Salukis try to make every possession count at Illinois State
SIU's last screen-and-roll of the game Sunday at Indiana State turned out well.
Senior point guard Mike Rodriguez, the Salukis' designated last-second option, drove into the lane and pulled up for a 15-foot jumper that gave SIU a five-point lead with 49 seconds left. Jonathan Wiley and Rodriguez sealed the Salukis' 74-68 win at the Hulman Center with four free throws.
"They kind of just give me the ball, and say 'Mike, make the right decision,'" Rodriguez said. "I work on that move a lot, so, I got to the middle of the Valley sign and shot it. (My defender) didn't know what I was gonna do."
Rodriguez scored nine of his 15 points in the second half to help SIU (15-14, 8-8 Missouri Valley Conference) end a three-game losing streak.
SIU's offense has not always fared as well late in the shot clock. Despite getting several good looks in the final eight minutes at home against Northern Iowa on Jan. 21, the Salukis blew a 12-point lead and fell, 58-57.
SIU's average time of possession on offense, 18.5 seconds, is the second-longest of any Valley team and 298th out of 351 Division I teams, according to KenPom.com. Of league teams, only Northern Iowa (18.8 seconds) drags it out longer, on average. Wichita State, the top-scoring team in the league at 81.3 points per game, shoots it in an average of 16.8 seconds, the fastest in the league.
More and more teams have had to run a last-second play, especially in Valley play, Hinson said, when their first offensive set doesn't pan out. Things like a poor ball-screen, a fumbled pass and/or an unexpected defensive move all contribute to some late-shot clock heroics. Fortunately for SIU, Rodriguez has either scored or assisted on 31 percent of the team's baskets this season, just one percent less than Anthony Beane's impact, and has the third-best assist-to-turnover ratio in school history this season (2.00).
"Teams that run a secondary break, or any type of motion or continuity, or whatever, if it doesn't work, then you're caught with the shot clock," Hinson said. "We've always had a shot clock play, but now we're changing it every game, and I think that's helped us, and I think that's helped our decision-making progress."
SIU will try to make the most of its possessions Wednesday night at co-Valley leader Illinois State (23-5, 15-1). The Redbirds won a close game over the Salukis at SIU Arena, 60-53, and will honor their four seniors before the game.
Illinois State has won nine straight over SIU at Redbird Arena.
"We know they have four seniors and we're going to get their best shot, not just because of those seniors but because they have to win, so, we get it," Hinson said. "Hopefully it'll be a heckuva game."
SIU's last screen-and-roll of the game Sunday at Indiana State turned out well.
Senior point guard Mike Rodriguez, the Salukis' designated last-second option, drove into the lane and pulled up for a 15-foot jumper that gave SIU a five-point lead with 49 seconds left. Jonathan Wiley and Rodriguez sealed the Salukis' 74-68 win at the Hulman Center with four free throws.
"They kind of just give me the ball, and say 'Mike, make the right decision,'" Rodriguez said. "I work on that move a lot, so, I got to the middle of the Valley sign and shot it. (My defender) didn't know what I was gonna do."
Rodriguez scored nine of his 15 points in the second half to help SIU (15-14, 8-8 Missouri Valley Conference) end a three-game losing streak.
SIU's offense has not always fared as well late in the shot clock. Despite getting several good looks in the final eight minutes at home against Northern Iowa on Jan. 21, the Salukis blew a 12-point lead and fell, 58-57.
SIU's average time of possession on offense, 18.5 seconds, is the second-longest of any Valley team and 298th out of 351 Division I teams, according to KenPom.com. Of league teams, only Northern Iowa (18.8 seconds) drags it out longer, on average. Wichita State, the top-scoring team in the league at 81.3 points per game, shoots it in an average of 16.8 seconds, the fastest in the league.
More and more teams have had to run a last-second play, especially in Valley play, Hinson said, when their first offensive set doesn't pan out. Things like a poor ball-screen, a fumbled pass and/or an unexpected defensive move all contribute to some late-shot clock heroics. Fortunately for SIU, Rodriguez has either scored or assisted on 31 percent of the team's baskets this season, just one percent less than Anthony Beane's impact, and has the third-best assist-to-turnover ratio in school history this season (2.00).
"Teams that run a secondary break, or any type of motion or continuity, or whatever, if it doesn't work, then you're caught with the shot clock," Hinson said. "We've always had a shot clock play, but now we're changing it every game, and I think that's helped us, and I think that's helped our decision-making progress."
SIU will try to make the most of its possessions Wednesday night at co-Valley leader Illinois State (23-5, 15-1). The Redbirds won a close game over the Salukis at SIU Arena, 60-53, and will honor their four seniors before the game.
Illinois State has won nine straight over SIU at Redbird Arena.
"We know they have four seniors and we're going to get their best shot, not just because of those seniors but because they have to win, so, we get it," Hinson said. "Hopefully it'll be a heckuva game."
