Catching up...

It's been a while. Since we last left you, SIUE has been on a little bit of a roll. After a disappointing journey to Carbondale, the Cougars have won their first two conference games against Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State.

Just a quick recap of the past few weeks.


Dec. 19: SIUE at SIUC

This was a game we were all very excited for. The Cougars, up to this point in the season had been bad, entering with a 2-6 record and two wins against non-Division I programs. The Salukis were not much better. They had wins over Chicago State and Northern Illinois, neither of which had won a game yet. Carbondale lost a home game to Division II Ohio Dominican earlier in the year, so the first Division I battle of the sister schools seemed to be a match-up of two of the worst teams Division I has to offer.

What happened there was embarrassing. SIUE lost 80-57 and everyone wanted to fire Lennox Forrester. The Cougars got a slight pass in this one because they were playing shorthanded. Michael Messer was out because of his aggravated wrist and Kevin Stineman out because of the flu. Mark Yelovich played minimal time and missed the second half because of issues with his right foot.

Freshman Kris Davis was a bright spot, putting in 21 points,  while Jerome Jones gave the Cougars something they had been missing out on all year: a double-digit rebounding game with 11.

Key stats: Just 5 assists for the Cougars to 16 for the Salukis, and SIUC put four players in double-figures, scoring well above their season average, which was in the 50s entering play. SIUE shot 36 percent to 50 percent for the Salukis.

While the Cougars were playing without three of their regulars, the Salukis, who were headed to Hawaii for the Diamond Head Classic immediately following the game had recently gained more depth with the addition of previously suspended players Kendall Brown-Surles (2 points) and Davonte Drinkard (10 points).

For at least a year, bragging rights go to the C.


Dec. 29, SIUE vs. Tennessee Tech

My girlfriend wanted to know what all the fuss was about with me and SIUE basketball. She knows I love Cougar basketball and isn't really sure why, considering I usually come home and complain about how poorly they did anyways. I was going to go and "cover" the game for this blog and bring the live chat with me. She was off of work and bugged me to let her tag along. So, I drank two Sam Adams Winter Lagers, got in her car and arrived fashionably late at the Vadalabene Center during the first media timeout. We frequently arrive at Cardinals games in the bottom of the first because she takes 20 hours to get ready, and I liken this to that. Needless to say I was angry.

For once, the fans at the VC had something to cheer about, and I was able to cheer as well, using my student ID to attend my third game as a "fan." I would say all of those student fees I paid should allow me to do this at least a few more times.

The Cougars won. The Cougars did not just win, the Cougars dominated Tennessee Tech 83-68. It was one of those games where I really couldn't get comfortable until there was a minute left in the second half. I actually didn't think we were capable of beating the Golden Eagles, a team I picked to finish 1st in the OVC. I was wrong, but not as wrong as everyone who picked Austin Peay.

Kris Davis was once again the story, reclaiming his position as the nation's best 3-point shooter percentage-wise with 19 points and Jerome Jones had 20 of his own. Mark Yelovich had a great bounce-back effort with 16 points 10 days after we were unsure of his status after he left the game against SIUC early.

SIUE was 8-14 from 3-point range, shot 51 percent and held the Eagles to 34 percent, and more importantly stopped Kevin Murphy, who was 1-16 from the field in a very uncharacteristic performance.

Even more impressive, the Cougars got 40 rebounds for the first time this season.


Dec. 31 SIUE vs. Jacksonville State

The job market in the journalism industry is not my best friend right now. I still have bills to pay and graduation cost me my job at the Alestle and my internship at a PR firm downtown. I took a job washing dishes for pennies on the dollar just to make ends meet. The downside of this is I have little control over my schedule, especially since I just started. Because of this, I rang in the New Year by drinking an entire bottle of champagne by myself on my couch with my girlfriend and cat on California time and missed the Cougars second win in as many conference games. I needed a little bit of help from Alex.

 

The Cougars came back though, after trailing by more than 13 and put it away. Consider this one compensation for the game we blew against Hampton in Cancun. It doesn't make up for it completely, because 5-6 or 6-5 sounds a lot better than 4-7, but SIUE is figuring it out. 

And that's how I enjoyed this game. 

I'll take the win I guess. 

Sorry for my absence over the past few weeks. Stay tuned for more.

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