Eyes on the prize
ST. LOUIS - It's hard for Randal Falker to keep an eye on Northern Iowa's frontline with so much at stake in the days ahead.
Falker, one of four seniors on the Southern Illinois University men's basketball team, could be part of the first SIU squad in seven years to not reach the NCAA Tournament. Entering tonight's Missouri Valley Conference Tournament quarterfinal with Northern Iowa (17-13, 9-9 MVC), the Salukis (17-13, 11-7) have reached a league-record six straight NCAA tourneys. Last year's club reached the Sweet 16, and this year's squad began the season with almost unprecedented expectations.
SIU earned the school's first preseason national ranking.
It was picked to win its ninth Valley championship. Unanimously.
Falker, a 6-foot-7 bruiser from St. Louis, was picked to win the league's player of the year honor.
Instead, Drake stormed to its first Valley title since 1971, and SIU enters the Scottrade Center needing to make the championship game - at least - to have a shot at the NCAA. With an RPI of 49, according to Collegiate Basketball News, and a strength of schedule of 12, the Salukis may be able to make an argument for the Big Dance should they reach 19 victories.
But on Thursday, they said they can't look that far ahead.
Northern Iowa split with SIU, with both teams winning at home. A loss tonight almost certainly sends SIU to its first NIT berth since 2000.
"Honestly, I've had the same approach every year," Falker said. "You want to come in here and win this thing, and that's all it is to us, so, regardless of your approach, it's definitely a sense of urgency there. But, every year we've had a sense of urgency. I don't think it's changed much."
The two teams played vastly different games this season, but one thing that will undoubtedly play out tonight is the inside game between Falker and UNI center Eric Coleman.
Falker, SIU's leading scorer at 12.9 points per game, went for 27 in the two games against UNI. In his last six games, Falker has hit 27-of-41 shots from the field, a 65.9-percent clip. He's scored 85 points during that stretch, going for 18 against Illinois State on Saturday. In the Salukis' win over UNI, he scored just six points but became such a draw inside, SIU was able to make 12 3-pointers.
Coleman has been just as hot, averaging 20.7 points and 12 boards in the Panthers' last three games. Against the Salukis, however, he has scored just 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
SIU coach Chris Lowery didn't want to focus on his team's individual matchups with UNI. The only ones that are important seem to be within his own team, which on Saturday looked nothing like the squad that had won five straight games.
On senior night at SIU Arena, the Salukis had a season-low four assists, shot 31.6 percent from the floor, and lost a league home game for the first time since 2006. During the five-game winning streak, SIU had shot better than 40 percent in every game.
"We thought we overcame that, having put together the five games in a row, and then it seems, when we need it the most, we're so inconsistent," Lowery said. "Our consistency has to be the biggest thing once we head into that tournament."
Bryan Mullins, the league's defensive player of the year, helped SIU capture the 2006 tournament title as a freshman. With wins over every Valley team but Illinois State this season, Mullins said this year's squad has the tools to make a deep run in the tournament.
"We can't do anything before we win (today), so we've gotta take care of business," he said. "We've been here before, like my freshman year, so we know what it takes to be successful.
"We've gotta have really strong ball-traps. We've gotta play like we did when we were at home against them, and really disrupt their offensive sets."
On the same day the future of his program begins to chase the Missouri Class 5 state championship, Lowery's club begins a road that could give his seniors a chance to chase a national title. Two of Lowery's top recruits for next season, McCluer North (Mo.) forward Anthony Booker and guard Torres Roundtree, play in the Class 5 semifinals about an hour after SIU and UNI tip off tonight.
"We're coming here with the same emphasis, the same mindset, and that's to come here and play hard at that tournament and take one game at a time," Lowery said. "When you're able to do that, then, obviously, you have success. When you get ahead of yourselves, and start talking about the championship game, and winning the championship, that's when you have problems."
