Cougars vs. Northwestern tonight!

Have not found a video link, so if anyone has one please forward it to me, I am NOT paying into the Big Ten Network monopoly, and if that is the only way, I will come out and say it is complete bullshit.

Anyways, SIUE is in a bit of a rough stretch after a promising win over South Dakota last Saturday at the Vadalabene Center, losing consecutive games to IPFW on the road and EKU Tuesday.

The Cougars have a quick turnaround, and it is not going to be pretty, much like the roads in Edwardsville right now when they take on the Wildcats in Northwestern.

SIUE is 0-2 against Big Ten teams this season, 0-5 under coach Forrester and 0-9 all-time. This year, we saw SIUE lose to Iowa on the BTN by 61, and in person to Indiana by 34.

Northwestern runs a similar offense to EKU, in that they work out of the Prinecton with a lot of screening and cutting. They also run a 1-3-1, and we saw how that hurt the Cougars inside game, although they did get some good ball movement along the perimeter setting up open 3-point opportunities until EKU adjusted and closed off the entry points to the perimeter by taking off their double-team of Bundalo.

Here are my keys to non-embarrassment for the Cougars tonight, notice they are not keys to victory.

1) Slow down the tempo! Don't get into a running game with Northwestern. Be patient on offense and wait for shots to open up, either on the perimeter or inside. Don't take bad shots, and if you get one, take it.

2) Slowing down the tempo doesn't mean starting slow. Score on your possessions early. Limit fouls on defense, and keep Northwestern away from the free throw line.

3) DEFENSE. It goes without saying, but you are now more prepared for the Prinecton, make use of it. Maybe a little more zone instead of man-to-man to take way the easy looks on cuts to the basket.

Northwestern is the toughest Big Ten team on the schedule for SIUE, but the Cougars catch them at a decent time, right in the middle of Big Ten play. The Wildcats know this is not a meaningless game for them. At 12-5, they are in the conversation for an at-large bid, and blowing off SIUE, while they could probably do it and still succeed is not good, just in case. They need all the RPI help they can get, and a loss would probably mean they have to win out in the Big Ten tournament to make March for the first time in program history. Yeah, it still hasn't happened. I was shocked too.

Good luck defending John Shurna, who averages a whopping 19.5 points a game. That is borderline impossible to stop, meaning defense is the biggest key for SIUE.

The spread: Put it at an even +35 for Northwestern. You got the over or the under?

Again, if you have a game link let me know. We are 4 hours to tip at Welsh-Ryan.

Posted in: Archives,Men's basketball