Salukis try to get stars out at undefeated Minnesota
SIU's men's basketball team was able to overcome a lack of senior star power against Mount St. Mary's (Maryland) Monday night.
Senior point guard Mike Rodriguez tied season-lows with four assists and 23 minutes, and shooting guard Leo Vincent went 2 of 7 from the field and finished with five points in 18 minutes. The Salukis (3-2) pulled away in the final seven minutes to beat the Mountaineers (1-4) 73-63 behind Armon Fletcher's 19 points, Thik Bol's double-double and Sean O'Brien's career-high 18 rebounds.
"The evolution for us right now is defensively and rebounding," SIU coach Barry Hinson said. "I think you saw it (Monday night), can we defend and rebound? You saw it (Monday). Our best shooter in Leo, just couldn't make a shot, and somebody picks him up."
SIU outrebounded Mount St. Mary's 45-20, 16-5 off the offensive glass, and had 16 assists to overcome 17 turnovers. The Salukis know undefeated Minnesota (5-0) will be a different animal Friday night, especially with 6-foot-10 center Reggie Lynch. Lynch, a 260-pound junior who played two seasons at Illinois State (2013-15), has 18 blocked shots in five games with the Golden Gophers.
"We've had nightmares with Reggie in the past, so we know what we're going with in the interior," Hinson said. "It'll be a little different, it's girth versus Thik's athleticism. Any time you play on the road, and specifically when you play a Power Five conference, you don't have margin of error. You have to play extremely well. You have to guard, you have to rebound, you can't turn the ball over, and you have to execute on offense and make free throws."
SIU is averaging 81 points per game and has four players averaging 10 or more after losing first team all-conference guard Anthony Beane. The Salukis have also figured out their rebounding after losing Bola Olaniyan. They have outrebounded three opponents in a row, although against lesser competition, led by starting forwards Bol (nine rebounds per game) and O'Brien (nine boards a game). Bol and O'Brien have been key players during SIU's three-game winning streak.
Bol's 14 rejections rank 21st in the nation, and the 6-8 junior has 22 points and 14 rebounds in his last two games. O'Brien showed off an improved baseball pass against Mount St. Mary's full-court pressure Monday night, finishing with nine assists for the second straight game. The 6-7 senior is averaging 15.7 points and 12.3 rebounds per game during the winning streak.
SIU's biggest concerns at Minnesota are trying to slow down the Gophers' four double-digit scorers and limiting its turnovers. Six players scored 10 or more in Tuesday's 85-71 win over Arkansas at Williams Arena. The Gophers have had five or more players in double digits in four of their five games.
Even with a senior point guard, the Salukis have committed 17 turnovers or more in four of their five games. Arkansas had 21 turnovers Tuesday night, with 10 players having at least one.
SIU hasn't beaten a Power Five conference team since 2008, when it topped Oklahoma State at SIU Arena in the first round of the NIT. The Salukis have dropped eight straight games to Power Five conference teams and are eager to put their disappointing performance at Arkansas Nov. 14 behind them.
"We gotta buckle down on the turnovers and just practicing hard," Fletcher said. "We're going down there a little bit early so we can get used to the atmosphere, and their floor. We just want to build off these three wins and keep this thing going."
SIU will play four of its next five games at home after Friday night's game at Minnesota, beginning Tuesday against Murray State. The Salukis will host Texas Southern Dec. 3, and after a road trip to 10th-ranked Louisville Dec. 7, hosts Sam Houston State (Dec. 10) and Saint Louis (Dec. 14).
SIU's men's basketball team was able to overcome a lack of senior star power against Mount St. Mary's (Maryland) Monday night.
Senior point guard Mike Rodriguez tied season-lows with four assists and 23 minutes, and shooting guard Leo Vincent went 2 of 7 from the field and finished with five points in 18 minutes. The Salukis (3-2) pulled away in the final seven minutes to beat the Mountaineers (1-4) 73-63 behind Armon Fletcher's 19 points, Thik Bol's double-double and Sean O'Brien's career-high 18 rebounds.
"The evolution for us right now is defensively and rebounding," SIU coach Barry Hinson said. "I think you saw it (Monday night), can we defend and rebound? You saw it (Monday). Our best shooter in Leo, just couldn't make a shot, and somebody picks him up."
SIU outrebounded Mount St. Mary's 45-20, 16-5 off the offensive glass, and had 16 assists to overcome 17 turnovers. The Salukis know undefeated Minnesota (5-0) will be a different animal Friday night, especially with 6-foot-10 center Reggie Lynch. Lynch, a 260-pound junior who played two seasons at Illinois State (2013-15), has 18 blocked shots in five games with the Golden Gophers.
"We've had nightmares with Reggie in the past, so we know what we're going with in the interior," Hinson said. "It'll be a little different, it's girth versus Thik's athleticism. Any time you play on the road, and specifically when you play a Power Five conference, you don't have margin of error. You have to play extremely well. You have to guard, you have to rebound, you can't turn the ball over, and you have to execute on offense and make free throws."
SIU is averaging 81 points per game and has four players averaging 10 or more after losing first team all-conference guard Anthony Beane. The Salukis have also figured out their rebounding after losing Bola Olaniyan. They have outrebounded three opponents in a row, although against lesser competition, led by starting forwards Bol (nine rebounds per game) and O'Brien (nine boards a game). Bol and O'Brien have been key players during SIU's three-game winning streak.
Bol's 14 rejections rank 21st in the nation, and the 6-8 junior has 22 points and 14 rebounds in his last two games. O'Brien showed off an improved baseball pass against Mount St. Mary's full-court pressure Monday night, finishing with nine assists for the second straight game. The 6-7 senior is averaging 15.7 points and 12.3 rebounds per game during the winning streak.
SIU's biggest concerns at Minnesota are trying to slow down the Gophers' four double-digit scorers and limiting its turnovers. Six players scored 10 or more in Tuesday's 85-71 win over Arkansas at Williams Arena. The Gophers have had five or more players in double digits in four of their five games.
Even with a senior point guard, the Salukis have committed 17 turnovers or more in four of their five games. Arkansas had 21 turnovers Tuesday night, with 10 players having at least one.
SIU hasn't beaten a Power Five conference team since 2008, when it topped Oklahoma State at SIU Arena in the first round of the NIT. The Salukis have dropped eight straight games to Power Five conference teams and are eager to put their disappointing performance at Arkansas Nov. 14 behind them.
"We gotta buckle down on the turnovers and just practicing hard," Fletcher said. "We're going down there a little bit early so we can get used to the atmosphere, and their floor. We just want to build off these three wins and keep this thing going."
SIU will play four of its next five games at home after Friday night's game at Minnesota, beginning Tuesday against Murray State. The Salukis will host Texas Southern Dec. 3, and after a road trip to 10th-ranked Louisville Dec. 7, hosts Sam Houston State (Dec. 10) and Saint Louis (Dec. 14).
