After the Deadbirds loss last night, we are now in ESPN's current Bracketology as The Valley automatic qualifier as a 13 seed playing 4 seed Kansas State. ISU Red's seed was a 16. Missouri State slips a couple of spots to an at-large 10 seed playing 7 seed Duke.
Granted we've still got 12 games to go, including 2 against Missouri State, but I like this team and it's gritty play.
"The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe." ~Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
SIU at Evansville 1pm, Saturday 1/29 at The Meeks Family Fieldhouse (Magic 95.1 & ESPN+)
Series History:
This is the 65 th meeting between the Purple Aces and the Salukis. Southern leads the all-time series, dating back to 1985, 36-28. Southern has won the last eight meetings with a 69-51 win at Banterra last January 2nd. We were led by Payton McCallister’s 17 points and 11 points from both Caitlin Link and A.J. Katcher. Neither Silvey or Brockmeyer played in the two game set due to COVID.
Overview Of Evansville:
The Aces are coached by Robyn Scherr-Wells who is in her first year at Evansville. The Aces are currently 7-11 (1-6) and were beaten by Missouri State on Thursday night 82-35. Coach Scherr-Wells came from Florida International where she was an assistant coach. She has several years of head coaching at the NAIA level where she was 144-83. We have one common non-conference opponent – Eastern Illinois. Aces lost to the Lady Panthers in Charleston 85-74 in double overtime. We beat EIU on a neutral court 74-66.
Current Valley Standings/NET rankings as of 1/28
1) SIU 5-1 (10-6)/ 97 NET
2) Indiana State 4-1 (9-7) / 179 NET
3) Illinois State 6-2 (10-9) / 137 NET
4) Missouri State 5-2 (14-4) / 32 NET
5) UNI 4-2 (11-6) / 51 NET
6) Loyola 4-4 (12-7) /115 NET
7) Valpo 4-5 (6-14)/ 246 NET
8) Drake 3-5 (11-8) / 79 NET
9) Evansville 1-6 (7-11) / 285 NET
10) Bradley 0-8 (3-14) / 261 NET
The Aces As A Team:
They are 3rd in scoring at 68.1ppg, but are last in points allowed at 74.4ppg. They shoot at a .381 clip - 8th in the league. The Aces are also 8th in the league in 3pt shooting at 28.3 percent and have chucked up a whopping 400 attempts from beyond the arc which is 4th in The Valley (Valpo leads in attempts at 502!). In comparison we have only put up 226 threes on the year which is next to last in The Valley. The Aces are 9th in FG % allowed at 42.8% and 6th in three point percentage allowed at 31.3%. In rebounding the Aces are 6th at 36.1 RPG, and allow 43.8 RPG (-7.7) which is last in the league.
In other notable stats they are 7th in assists, 3rd in steals, 7th in turnovers and 9th in Asst/TO ratio.
Meet the Lady Aces:
The Aces are led by two time All-Conference Honorable Mention and 2019-2020 Freshman of The Year junior Abby Feit. The 6’1” forward leads the conference in scoring 16.3ppg, just ahead of Silvey and Brockmeyer. and is 2nd in rebounding. But, in conference only stats, she is only averaging 12.1ppg good for 15th in the league. 5’8” junior guard JeNaiya Davis is next in scoring at 16.1ppg but hasn’t appeared in enough games (10 of their 18 games) to rank as one of the top Valley scorers. In conference games she only averages 10.1ppg. Myia Clark, 5’7” senior guard is their third double digit scorer at 12.9ppg. (13.3ppg in Valley games) Anna Newman a 5’4” senior guard is 6th in assists and 10th in steals. They have a 6’4” post in Celine Dupont that averages 3.4ppg.
Only two players have played in all eighteen games for the Aces. They’ve had seven players foul out nine different games. We’ve only had one player foul out of a game, Gabby Walker four times.
