It's a short break for the 5-17 Cougars, who are back home Wednesday night for a 7 p.m. game against the defending OVC champs and Commadore-Slaying Racers from Murray State.
The women provided some good vibes tonight, posting a 70-56 win over the women's team from Murray, showing they know how a Cougar roars.
This is going to be a test for the Cougars, but Murray has been uncharacteristically inconsistant so far this season, posting a 13-6 record with a 6-3 mark in the OVC.
Murray beat the Cougars 71-46 at the RSEC back on Dec. 30, turning a relatively close 31-26 game at halftime into a near blowout.
Shot selection, rebounding, same old stuff.
The Cougars need everything to work right for them against the Racers, and I don't know if they have it in them. The environment at the Vadalabene Center is going to be the best we have seen all year, because Murray brings with it all of the sex appeal you can get from a midmajor. Everyone has heard of Murray State, and you can thank the NCAA tournament for that. There were 2,000 or so people at the game against the Racers last year, and that was over christmas break. Now that the students are back, we should expect them to come out for this one.
A good home crowd can spur any team in college basketball, and any team in college basketball can get deterred by one. It's what is great about this game.
Billy Kennedy's crew isn't putting up record setting numbers this season. They average just 69 points a game and 32 rebounds, which is pretty average when you think of college basketball. Defensively, they allow 62 and 29, which is right around what SIUE is averaging per game. I still think Murray is going to win unless something crazy happens, but this one could be a lot closer than you may think.
Murray hasn't blown anyone away in the conference besides SEMO, who they beat 92-58 Saturday, but outside of that they have a 12 point win over UT Martin, and losses to Eastern Illinois, Morehead State and Austin Peay.
Last year, they had 5 players averaging in double-figures, this season, just sophomore sensation Isaiah Cannan is doing that, with 11.6 per game. B.J Jenkins and Issac Miles average 9. Any of those names ring a bell?
They also have Ivan Aska and Donte Poole to name a few guys we may remember.
A few more quick hitters:
Murray State is 7-1 against teams with an RPI higher than 200, and SIUE falls into that category.
Murray's RPI falls in at 145, and SIUE is 0-1 against teams 100-150.
Murray is 7-0 all-time against the Cougars.
LeShaun Murphy of all players led the Cougars with 11 at Murray Dec. 30.
This game is a "White out" so students get a free T-shirt, and everyone else better wear white damnit. There are going to be plenty of Murray fans, because they travel pretty well. Watch out for them, they are loud, I remember them well from last winter and my trip to Nashville.
Expecting 3,000? Maybe?
Keys to the game for SIUE:
Feed the beast: goes without saying. Whether it is Nik or Dob, get them going early and often.
Control the boards: Nik and Dob, part duex.
Feed off the crowd: They will be there. Take that energy and translate it into a shocker. We have to make up for the setback against UTM last night.
As always, live chat airs at approx. 6:30 right here.
The Cougars need everything to work right for them against the Racers, and I don't know if they have it in them. The environment at the Vadalabene Center is going to be the best we have seen all year, because Murray brings with it all of the sex appeal you can get from a midmajor. Everyone has heard of Murray State, and you can thank the NCAA tournament for that. There were 2,000 or so people at the game against the Racers last year, and that was over christmas break. Now that the students are back, we should expect them to come out for this one.
A good home crowd can spur any team in college basketball, and any team in college basketball can get deterred by one. It's what is great about this game.
Billy Kennedy's crew isn't putting up record setting numbers this season. They average just 69 points a game and 32 rebounds, which is pretty average when you think of college basketball. Defensively, they allow 62 and 29, which is right around what SIUE is averaging per game. I still think Murray is going to win unless something crazy happens, but this one could be a lot closer than you may think.
Murray hasn't blown anyone away in the conference besides SEMO, who they beat 92-58 Saturday, but outside of that they have a 12 point win over UT Martin, and losses to Eastern Illinois, Morehead State and Austin Peay.
Last year, they had 5 players averaging in double-figures, this season, just sophomore sensation Isaiah Cannan is doing that, with 11.6 per game. B.J Jenkins and Issac Miles average 9. Any of those names ring a bell?
They also have Ivan Aska and Donte Poole to name a few guys we may remember.
A few more quick hitters:
Murray State is 7-1 against teams with an RPI higher than 200, and SIUE falls into that category.
Murray's RPI falls in at 145, and SIUE is 0-1 against teams 100-150.
Murray is 7-0 all-time against the Cougars.
LeShaun Murphy of all players led the Cougars with 11 at Murray Dec. 30.
This game is a "White out" so students get a free T-shirt, and everyone else better wear white damnit. There are going to be plenty of Murray fans, because they travel pretty well. Watch out for them, they are loud, I remember them well from last winter and my trip to Nashville.
Expecting 3,000? Maybe?
Keys to the game for SIUE:
Feed the beast: goes without saying. Whether it is Nik or Dob, get them going early and often.
Control the boards: Nik and Dob, part duex.
Feed off the crowd: They will be there. Take that energy and translate it into a shocker. We have to make up for the setback against UTM last night.
As always, live chat airs at approx. 6:30 right here.
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