A Higher Glyphic

Fans now look to next fall in hopes of another successful men's basketball season. Fans of Southern Illinois University do have reason to be optimistic about next year's team despite losing senior leaders Jamaal Tatum and Tony Young. SIU returns starting forwards Matt Shaw and Randal Falker and point guard Bryan Mullins. In addition to those returning, next year's recruiting class boasts several highly touted players such as Carlton Fay, Nick Evans and Justin Bocot. Fay, a 6-foot-9 forward, was recently named the Chicago Sun-Times Class-A player of the year. Evans, a 6-foot-10 center from Carbondale was spotted watching the game at Buffalo Wild Wings. Bocot is a 6-foot-2 guard with versatility and a reputation of being a big-time scorer in high school, SIU out-recruited fellow in state schools DePaul and the University of Illinois for Bocot's services. The rumors of which coach is going where did not include SIU head coach Chris Lowery. Lowery, 34, is seen as a rising star in the coaching ranks and was rumored to be a top candidate at power conference schools such as Michigan, Iowa and Arkansas. In early April, Lowery signed a seven-year contract extension worth over $700,000 per year. With Lowery at the helm next year and presumably for years to come, SIU may one day find itself, as elite as one of the power conference schools that were interested in Lowery. SIU men's basketball team put itself on the national spotlight with a remarkable 2006-07 season, posting one of its best records in recent memory. The Salukis 29 wins are the most in the history of the school, which has made seven consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. SIU achieved its highest ranking in school history by being ranked No. 11 in week 17 in both major polls while also ranking fourth in the RPI ratings late in the year. The Salukis also notched victories against power conference teams Minnesota (Big Ten) and Virginia Tech (ACC). They also beat then-12th ranked Butler at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse on 'Bracket Buster' Saturday, putting an end to Butler's 22-game home court win streak. As the Salukis climbed the Top 25 polls, their popularity grew with it as well. Saluki pride hit a peak during March Madness, especially after clinching its first Sweet 16 appearance for the first time since 2002 with victories over 13-seed Holy Cross and fifth-seed Virginia Tech for the second time this year. Those victories set the fourth-seed Salukis against the Kansas Jayhawks, the top seed in the West Region, a match-up fans were looking forward to. "My roommate is a Kansas alum, so it was a match-up both of us wanted to see," said Saluki fan Steven Luschen. SIU student Calla Angle, who watched her first game with a capacity crowd at Buffalo Wild Wings, said that it was the first time she had ever watched an SIU game and is now "determined to actually see a few games next season." SIU lost 61-58 in the Sweet Sixteen game, ending their season. Even after the loss, SIU fans seemed to be optimistic about its team's chances to repeat or even go further next year. Some fans claimed, "Next year is the year." Others responded with, "I really don't know about that."

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools