves.
This conference is there for the taking at almost any time these days.
Jerrance Howard will land some good players.
Supporter of the Fab 4: Scottie Ebube, Foster Wonders, AJ Ferguson & Cade Hornecker.
They’re the ones that can get us where we haven’t been in 15 years.
Missouri State added a Xavier transfer that was rated 87th coming out of high school and was a 4 star recruit to replace Mogbo. Dana Ford can flat out recruit. Every single team in the Valley has added more than SIU expect Valpo and that is because they just hired a new coach. The recruiting season isn't over yet and I would fully expect SIU to add players but right now this is a bottom of the Valley team. I think a few of you are ignoring the fact that we basically have two guards on this team that have played D1 basketball and one of them is Trent Brown 🤐 I hope you are right but I currently don't see us even close to the top of the league and you are right the Valley isn't that good that is what makes this frustrating. The last time Marcus Domask wasn't playing for SIU because of injury how did we do?
