Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Basketball Looks To Keep Rolling Against Creighton
02/23/2004 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 23, 2004
CARBONDALE
By Seth Whitehead
www.SIUSalukis.com -
One team wants to add to its top-notch NCAA Tournament resume.
The other will be looking to throw something presentable together before it's too late.
The 16th-ranked Southern Illinois University men's basketball team and Creighton both have a lot riding on the outcome of Tuesday night's 7 p.m. sold-out showdown at SIU Arena.
But there's no denying that victory is more essential for the Bluejays than it is for the red-hot Salukis.
It all goes back to Feb. 7, late in the MVC's top rivalry's first meeting in Omaha.
Both teams looked like NCAA at-large contenders going in.
But ever since Bryan Turner knocked the ball loose from Johny Mathies in the final seconds of that game - ruining any chance the Bluejays had to get a decent potential game-winning shot and securing a 61-60 Saluki win -these teams have gone in entirely different directions.
SIU (22-2, 15-0 MVC) has went 4-0 since, clinching its third-straight MVC regular-season title and extending its winning streak to 14 -- in addition to staying in the national-rankings three weeks in a row.
Creighton (19-5, 11-4), on the other hand, has gone 2-3 since it last faced SIU and has seen its RPI drop to an NIT-esque 67.
SIU comes into Tuesday's game with an impressive RPI of 18 and the highest national-ranking in school history.
"It's a hell of an accomplishment for anybody," SIU head coach Matt Painter said of being ranked 16th, "let alone guys who were picked in the middle of the pack in their league. I'm just happy for our guys and happy we're getting this kind of attention.
"We think about how hard we worked this summer," SIU guard Darren Brooks said, "the conditioning, the four-hour practices...we've come a long way and it feels good to see it paying off.
Now they just want to keep piling on.
"Being ranked doesn't help us win games," Painter said. "We just need to keep our focus on our next opponent and not let this be a positive distraction. But I think our guys have done a great job of keeping that focus."
The Salukis will be looking to extend a number of streaks Tuesday in addition to their current winning streak, including a 25-game home winning streak against MVC foes, a 20-game overall winning streak against Valley opponents and a perfect 15-0 conference mark this year.
And, to be kind, Creighton's chances of a sixth-straight NCAA bid will be remote if they are unable to stop these streaks -- unless they can win the Valley Tournament for a third straight season.
"They've stubbed their toe a little bit in the last couple weeks," Painter said. "So I know they'll be ready to play and they will play hard also."
"We've been in this spot before over the years," Creighton head coach Dana Altman told the Omaha World-Herald. "They'll either challenge themselves and respond, or they'll give into it. This is not a time to feel sorry for ourselves."
You can rest assured that none of the expected 9,600-plus at SIU Arena are going to shed a tear for the Bluejays. Neither will the Salukis, who remain hungry as ever despite some folks claiming they are a lock to make The Dance.
"I've got a couple people talking about, you know, there's not a lot at stake for us," Painter said. "There's a lot at stake for us. And until they tell you, or until you win on Monday night in the Valley Tournament (championship), you're not in the tournament."
In addition to being desperate, the Bluejays will probably be a tad surly due to Saturday's 70-55 Bracket Buster doe-popping at the hands of Kent State, among other things.
"They are going to come out mad about the game they just had," SIU forward LaMar Owen said. "We upset them at home, so they definitely want to do the same to us."
"This was not a good loss," Altman said of the Kent State game. "They popped us pretty good. Now we're going to have to show some resiliency. That's where our senior leadership is going to have to come in."
But despite their recent struggles, Painter feels the Jays still have a shot at an at-large bid.
"They probably have to win the remainder of their games and then get to the final game (of the MVC Tournament)," Painter said. "We were in the same situation last year when we had to win about seven straight. That's what we told our guys, 'No big deal - we just have to win seven-straight.' And we were able to step up and do that. They are capable of doing the same thing."
A look at the Bluejays
There is no question that Creighton misses point guard Tyler McKinney.
McKinney has been out the last 14 games with a serious eye infection that may require a cornea transplant. Without him, CU has gone 9-5 after a 10-0 start.
Otherwise, the Jays have a lot of familiar faces - and good players.
Though the Salukis and Bluejays both play solid defense and are very balanced, the similarities pretty much end there.
CU has become more of an interior team this year.
We all know Brody Deren, who leads Creighton in scoring (11.3 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg). Though its seems like he's been around since the first Clinton term, Deren is officially a fifth-year senior and a load in the middle at 6-foot-8 and 250 pounds.
Then there's Michael Lindeman - he's the guy that hits all those flat-footed 3-pointers at the most inappropriate moments - and 6-7 force Mike Grimes (9.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg).
Off guard Nate Funk is posting 10.5 points-per-game, while the aforementioned Mathies runs the point and averages 7.5 per-contest. Both are sophomores.
Kellen Milliner has averaged 10 ppg off the bench, while Joe Dabbert (6-11) is much taller than any of the Salukis and is capable of creating matchup problems.
"I think they're more of a physical team, more of an interior team this year," Painter said. "But you can't discount the capabilities of Funk and Milliner. They're both very capable of big nights. Then Mathies has the talent and quickness to create for himself."
And, fortunately, Kyle Korver is playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.
