SIU vs. Arkansas -Thursday

[tornado]

Really only one college basketball game today of any significance to Valley fans.

Southern Illinois takes its 2-0 record onto the opening game of the inaugural Old Spice Classic at Orlando's Disney Wide World of Sports Complex and they take on Arkansas (2-0).

Sports betting lines have SIU as the slight favorite and Arkansas as the 2-point underdog.

The game starts in just under 2 hours, at 11AM Central, and will be on ESPN2.

[flipper]

is siu at full strength, or do they still have players serving suspensions for off-court misbehavior?

[tornado]

flipper, you have to be kidding!
Of course they limited their suspensions only to the preseason exhibition games and
the shellacking of hapless DIII Washington (MO).

They will go at full strength today.
It is a pretty big game and it will look good if SIU and the Valley win this tourney.

http://www.thesouthern.com/articles/2006/11/23/sports/18299125.txt

Winning the tourney is a do-able thing for SIU, as the caliber of teams is a little suspect.
Arkansas is strong, but not ranked and somewhat rebuilding with jucos and freshmen.
The other BCS teams (West Virginia, Minnesota, Virginia Tech) are all quite a bit weaker than usual after losing lots of seniors and are rebuilding also.
The rest of the teams (Marist, Western Michigan, Montana) are pretty weak midmajors and low majors.


If SIU can win the first game, they will have a great shot at the tourney title.

[flipper]

i just went to yahoo sports and clicked on odds. they have arkansas favored by 3 to 3 1/2 points over siu.

[Da Coach]

i just went to yahoo sports and clicked on odds. they have arkansas favored by 3 to 3 1/2 points over siu.

Flip, you must not be a gambler, I think you are reading that wrong. Every gambling site I checked has SIU -3 1/2 points (or Arkansas +3 1/2). That puts SIU as the team favored to win by 3 1/2.

It's the 12:00 game listed here (11:00 Central)--

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-basketball/odds/offshore/

[MacabreMob]

Here's another site for lines:

http://www.wagerline.com/Scores-odds/ncaab.aspx

They have SIU -3 1/2

Marist is favored by 2 over Minnesota!

[Da Coach]

The game is underway. Arkansas likes the uptempo style, while SIU likes the slow-down, low scoring game. Already it's been an ugly game. 2 minutes into the game before the first score. It's now 4-0 SIU leads. Arkansas has turned the ball over on every one of their possessions (5 already) so far!

[Da Coach]

Make that 6 turnovers in their first 7 possessions for Arkansas, and on their only shot, they missed the rim!

[Da Coach]

Here is an updating link if anyone can't get ESPN2, and wants to follow the game--

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/boxscore?gid=200611230528

[collegehoopjunkie]

Good game so far, but Falker and Shaw each have two fouls already in the first 8 minutes.

First time I've seen Chris Lowery in several months, and the new contract he got seems to be paying dividends.
Chris has taken a page from the Marty Simmons book on how to work the buffet line.

[squeaky]

Shaw and Falker both fouled out with less than 2 minutes to go. SIU let a 5 point lead with just more than a minute to go get away. But 1 of 2 free throws by Tatum with 7 seconds left tied it and it's going to overtime. But without Falker and Shaw, Chris Lowery has to play Jamal Foster, and that spells trouble for the Salukis-

Score-
SIU 53
Ark 53 end of regulation

[chitownBUB]

Wow-- good game

53-53 tied and going into overtime.
Tatum got away with an obviouos travel as he launched an air ball with 8 seconds, and the refs bailed him out by calling a foul.
Tatum made one of two to tie it.

Shaw and Falker both have fouled out.

Some stats:
SIU shooting poorly, 18-48 in regulation


Arkansas scores quickly in OT, now up by 4, 57-53

SIU's weakness---their bench.
They are getting NOTHING from the bench and are at a huge disadvantage now that they have a couple foulouts.

[collegehoopjunkie]

Only Tatum and Falker can put the ball in the hoop.
Shaw has 7, but nobody else has much.
For playing over 40 mminutes, Bryan Mullins is not a scoring threat -has only 3 points.. Not sure why he even continues to shoot.
He missed a key shot last in the game.
I hate these early season tournaments when the crowd is so tiny.
A few fans are behind each bench, but the entire arena is empty, and the angle shown on FTs shows all the empty seats.
Now ervin from Ark. has fouled out.

Arkansas still up by four with 1:15 left.

[squeaky]

SIU went scoreless in overtime. They really struggle to score, and with 2 of their starters out with fouls, they didn't come close to making a basket. Arkansas' depth and better shooting was the difference.
Tough luck for SIU and the MVC.

SIU 53
Ark 61

[chitownBUB]

A weakness for SIU is exposed.
Crunch time, in overtime, and Falker has fouled out, so Arkansas knows exactly who is going to shoot the ball.
They can send all the defense they want at Tatum
he is their primary offensive option.
So SIU goes scoreless in the five minute overtime.

Tony Young might be a good defender but he shot poorly today.