Southern Illinois 2010 Preview & Predictions

Southern Illinois Salukis Basketball 2010-2011 Preview, Predictions, Picks & Odds

With the College Basketball 2010-2011 Season just around the corner, we are providing season previews & predictions for all NCAA basketball teams to give you the betting edge this year. Follow the best College Basketball Handicappers as they analyze their teams in this 2010-2011 basketball season preview. Be sure to bookmark SportsbookBuzz.com your source for Sportsbook Reviews. Use our comprehensive and insider info to bet successfully on the College Basketball in our recommend online sportsbooks.View the rest of our 2010-2011 NCAA Basketball Season Previews here.

2010-2011 Southern Illinois Preview Picks, & Odds.

Southern Illinois 2009-2010 Record: 15-15 overall, 6-12 Valley (9th)

Southern Illinois Coach: Chris Lowery – At Southern Illinois and overall: 124-74, 6 years

Southern Illinois Players to Watch: Projected to become astar when he signed with SIU, Carlton Fay hasn’t quite fulfilled those expectations. He has put together a nice career, and the Salukis need him to finish with a flourish in order to get things back on track.

Southern Illinois Key Losses: Kevin Dillard, G, 6-0, 160 (12.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg); Tony Freeman, G, 6-1, 190 (11.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg); Nick Evans, C, 6-11, 230 (5.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg); Anthony Booker, F, 6-8, 230 (6.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg)

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2010-2011 Southern Illinois Season Preview

What’s a coach to do when his program has lost the toughness that made it the bully of the Missouri Valley Conference? That’s a question Southern Illinois coach Chris Lowery is asking himself as he attempts to reverse the Salukis’ slipping fortunes. In six seasons from 2002 though 2007, Southern Illinois won or shared five regular-season championships, earned one Valley tournament title and played in the NCAA Tournament six consecutive seasons. The Salukis accomplished those feats with demonic defense that, especially at home, made them almost unbeatable. But in the past three seasons, Southern Illinois hardly has generated that kind of intensity or results. One season after playing in the 2007 Sweet 16, Southern Illinois slipped to an 18-15 finish in 2007-08. The next season, the Salukis stumbled through their first losing record in more than . a decade. Last season, they broke even at 15-15, but their ninth-place league finish was their lowest since 1998. Compounding the problems is the departure of two of the team’s more talented players after two seasons. Kevin Dillard, the team’s scoring leader the past two seasons, bolted for Dayton, while 6-8 Anthony Booker decided to transfer to Iowa State. Lowery has said his players need to become more disciplined and play harder. That once was a given during the glory days under Bruce Weber, Matt Painter and Lowery. The recent lack of success doesn’t play well in Carbondale, especially since SIU made a sizeable investment to retain Lowery after the 2007 season. Any reversal this season must come with the help of seven newcomers. The departure of Dillard, Booker, Tony Freeman (graduated) and Nick Evans (quit) leaves Southern Illinois without players that combined to average about 36 points and 13 rebounds. Returning starters Carlton Fay and Justin Bocot are solid, and massive Gene Teague enjoyed a strong second-half showing. None of the other returning players averaged more than 4.1 points per game, and no one consistently showed the kind of effort Lowery is convinced his team needs to pull the program out of its nose dive.

2010-2011 Southern Illinois Predictions

Southern Illinois Finish in the Missouri Valley: 8th

Southern Illinois Betting Odds

Southern Illinois Odds to Win 2010-2011 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament: +10000

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Southern Illinois Basketball Handicapping Picks

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