Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Basketball renews series with SEMO on Wednesday night
12/09/2014 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University men's basketball team travels to SEMO for at 7 p.m. game on Wednesday at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. The Salukis (5-3) have dominated the recent series between the schools, winning 12 of the last 13 meetings with the Redhawks (4-4) since 1993. The only loss in that span was at the Show Me Center on Dec. 5, 2000.
| Southern Illinois at SEMO | |
| Date | Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014 |
| Time | 7 p.m. CT |
| Location | Cape Girardeau, Mo., Show Me Center (7,000) |
| Game Notes | Southern Illinois  |
| Radio | Saluki Sports Network |
| TV | None |
| Live Video | OVC Digital Network |
| Live Audio | Stretch Internet |
| Live Stats | Stat broadcast |
| Social Media | @SIU_Basketball |
Coach Hinson met with the media following Tuesday's practice.
Q: Can you see yourself playing a little more zone against SEMO?
"We are getting the program to the point where we don't have to play zone very much. We played zone against SIUE just because we put all of those guys in and we had such a big lead. I don't even know a game this year where we played zone other than that game. We are not going into this game thinking zone defense. We are very comfortable with how we are guarding right now. Obviously, if we get into foul trouble or we have issues with injuries, certainly that is in our background. I don't want to give away our scouting report, but we haven't even worked on zone."
Q: How do you think you match with them?
"We don't match up with them very well at all. Matchup issues are not so much height-wise, which is obviously a big concern. Our matchup issues are maturity issues. Four of their best players are seniors and are a veteran ball club. This is a ball club that was picked to win the Ohio Valley Conference last year. They really didn't lose anybody and are picked second this year. This is going to be a maturity check for our guys and will be interesting to see how we respond."
Q: How do you think you have navigated finals week so far?
"I don't think you ever know the answer until you play. I always said that the worst times in the year to play are during or after finals or after a multi-tournament event. We are playing on the road during one of the worst times that you can play. We knew that and we didn't want to play during finals week. Since we are one week short on the calendar year, it was the only way we could get the ballgame in."
Q: Why is playing after finals week a bad time?
"It is just so stressful. You go through a whole week of studying. Guys are aren't sleeping, they are cramming, and are staying up all night. You will see most upsets in college basketball will be the games right after finals. The smart guys play the guys who aren't that good. We do not have that luxury here. The BCS programs will play a team that is not very good."
Q: SEMO has a good shot blocker, will you take the same approach against him?
"Yeah, and try to not get our shot blocked. That what was our approach against Austin Peay. That is the same approach that we will take in this game."
Q: Do you feel like your team is ready for another road game?
"I hope so. Play during finals is always a concern for me. We have played more road games than any team in the Missouri Valley. No other team is going to play more true road games than us. When Missouri State postponed their game at ORU, we have now played five true road games in our non-conference schedule. I think this will pay-off. I think that it will pay huge dividends for us."
Q: Once finals week is over, do you get more time with the team one-on-one?
"I learned a long time ago from Mr. Iba, who was a Hall of Fame coach from Oklahoma State, he always said that the great teams are the ones that improve over the Christmas holidays. I have taken that approach every place that I have ever been. Our greatest improvement has always been over the holidays."
Q: How does playing the OVC teams compare to the Valley?
"I don't think that you can. I know that there has been a big deal about it, but why wouldn't we play OVC teams? They are in our region and Division I. It gives us an opportunity to play. There were several reasons going into the Ohio Valley. One of those main reasons was budget-wise. We are not having to fly. Athletic budgets across the country are really struggling and we are no exception. As a basketball coach, when I go to an athletic department meeting and I get a report from our CFO that says that we are struggling financially, I am one of those guys that take it to heart. Our first year we cancelled two chartered trips to save the athletic department $70,000. This year, we tried to do our very best to play as many trips as we can where we can take a bus instead of a flight because it would save our department. The Ohio Valley gives an opportunity to do that and we will continue to do that in the future."
Q: What has impressed you about SEMO's defense?
"The thing that impresses me about SEMO and their defense is their length. They bother you in every aspect. They bother your shots, offense, transition, and the flow of the game. That is a big thing that they do. Their leading scorer is 6'6 and plays on the perimeter. Our leading scorer is 6'2 and playing on the perimeter. It is a big difference when you go against length. That is one of things that we learned when we were in the National Championship game at Kansas. There was a point in time where we were playing Kentucky and we said that their length is really bothering us. SEMO's length is going to bother us."
Q: How big of an advantage will it be to play six of the eight games over break at home?
"It is a huge advantage and we designed it specifically like that. No team has played as many road games than us in the Valley and no one in the Valley started their first five games on the road. We specifically drew our schedule up. This is exactly how we wanted it. This is our last non-conference road game. We are coming home. We have played two home games. We are coming home folks, we are coming home."
Q: What's the biggest improvement you want to see in your team over the break?
"Defensively and I think every coach will tell you that. I have always said that over break you have to get better where you stop people. The other thing for us is to continue to grow up. We did a stat this week and we are the 21st youngest team in the country. There are 330 other teams in the NCAA that are older than us. We need time to grow up and the other thing we need is we need to get Ibby (Djimde) back. That will help us a tremendous amount."
Q: How close are you to getting Ibby back?
"We anticipate that he will play against Tennessee State. That will depend on how he practices and how his knee responds at the time."
Q: Has the schedule prepared the team well enough for conference play?
"I think so. Our schedule, for us, for our young guys, was difficult in all aspects. We played the first five games on the road. You have a good team on the road in Southeast Missouri, then you have a really good basketball team coming in here in Murray State. I go back, this schedule we designed specifically for this basketball team. We tried to do this strategically. Who knows -- we'll see if it works."
Q: So you wouldn't mind doing it again in the future?
"Let's get one thing straight -- I know what our Strength of Schedule is. As we get better, I want to play better basketball teams -- no question in my mind we want to do that. Our Strength of Schedule will be the worst, probably, in the league. It's not the worst of some teams in our area, but it might be the worst in the league. Let's look at that and evaluate that when the season is over. If I'm wrong for how we've done it, I'll take the blame. I took the blame last year. We were 4-9 in non-conference last year and 9-9 in conference. Maybe we should get our butts beat, but the thing about it is, we're 4-9 last year and we're virtually playing the same teams this year, so hopefully, we're getting better."
