Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Basketball to Make Overseas Trip in August
06/03/2003 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
June 3, 2003
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University men's basketball players and its new coaching staff will get better acquainted when the team travels to Finland and Sweden to play European club teams in August.
The Salukis, led by first-year head coach Matt Painter, will depart on August 2, and play six games in 10 days before returning to Carbondale.
The extra games and practices will benefit both the coaches and the players, Painter said.
"In a nutshell, it allows everybody to expand their roles a little bit," Painter said. "You have guys like Tony Young and Ryan Walker who redshirted last year, and they will get valuable minutes. Plus, we have some players who need to expand their roles, now that we no longer have Kent Williams and Jermaine Dearman."
Painter said he expects the Salukis' three big men, Josh Warren, Sylvester Willis and Brad Korn, to get plenty of "touches" on offense as the team looks to replace its top front court player, Dearman.
The NCAA allows schools to take a summer trip overseas once every four years. In addition to the games, the team is permitted by NCAA rules to practice for 10 days prior to the trip.
"It's going to allow me an extended exhibition season to tinker with some things, to see how our guys react to different roles," Painter said. "It also allows our new assistant coaches, Paul Lusk and Jack Owens, to get acquainted with our guys and with their roles as coaches."
Incoming freshmen and transfers are not allowed to participate in the trip.
