Panthers school Salukis

Salukis get lesson in effort, execution

By Jason Maholy

Northern Iowa thoroughly trounced Southern Illinois Wednesday night on the Salukis' home court, delivering to Carbondale a 61-49 defeat that was nowhere near as close as 12 points, and exposing the immaturity of a team that many fans expected to be further along in its development.

The Panthers, who have established themselves as the dominant team in the Missouri Valley and a team capable of playing well into March, dismantled a Southern squad that scored its fewest points since throwing up 48 against Nevada in Reno last December. UNI scored the game's first nine points and SIU didn't hit its first field goal until Carlton Fay scored a rare point in the paint 4:01 into the action. The Panthers took a double-digit lad for good when guard Johnny Moran hit the last of three free throw attempts 24 seconds later after being fouled by John Freeman.

The Salukis shot 34.6 percent from the field, and that was after a "hot-shooting" second half in which they hit a frigid 10-of-27 (37 percent). Their first half statistics: 8-for-25 from the field (32 percent), 1-for-5 from beyond the arc, and an inexcusable 2-for-10 from the free-throw line. Starting guard Justin Bocot and usual starting point guard Kevin Dillard, held out of the starting lineup for violating a team rule, each missed both ends of a trip to the charity stripe during the dismal first half that churned out all of 20 points. Southern also committed more fouls (7) than it recorded assists (6) in the opening stanza.

By the end of the first 20 minutes if misery UNI was up 36-20 and it looked like the Panthers could win by 30. Fortunately for Southern the visitors knew there was no way the Salukis would come back from the 25-point lead they attained when Lucas O'Rear slammed home a dunk to make it 57-32 with 6:56 left, and they eased off the overmatched and seemingly disinterested Dawgs. UNI didn't hit another field goal and managed just four points the rest of the way.

The effort some fans who saw the game are calling the worst performance they've ever seen, and most others saying it's close, exposed the Salukis as a team still struggling to mature as a unit in which the players trust each other unequivocally at both ends of the floor, and can translate that trust into the precision execution that helped build the program into one of the nation's premier smaller-conference teams last decade.

On offense they attempt too many quick 3-pointers instead of working for good positioning, finding the open man or the guy with an advantage, and taking high percentage shots. Too many guys want to be the hero and take borderline wild shots over defenders or falling away from the basket, instead of using the team's collective speed and athleticism to create open lanes, mismatches and clear looks at the basket. There is nothing wrong with having that hero mentality -- it is great to have guys who want the ball in their hands and believe they can make something happen -- but they must learn how to channel that passion and use it at appropriate times, not every other trip down the floor.

The defense actually seems further along at this point. Northern Iowa didn't dominate Southern offensive, they were just very efficient, didn't make mistakes and hit 17-of-25 free throws to Southern's 9-for-17. Had the Salukis shot anything even decently they would have been right in the game. Another five or six shots made -- certainly 23-for-52 is not unreasonable (or unexpected) -- and four or dare I say five free throws and it's a different ballgame. But back to the point, and it's that the defense still has work to do as well. If they can play with the intensity, focus and determination for 40 minutes like they did in spurts against San Diego, San Francisco, Bradley and even in a loss the Illinois State, they can be dominant.

That failure to maximize their talents is what makes it so obvious these guys are just not ready to be one of the elite teams in the Valley. They are very talented but very young, and don't yet have the wisdom to accurately assess their own strengths and weaknesses and adjust accordingly. The coaching staff has to take some of the blame here -- coaches are supposed to utilize the talent they have in the best possible and put players in position to succeed -- but the players must be held accountable as well because the effort they give is on them. The biggest difference between this team and those teams -- experience and veteran leadership. Kent Williams, Jermaine Dearman, Rolan Roberts, Darren Brooks, Tony Young, Jamaal Tatum, those guys were hardened by court war and knew what they wanted to do and how to do it. Saluki fans know the results.

This team may have more talent than any of those past teams, but it is not yet being realized. Just as they must be patient in controlling their instincts and playing with more deliberation and purpose, however, so must fans be patient while watching these guys develop. This season is not lost by any means. These Dawgs comprise a good team and have 14 more games to learn and grow, and if they can take what they should have learned thus far this season and use it to become smarter, more mature basketball players, they can win another 10 or 11 conference games. Making a run at Arch Madness seems a stretch at this point, but if they do manage to put it all together this season and are playing the way they will eventually be able to play, anything is possible.

At the very least it will be entertaining to read SalukiTalk.