WSU Versus Southern Illinois Predictions and Pregame Discussions

[Stickboy46]

According to their board, they have sold over 1000 tickets today and have less than 950 left. So should be a good atmosphere.

[ShockdaWorld]

How many seats in their arena?

[WuShock16]

How many seats in their arena?

8,339, according to this page about SIU Arena

[Shock Top]

72-55

[SHOCKvalue]

Kenpom currently has SIU at 105, with an overall SOS of 343. While the former number is not too bad, especially considering preseason expectations, the latter number is horrific - the scale can only go to 351.

[ShockdaWorld]

Kenpom currently has SIU at 105, with an overall SOS of 343. While the former number is not too bad, especially considering preseason expectations, the latter number is horrific - the scale can only go to 351.

Maybe a couple of games against us and a couple against EU will raise their SOS a bit. Can't their RPI also receive a boost even while losing to us? I guess it doesn't really matter as the rest of the MVC would just drag it right back down.

[stldog]

So how is everyone feeling about Barry? Past sins forgiven?

Sorry, will write more tomorrow, but i just had to reply to this: not by a long shot! Well, not from anyone but serious Kool-Aid drinkers. Haha! There is a lot more love and treasurer for BH on this board than you're likely to find over at salukination. ;)

[Shocktoberfest]

Hi all,

I'm not here to troll, so don't worry about that. I just wanted to talk about this game.

It looks like you guys are finally more or less healthy, so it wouldn't surprise me to see WSU run the table in the Valley this year. Just a few quick points:

(1) We are not better than E-ville.

(2) We've got nothing to stop your big boys.

(3) For SIU to have a chance, Beane is going to need a couple of other guys to step up big-time; otherwise it will be easy enough to stop Beane by simply double-teaming him.

(4) SIU does have a decent point guard, a solid JUCO pickup who's made a world of difference. Another JUCO guard who has contributed is Leo Vincent. RS frosh Armon Fletcher can also contribute. The other guys you've seen before, but O'Brien has stepped up his game a bit this year and the whole team has more confidence than we've seen in many years in Carbondale.

(5) Someone mentioned the Dawg Pound. The misery of the past six years has pretty much killed off the Dawg Pound, I'm sad to say. And even if it were still around, the students aren't back yet, so it wouldn't be in full force anyway. The Arena will be packed, however--looks like a sellout.

WSU 82

SIU 69

I've always been a huge Barry fan. I wish you all the best after Saturday and Feb 3rd. Go Dawgs!

[wusphlash]

Sorry, will write more tomorrow, but i just had to reply to this: not by a long shot! Well, not from anyone but serious Kool-Aid drinkers. Haha! There is a lot more love and treasurer for BH on this board than you're likely to find over at salukination. ;)

I understand.

[MSNSaluki]

Shockerfans,

The stldog did a fantastic job of critiquing the Salukis season to date. If you guys let Anthony Beane go off for 30 points you have a chance to lose. If you can keep him to 10-15 you are probably going to win comfortably.

No one else on the SIU roster can create their own shot. Thus, disrupt the SIU offense and it will be comedy gold. Our big guys usually pick up two fouls within the first two minutes of walking on the floor so you should be able to score inside with ease at some point.

The Oklahoma drama queen currently in charge of our program has run off 10-15 players he recruited to SIU in a mere four years but he got lucky and hit on a couple of JUCOs this past spring. However, he's selling BBQ sauce and has the fans excited so I'm guessing a lifetime contract extension offer is in the works.

Wichita State 72, SIU 53.

[Dave Stalwart]

I already love having SIU back on the map in the MVC.

Immediately we've got two great fans stopping by and I'm sure there are more to come because this game matters and is likely to be good.

[Dave Stalwart]

I've been waiting for this for years. Don't let me down Barry. Keep SIU humming and the MVC won't be such garbage anymore.

[ShockerFever]

I appreciate the SIU insight from a couple of good posters.

SIU's schedule does suck. The SIUE loss sucked bad. But you have to be doing things right to get to 14 wins at this point. Would SIU have won by 20+ on the road last year? I don't care if it is Badley, that's some solid improvement.

They're gonna be fired up for this one. First sellout in a while there. First place is up for grabs early on. Beane is obviously a stud but there have been other contributors along the way. Rodriguez is obviously orchestrating the offense and is an improvement there. Their other guards have stepped up too. They may be weaker down low, but so are we.

I'm hopeful our defense will carry us. A lot of our guys are used to playing in front of solid out, loud arenas. They've played in front of 60,000 in Atlanta before. I don't think that will be intimidating. SIU is capable of pulling off the win, even without the home court.

I think we'll need our A game here. And certainly need to improve upon Wednesday's outing to be in a good position in this one.

Conservatively, I'll say it'll be about a 5 point game either way. If we're gonna go 16-2 or 15-3 in the Valley, this very well could be one of our L's.

[WSUShoxFan]

I think we're due to have a complete game where we're hitting on all cylinders and put it all together. My prediction: a break-out game that we win 78-62.

[ShockerFever]

Some of you picking double-digit wins here are writing off SIU a little strongly. Outside of Badley, how well have we played on the road this year?