2005-06 Basketball Preview

[DaddyCajun]

Cajuns tip off the regular season this Friday at Southern Illinois. We beat these guys on a last second shot last season in the Dome. Now we have a very talented team compared to last season, while SIU lost some key players. Any predictions?

Cajuns 78
SIU 66

GEAUX CAJUNS!!!

From what J-Bird said SIU return 4 starters from a team that went to the round of 32!

That being said, If Louisiana can jell early with new comers/JC players and Vets learning/knowing where each other is and the newbees learning the Generals Defense, we will be tough to beat, but that is saying alot.

DaddyCajun!!

Louisiana 84
SIU 72

[Cajunsmike]

From what J-Bird said SIU return 4 starters from a team that went to the round of 32!

That being said, If Louisiana can jell early with new comers/JC players and Vets learning/knowing where each other is and the newbees learning the Generals Defense, we will be tough to beat, but that is saying alot.

DaddyCajun!!

Louisiana 84
SIU 72

You guys scores are way too high. SIU is a good defensive team. I am not predicting a winner. I am predicting a game in the 60's.

[RaginFan2]

You guys scores are way too high. SIU is a good defensive team. I am not predicting a winner. I am predicting a game in the 60's.

Opening on the road at a tough opponent with a less than experienced team is not the recipe for an season opening win. Much as it pains me to say it, I think the Cajuns go down in this one. The talent appears to be there for an outstanding team this year, once the team chemistry is developed. I think it'll take a few games for it to come together. SIU will be looking to avenge last year's loss. I think it'll be something like 72-66 SIU. Hope I'm wrong.

[paulpaul2]

SIU actually lost 4 starters from last years team and they have 7 freshmen on this years roster. Jamal Tatum is the only returning starter who averaged 12pts last year. The only 2 other guys who played alot are Falker and i dont know the name of the big white kid. I predict a close one only cos we are playing there, UL 80 SIU 74

[NewsCopy]

The Louisiana Ragin' Cajun men's basketball team could have picked an easier way to open its 2005-06 regular season. But that's not head coach Robert Lee's style. Instead of an early-season romp over an outmanned foe not much better than the St. Gregory's team the Cajuns crunched in their exhibition, they'll go to a basketball hotbed Friday and face a second-round NCAA Tournament team from last season. Lee expects a nearly-capacity crowd when the Cajuns take on Southern Illinois' Salukis at 7:05 p.m. (CST) Friday at 9,628-seat SIU Arena. The last time SIU played a home game the attendance was that figure - sold out - for the Salukis' win over Wichita State that ended the 2004-05 regular season. "We're looking forward to the opportunity to play there," Lee said Monday. "SIU is the type of program we're trying to emulate." The Salukis went 27-8 last season - 15-0 at home - and won a first-round NCAA Tournament game 65-56 over St. Mary's before falling to Oklahoma State 85-77 in the second round. SIU also won both of its exhibition contests, rolling past Missouri-St. Louis 89-64 last week before topping intra-system SIU-Edwardsville in a defense-dominated 50-31 decision Saturday. The Cajuns also had an easy time exhibition-wise, punishing St. Gregory's of Oklahoma 92-53 last Thursday behind the 23 points and 10 rebounds of Michael Southall. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[Dawgbytes]

SIU lost three starters from last year, two guards, and a center. The team is actually better off without the center, he was very slow and unathletic. One of the guards lost was the two time MVC POY, Darren Brooks. We have a very young team that is loaded with talent, but the average age on the team is about a sophomore, there are no scholarship seniors. SIU currently has the nation's 2nd longest home winning streak, behind Gonzaga. We have not lost a home conference game since Feb. 2001, and are 55-1 over the last four years at home. Included in that streak is a 12 point victory over Indiana, in the year in which they took runner-up in the NCAA tourney. (translated-it would be quite a coup to win at SIU!)

Our frontcourt is a little better, and certainly deeper than last year, the backcourt has some promising young players in two freshman, one of whom redshirted last year. The "big gun" in the backcourt is Jamaal Tatum, who scored 22 points and outplayed Oklahoma States All-American guard in our loss to them in the NCAAs last year.

Look for unrelenting defense, especially from our guards, looks like it will be a great game, I am looking forward to it, may the best team win!

[CajunProud]

I am a Cajun alum, but I did go to SIU for a year on a tennis scholarship. It is a very tough place to play. The venue is small and intimate, very much like Blackham (p.s. Blackham is where we should be playing all of our games, but I digress) I think it will be a great game between two schools that are rich in basketball tradition and history.

Cajuns - 78
SIU - 73

[NCAA or BUST]

http://www.salukitalk.net/st/viewtop...r=asc&start=30

we better get used to it and laugh because we might see it a few times all year. I don't care no big deal I just think it is funny

[Geaux clotille]

http://www.salukitalk.net/st/viewtop...r=asc&start=30

we better get used to it and laugh because we might see it a few times all year. I don't care no big deal I just think it is funny

I'm sure we'd be happy if we'd have thought of something like that first. It's always best to be the team with the most creative fans!

[AstroCajun]

http://www.salukitalk.net/st/viewtop...r=asc&start=30

we better get used to it and laugh because we might see it a few times all year. I don't care no big deal I just think it is funny

If that's all they do, that's disappointing. I'd imagine a few orange jumpsuits.

But what they don't realize is that they're playing right into his hands. Judging from the St. Greg's game, dude is on a mission.