How The Aces Can Hurt Us:
Feit is an excellent rebounder. She rebounds at a pace equal to Brockmeyer and hauled in 13 boards against Missouri State on Thursday. She was held to 3 points in that game. They are going to need her full season average to keep pace with Abby and/or Gabby. Clark and Davis are also going to need to show up. They have some size in the post, but the other post players don’t bring much to the table scoring wise. They shoot almost twice as many threes as we do, if they get hot it could be an issue, but we are 3rd in three point shooting defense.
Our Problems:
Perimeter shooting and additional player production: At some point our perimeter shooting is going to break out of its funk. We have looked very tight and hesitant to shoot and we’ve also been missing a lot of bunnies. Its possible now, that the Silvey scoring watch is over, that we loosen up a bit and start shooting better. McCallister is a much better three point shooter than her 22% rate indicates. Quierra Love has been good for a sneaky couple of threes when she’s been left alone due to a double-team in the post, and she’s due to break her cold snap. Link can put up a few soild points and AJ Katcher was a solid performer last year, but just hasn’t been shooting. I’d imagine Laniah Randle has been a bit out of sorts after her bout with COVID. Tyranny Brown has been playing excellent defense for a freshman and she can be a shooting threat with a little confidence boost.
GO DAWGS!!
"The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe." ~Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
After one at Davies Gym East...
SIU 21
Aces 12.
Other players now scoring. McCallister with 5 in the 1st and Love with a bucket.
"The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe." ~Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
Halftime...
SIU 35
Evansville 22
We've got a bench scoring sighting!
8 points off the bench and 4 from our point guard Love.
"The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe." ~Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
After 3 - Evansville showing some fight cut our lead to 8 at one point
SIU 58
Aces 47
Mak not shooting all that well, but has 12.
"The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe." ~Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
Final from Evansville...
SIU 75
Aces 62
Defense was a bit suspect. But we had other player contributions that kept us ahead.
Mak had 23 (11-12 FT'S) Abby won the battle of the Abby's with 19 & 14. Gabby with 17 & 8.
Love and McCallister with five each and Link and Brown with 3 each.
"The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe." ~Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
HUGE showdown next weekend as we have a home and home with Missouri State. We win or even split and we legitimize our stature in The Valley. A Mo St sweep and were kind of eh. Friday night's game is at Banterra. Let's put butts in seats!
"The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe." ~Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
Valley standings update. Mo St. Barely gets by Indiana State 62-58 in Terre Haute. We are the only one loss team in Valley play and are a half game up on the Bears, Birds. 1.5 up on the Trees and Panthers. Panthers are putting a beatdown on the Braves. ISU Red plays Drake later in BloNo.
Oh...with her 23 today - Mak goes over 1800 career points.
"The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe." ~Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
Been awhile since I've seen SIU on a bracketology but ESPN has the Dawgs going to Norman as a #13 seed automatic qualifier to face #4 Oklahoma.
Sorry no write up from me today. But I have braved the cold and snow to show up.
"The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe." ~Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
After the 1st Q
SIU 12
BEARS 12
Mak with the only Big 3 bucket. Getting contributions from others. Good to see. I didn't know there was another Valley team that shoots as bad as us from outside but here they are.
"The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe." ~Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
At halftime.
SIU 27
MO St. 25.
It's a slugfest. Lots of fouls. And (gasp!) A three point shooting fest! We've hit four and they've hit four. Mak and Calip both with two fouls.
"The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe." ~Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
After 3...
SIU 46
BEARS 43
The two worst three point shooting teams are a combined 12 of 25 from deep. This has been a game of mini runs by both teams. Both teams getting production from role players. Mak leading with 11.
"The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe." ~Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
BOOM!
Mak with a big 3 at the 4th Q media timeout. 5: 35 to go.
SIU 55
Bears 46
"The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe." ~Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
Mak with 3 huge three's here in the 4th!
1:28 to play
Southern up 17.
"The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe." ~Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
