@ Southern Illinois (7-6) - Saturday 2/10/2024 - 6 pm - ESPN+

[Bird Friend]

I would guess that Burford, Banks, Davis, Foster, Kinziger, Walker, Pence will be back. Poindexter and Kasubke maybe.

Need Sissoko to move on. Man is he athletic, but if he can’t for us this year, he won’t play next year.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

I think he has lots of heart, lots of talent, but he is what his size allows him to be. With that said, coaches need to design both defensive and offensive schemes that play to his size. ISU is not Ohio State. ISU can get talent but the guards will have something the big boys didn’t like, such as they are 5’10”. So take that talent and put it into a system that can help manage the size differential. DO NOT have a defense that relies on him switching to guard a guy 6’11”. A 6’8” wing guard can do that but not a guy 5’10”. We are what we are and management needs to manage around that. I could list multiple other examples.

It’s possible he’s still growing.

 

[RedbirdSoxFan]

Need Sissoko to move on. Man is he athletic, but if he can’t for us this year, he won’t play next year.

Use his scholarship for a good 2024 recruit. Noah Cleveland would be nice.

 

[ISU86]

Given the fact that two starters were out (Burford and Davis), the fact that we were even in a position to sneak off with a "W" is commendable (and surprising).

It is disappointing that, even with three scholarship players out, two still cannot get on the floor (Schmitt and Sissoko) while two others are only receiving limited minutes (Pence and Walker). We are essentially putting six players on the court. The fact the officials were calling an extremely loose game helped us (lack of) bench-wise, but it also benefited the Salukis (especially Ebube). There was an awful lot of uncalled contact.

As has been pointed out, we have no so-called alpha-dog on offense. Truthfully, as much dribbling as Foster does (both as high as he dribbles and as focused as he is on it to the exclusion of the rest of the court), surprised opposing teams do not have a guard peel off and knock it away. Burford can, in spurts, generate his own offense (especially pulling up fin the 8-15 feet range), and Davis seems to be a better than average defender that could have helped. It would be nice if Poindexter has re-found his stroke, but Tuesday night in Terre Haute will prove that out (forgot he was the best returning three-point shooter in the Valley coming into the season).

 

[WoodlandWarrior]

We need Jarrod Coleman inside and Rickey Jackson outside.

 

[fdbird83]

My comments are not so much about this game, but the state of the program. Being in 10th and mentioned with UIC, Valpo is flat out embarrassing. Evansville is trending up yet we aren’t even close.

I wonder if UIC and Valpo are embarrassed to be mentioned with us.

 

[SgtHulka]

Worst. Announcing. Crew. Ever

"Now you see, this is ridiculous. Its just a free time out. The ball was obviously off of ISU. Its a waste of time to review this play. Now watch the replay............................... Ok. So it looks like it may have gone off of SIU"

Foster gets mugged three times trying to get a seam for a layup. "Foster moves his feet all over the place a NEVER gets called for a travel."


I'll take JK with the occasional mismatch in the paint. You know he'll body the shit of the guy and block him out hard on the rebound.Take an elbow.to the face... His effort level is too good to leave on the bench. Get him some lifts and a 5th metatarsal guard and play him. Get him a VR sleep helmet and loop Muggsy Bogues game tape all night.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

I would guess that Burford, Banks, Davis, Foster, Kinziger, Walker, Pence will be back. Poindexter, Lieb, and Kasubke maybe.

If your guess becomes accurate Pedon better add some significant pieces or we will be in the bottom half again

 

[Woodrow]

I don’t think banks is capable of making a pass unless he eats at least 10 seconds of the shot clock.

I do not have a problem with Banks. He is probably the best ball handler ISU has had in a few years. He can single handed break a press and limits his turnovers. The problem is he needs someone on his team that can actually score. Or he needs a motion office where people are screening and cutting. He’s not good at creating his own shot where the other 4 are just stationary and don’t have the ability to shoot.

 

[Aggie]

If your guess becomes accurate Pedon better add some significant pieces or we will be in the bottom half again

Are you sure that the players want to come back to ISU?

 

[redbirds2000]

Need Sissoko to move on. Man is he athletic, but if he can’t for us this year, he won’t play next year.

Are you sure that the players want to come back to ISU?

Good point. But any coach from the outside with a good program is going to be a hard pass. Maybe Foster can go get some NIL $$, but everyone else will be making a lateral move at best.

 

[BirdGrad2011]

I do not have a problem with Banks. He is probably the best ball handler ISU has had in a few years. He can single handed break a press and limits his turnovers. The problem is he needs someone on his team that can actually score. Or he needs a motion office where people are screening and cutting. He’s not good at creating his own shot where the other 4 are just stationary and don’t have the ability to shoot.

I agree. Banks has shown some great flashes. His problem is when nobody else can shoot and tries to do too much. If we had more legitimate scoring option he could do what he does best.

 

[fdbird83]

I agree. Banks has shown some great flashes. His problem is when nobody else can shoot and tries to do too much. If we had more legitimate scoring option he could do what he does best.

There is a reason he didn't play big minutes at SIU.

 

[BirdGrad2011]

There is a reason he didn't play big minutes at SIU.

He didn’t touch the ball because Domask and Jones were so ball dominant. Banks playing or not playing didn’t really impact much of anything there.

 

[fdbird83]

He didn’t touch the ball because Domask and Jones were so ball dominant. Banks playing or not playing didn’t really impact much of anything there.

I'm assuming that Mullins wanted Domask and Jones to be ball dominant and trusted them.

 

[cpacmel]

Banks played in every game for SIU last year, and averaged close to 14 minutes per game. Lance Jones and Xavier Johnson were both ahead of him.

 

[Redbird222]

Banks played 23-25 minutes as a Freshman/Sophomore but like Mel said his time was reduced to 14 his Junior year. SIU recruited over him with Xavier Johnson and he left.

That should be Pedon's goal too. Recruit over players and increase the talent.

BTW - Tyler Kolek (transfer to Marquette) and X Johnson (transfer to SIU) were both on George Mason at the same time. I could only imagine having 2 PG of that calibrator at ISU at the same time.

 

[Bird Friend]

Banks played 23-25 minutes as a Freshman/Sophomore but like Mel said his time was reduced to 14 his Junior year. SIU recruited over him with Xavier Johnson and he left.

That should be Pedon's goal too. Recruit over players and increase the talent.

BTW - Tyler Kolek (transfer to Marquette) and X Johnson (transfer to SIU) were both on George Mason at the same time. I could only imagine having 2 PG of that calibrator at ISU at the same time.

He also played injured all year last year, which wouldn't have helped his minutes.