SIU hoops will be tested in Anaheim

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-Who really needs football on Thanksgiving?

Not Southern Illinois. On a day typically reserved for the pigskin, the SIU men's basketball team is trying to prove that some pretty good basketball can be played, too.

The 19th-ranked Salukis will likely face their first real tests of the season at this weekend's Anaheim Classic. The eight-team event starts with four nationally televised games today, including the Salukis' 3 p.m. matchup with Chattanooga.

As for what a tournament like this can mean for a team, SIU needs to look back no farther than last season.

The Salukis faced a pair of NCAA Tournament teams at last year's Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla., a virtually identical tournament to the Anaheim Classic, run by the same organizations.

In Orlando, SIU lost its opener to Arkansas, but rallied to win the next two games and take fifth place. In that fifth-place game, the Salukis earned one of their better nonconference victories, defeating Virginia Tech, who SIU also defeated in the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament.

This year, SIU is the only ranked team in the tournament, but there are some other teams with impressive pedigrees. Mississippi State, a semifinalist in last year's National Invitation Tournament, is a possible second-round opponent for the Salukis. Southern California, a possible opponent on Sunday for SIU, advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet Sixteen last year, and has one of the nation's most heralded freshmen, in O.J. Mayo.

Before SIU can think about either of those matchups, though, it must find a way to get past the Mocs. Chattanooga's 1-1 record certainly isn't imposing, but the Mocs held a 50-46 halftime lead at Indiana this year, before losing by 20.

SIU's health could be key to its success this weekend. Guard Wesley Clemmons sat out last Saturday's opener with an ankle injury, and has been called questionable for this weekend's tournament.

If SIU can win today, its final two games would be played on ESPN2. With a loss today, all of the Salukis' games in Anaheim will be broadcast on ESPNU.



Projected Starters ppg rpg mpg

14 F Randal Falker (6-7, 235, Sr.) 7.0 4.0 17.0

32 F Matt Shaw (6-7, 235, Sr.) 16.0 5.0 22.0

35 F Tony Boyle (6-8, 235, Jr.) 6.0 10.0 25.0

10 G Bryan Mullins (6-2, 185, Jr.) 16.0 2.0 31.0

22 G Tyrone Green (6-3, 205, Sr.) 3.0 5.0 20.0

Top Reserves

4 G Joshua Bone (6-3, 190, Fr.) 9.0 2.0 12.0

45 F Carlton Fay (6-8, 230, Fr.) 7.0 1.0 20.0

15 G Brandon Wood (6-3, 185, Fr.) 15.0 1.0 27.0

21 F Christian Cornelius (6-7, 205, So.) 7.0 4.0 9.0

24 G Wesley Clemmons (6-3, 195, Jr.) - - -




Chattanooga Mocs (1-1)

Projected Starters ppg rpg mpg

01 F Marcus Watts (6-7, 215, Sr.) 11.0 7.0 27.0

34 F Nicchaeus Doaks (6-7, 235, Jr.) 14.5 6.0 25.0

44 F Khalil Hartwell (6-8, 225, Jr.) 3.0 5.0 17.0

00 G Stephen McDowell (5-11, 181, Jr.) 17.0 1.0 24.5

11 G Kevin Bridgewaters (5-9, 175, Sr.) 11.0 1.0 20.5

Top Reserves

13 C Qavalstarag Waddell (6-11, 250, Jr.) 7.5 4.0 16.5

14 G Jeff Smith (6-5, 195, Fr.) 2.5 1.0 9.0

15 G Verice Cloyd (6-2, 176, So.) 5.0 3.5 11.0

31 G Keyran Sheard (6-2, 175, Jr.) 5.0 1.5 14.5

33 F Kevin Godfrey (6-5, 210, Jr.) 13.5 6.0 19.0

 

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Mocs hope to take a bite out of No. 19 Salukis



The Mocs will try to get a slice of the Salukis before getting their turkey.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will face No. 19 Southern Illinois in the Anaheim Classic today at 5 p.m. EST, then celebrate the holiday as a family in the evening.

The trip allows UTC to continue building its chemistry, the chance to play high-profile teams on a neutral court and sophomore forward Matt Gwynne to play in his first games of the year.

"I've sat at home and watched on ESPN, all these teams slipping up and other teams sneaking to a victory," senior Marcus Watts said. "Anything can happen on a neutral floor, when there's not a home crowd, not too many people there and not their refs."

UTC (1-1) could wind up playing No. 19 SIU (1-0), then Mississippi State and Southern Cal. Or its schedule could go something like SIU, UC-Irvine and UC-San Diego.

"Playing on a neutral floor gives you a chance," coach John Shulman said. "With 18,000 at Indiana, with Big 10 officials, I'm not sure how much of a chance you have."

Winning the three-game tournament would be a good start to the season, but it would not guarantee UTC an at-large berth into the NCAA tournament.

Appalachian State won the San Juan Shootout last year -- beating Virginia and Vanderbilt in the process -- and went 15-3 in the SoCon before losing in the semifinals of the SoCon tournament. The Mountaineers played in the postseason NIT.

"It's important for all of us to understand how to prepare for games on the road, on back-to-back days, and the quick preparation like for the (SoCon) tourney," Shulman said. "We've had a long time to prepare for SIU, then we'll have about three hours to get ready for whomever we play Friday."

Gwynne doesn't care who the Mocs face this weekend. He just wants to play against somebody not wearing a UTC jersey.

He missed the exhibition game due to an allergic reaction and the first two games to catch up on academic work.

"I have my wind back, I have my legs back and I feel comfortable with the team," Gwynne said. "I got rid of goose-bumps and butterflies last year.

"I want to play against somebody who doesn't know all of my post moves."

The past nine days, since UTC lost 99-79 at Indiana, have been crucial for sophomore guard Verice Cloyd, who went through most of the preseason believing he wouldn't be eligible this season.

"I've been trying to learn a lot more stuff and a bunch of small things," said Cloyd, who was cleared to play immediately by the NCAA on a hardship appeal after transferring from Alabama. "I'm not trying to go out there and score 50. I just need to get in the flow."

Shulman said he picked on Cloyd during the last week in order to prepare him for this tournament and the rest of the season.

"He understands all of the responsibility, which he didn't before," Shulman said. "Let's hope he can play without thinking so much -- it slows him down."