I am truly pumped for this matchup. Excellent guard play is a key for both teams. If you haven't heard about Jamal Tatum and Tony Young, you need to get experienced. I'm really hoping SIU can pull off this win - obviously I don't like Kansas, but I could care less about them in the long run. SIU is a team you just have to like. They play the best fullcourt man defense in the country, and everybody hustles. Should be a good one, go Salukis!
Kansas has much better talent than the Saluki's and a coaching edge. I think that Kansas might prevail on tempo the way they did against the last 2 teams they have played in the tournament. If the score breaks 60, I'd definitely give it to Kansas. If SIU can get Tatum and crew to slow down Kansas to a purely half-court game, MAYBE, they can pull it off, but even then, Kansas might prevail with superior talent on the court.
Kansas leads 27-24 at the half The Jayhawks have gotten just a couple baskets in transition, but for the most part this game has seen an SIU pace. Young and Tatum were ice cold all half; they were probably 2 for 12 on 3's combined. You've got to think that they'll heat up a bit in the 2nd half. Matt Shaw and my boy Tony Boyle gave the Salukis some good minutes up front, but Randall Falker missed a couple shots that he probably should've had. Kansas has really bothered SIU with their length and athleticism, but the Salukis have played typically smothering defense to balance things out. Kansas was shooting over 60% from the field through most of the 1st half, while SIU was under 40%. Should be a very good 2nd half - the Salukis are hanging tough despite not playing well offensively. Kansas is an equally excellent defensive team, but maybe SIU has a run to make in the 2nd half... sure enough, it's 33-30 SIU early in the 2nd half. Come on, Salukis!
^ It definitely shouldn't have counted. They replayed it and he was still mid-jump with the ball fully palmed when the clock expired. Announcers agreed, almost amazingly
<div class="quote_poster">Schaddy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">^ It definitely shouldn't have counted. They replayed it and he was still mid-jump with the ball fully palmed when the clock expired. Announcers agreed, almost amazingly </div> Yeah, I know it was totally late lol. Just saying they didn't review for Wright's dunk.
I have Kansas making it to the final, but truthfully I would really prefer to see the Salukis winning this and dumping my bracket. They're very underrated and quite talented. Go Salukis! Anything for Illinois.
Well, this was a tough-fought game. Kansas showed that they can beat a more methodical, defensive-minded team at their own game. Great season for the Salukis, and they put up a good fight this evening.
SIU would have had a chance if they hadn't blown those two layups, and then had Falker roll the ball to Kansas after a nice offensive rebound at the end when they would have had a second chance to score. They definitely played well though and gave Kansas a game.
