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SIU staying busy during winter break

Salukis upcoming schedule includes home games against Charlotte, Illinois State and Wichita State

Everyone knows that the SIU men's basketball team was picked to finish fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference. But for at least one week, the Salukis are the best the league has to offer.

Saturday's 75-66 win at Drake put the Salukis in the driver's seat in the conference standings with a 1-0 league mark. No other team has played a league game.

During winter break, the Salukis (5-0) will have a chance to improve on that record with home games against Illinois State (Dec. 28) and Wichita State (Jan. 11) and a road game at Indiana State (Jan. 7).

"Creighton always seemed to play an early one and get off to a quick start," SIU head coach Matt Painter said. "Then everybody just seemed to chase Creighton from there on in; and so hopefully we can get a couple more wins under our belt and maybe we can get out in front."

The Salukis have had the upper hand against all three foes, winning three straight against both Illinois State and Wichita State and four straight against Indiana State.

Wichita State, the preseason MVC favorite, is off to a fast start at 5-0 but has been dominated by the Salukis in recent seasons. SIU has won nine of the last 10 meetings between the two and has won the last five meetings in Carbondale.

The Salukis have been almost as dominant against the Sycamores, winning seven of the last eight meetings. SIU has left Terre Haute, Ind., victorious its last three trips there.

Illinois State, which is a vastly different team from a year ago with a new head coach in Porter Moser and a couple of transfers from Wisconsin and Missouri now eligible.

The two teams have split the last 16 meetings and, interestingly enough, bring another connection with the number 16.

Illinois State guard Matt Miller, who was a redshirt at SIU during the 2002 Sweet 16 season, returns to the SIU Arena for the first time since leaving before last season. Miller has played in all five games for the Redbirds (3-2) and has even started in two.

After leaving SIU, Miller transferred to Rend Lake Community College and attempted to earn a scholarship to another Division I school. When none were available, Miller transferred to Illinois State where he has been an early contributor.

"It just worked out that there's a need there for him and now he's able to play," said Painter, who was an assistant coach while Miller was at SIU. "He really worked hard when he was here, he was really a team guy so I'm really happy that it's working out for him at Illinois State."

In addition to the key MVC match-ups, the Salukis also play four non-conference game during the break, starting against Wright State on Dec. 15 in Dayton, Ohio. Wright State (1-3) is the only team the Salukis will play during the next month with a losing record. Murray State, which SIU plays on the road Dec. 17, is undefeated at 6-0.

"[Playing those games on the road is] going to be a huge test for our guys," Painter said. "But they have proven that they can win in tough environments, winning at Milwaukee and winning at Wyoming and then winning against Drake and the press."

SIU's two home non-conference opponents are no slouches either.

Charlotte, which is 4-2 and boasts a road win against defending national champion Syracuse, comes to the SIU Arena Jan. 2. Montana (3-3) visits Carbondale Dec. 21. Charlotte and Montana, in addition to the Redbirds and Shockers, will have the additional burden of trying to break the nation's second-longest home winning streak, which now stands at 29 games.

If SIU defeats Montana, it would tie the school record with 30 consecutive home wins. Wins against both Montana and Illinois State would set a new SIU Arena record.

To accomplish this, the Salukis would have to do it with the student section relatively empty as most students head for home during the break.

Painter said he would prefer to play these games with the students in town, but he said the community offers enough support to overcome the loss of the Dawg Pound.

"It's not as rowdy a crowd, but we still get a lot of people to attend those games," Painter said.

One thing Painter is not worried about is his players' getting overconfident about their 5-0 start.

"We have a lot of experience and guys that have been through it," Painter said. "It's not something where you're worried about them getting their heads in the clouds or worrying about them thinking that they've really done something great when they know they haven't."

This is because the Salukis have set their goals higher than just winning their first couple of games of the season.

They include both winning the MVC title and making a third straight trip to the NCAA tournament.

"It helps us down the road, but it doesn't achieve those goals," Painter said. "Our guys are very focused and they want to prove that they can get this done without some of the guys we've had here in the past."