2005-06 Basketball Preview

[NewsCopy]

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The similarities will be striking tonight. When the Louisiana Ragin' Cajun men's basketball squad opens its 2005-06 season against Southern Illinois' Salukis, it may be like looking in a mirror. Two second-year coaches ... two teams that played in the NCAA Tournament last year ... two teams incredibly tough to beat on their home floor ... but two teams that each have a lot of questions to answer. The answers start coming at 7:05 p.m. at SIU Arena when the Cajuns play the first of three rugged road games to open the season - and tonight's may be the most rugged. The host Salukis, coming off a 27-8 season, a No. 7 NCAA seed and a trip to the second round of the "Big Dance," have won 24 straight home games. Since the start of the 2001-02 season, SIU is 54-1 at home. Last year, SIU ended its home season with a 9,628-fan sellout and locked up the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title with a win over Wichita State. "This is an opportunity," said Cajun coach Robert Lee. "It's a chance to play a quality team in an environment that will help us down the road. Opening night in the Missouri Valley a lot of places is better than opening night in the ACC." Lee won't get to experience opening night at home until Dec. 3, and by that time his team will have met SIU, Tennessee and Georgia State on the road. But that's not unusual for the Cajuns, who met LSU, Charlotte, Kansas, North Carolina State, Georgia State and Vanderbilt on the road in last year's non-league schedule. But Lee's charges rebounded to win 14 of their last 17 regular-season games and swept through the Sun Belt Tournament, giving the first-year coach a trip to the NCAA Tournament where they fell 68-62 to fourth-seeded Louisville. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[MiamiCajun32]

I believe in college hoops that home court is worth about 7 points. So if the game was at the Cajun Dome it would be about a push.

I would take the Cajuns.

The bettors around the country, in general, are betting Salukis because the spread has increased to +8.5 now. The money line is +350. I am not a big gambler, but I put a small wager on the moneyline (Cajuns to win straight up).

I think both of these teams have gelling problems because of new leaders this year. It is possible that either team could be blown out, but I expect a close game and I expect Southall and Mitchell to play solid and not be rattled.
If Turner and / or Cameron catch fire from the outside I don't think SIU can keep up unless they have players stepping up big time.

[El Sidonio]

stupid question, but the Cajuns being +7 against the Salukis means they're favored to win by 7 or lose by 7?

God Bless

[MiamiCajun32]

stupid question, but the Cajuns being +7 against the Salukis means they're favored to win by 7 or lose by 7?

God Bless

It is now +8.5 and that means that if you bet on the cajuns, they could win or lose by as much as 8 and you still win. If someone bets on Salukis, then in order to win the bet the Salukis would have to win by 9 or more.

So +8.5 means Salukis are favored to win by that amount.

[jhaan79]

hey all, hope you guys and girls tune into the game and cheer on the Cajuns tonight. I'll be there cheering the Cajuns on in person!


...here's what sportsnetwork.com has to say about the contest

"Both of these teams are perennial powerhouses in their respective conferences, and there is reason to believe that this game will go down to the wire. Expect the crowd to lift the Salukis to a narrow victory, although a triumph by the Cajuns wouldn't be surprising.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Southern Illinois 68, UL-Lafayette 64"

GEAUX CAJUNS

[SalukiRage]

It's been fun talking to you guys the past week. Here's to a great game tonight. May your season be filled with classic victory's over many a team not from the Southern Region of Illinois.

Oh and Please, please beat the Monkies out of Tennesse when you play then next week. They just hijacked one of our top recruits last week.

After tonights game, we'll see you dancen next March...


Go Dawgs.

[Corndog308]

Is our game on TV tonight? If it is, is it on Channel 27?

[TheFan]

Not to my knowledge. But I could be wrong.

[RaginEsquire06]

"perennial powerhouses...."

Oh how I love those two words when combined! Good Luck Cajuns!

[Tripple Threat]

According to the SIU website the game will be carried via live webcast...
Click on the Link below...I hope it works.

Saluki Basketball vs. Lousiana-Lafayette Link available at Start Time Fri Nov 18,2005 06:50 PM (CST)

http://www.nmnathletics.com//HomePag...OUNT_TYPE=USER



Team Roster
NO NAME POS HT WT Class Hometown High School
5 Jordan Armstrong F 6-6 220 FR Muncie, Ind. Central
35 Tony Boyle F 6-8 230 FR DeSoto, Mo. DeSoto
4 Austin Brooks G 5-10 165 SR Evansville, Ind. Day
24 Wesley Clemmons G 6-3 195 FR Indianapolis, Ind. Northwest
21 Christian Cornelius F 6-7 205 FR Oak Park, Ill. Oak Park and River Forest
2 Mike Dale G 6-5 210 JR Fairview Heights, ill. Belleville East
14 Randal Falker F 6-7 230 SO St. Louis, Mo. Gateway Tech
23 Jamaal Foster F 6-10 210 SO Columbia, Mo. Hickman
43 Nick Hill G 6-3 200 SO DuQuoin, Ill. DuQuoin
10 Bryan Mullins G 6-1 185 FR Downers Grove, Ill. Downers Grove
32 Matt Shaw F 6-7 225 SO Centralia, Ill. Centralia
11 C.J. Smith G 6-1 180 JR Chicago, Ill. Gordon Tech
12 Kyle Smithpeters G 6-3 215 SR Harrisburg, Ill. Harrisburg
3 Jamaal Tatum G 6-2 175 JR Jefferson City, Mo. Helias
15 Tony Young G 6-0 190 JR Schaumburg, Ill. Schaumburg

Good luck to our guys.