#3 Illinois State vs #2 SIU

[Redbirdwarrior]

Welcome back to Saturday of Arch Madness.

Game's at 5. Who ya got?

[chuckie1980]

Redbirds 79
Dawgs 70

[CB2K]

This will be another grind. Need all players to click to win this one. Could use some David offense/defense in this one. Some are wondering why MH plays and it is because DM has stated several times throughout the year that he considers him one of the top defensive players on the team. I have to agree. He is not the fastest or quickest but he knows what to do on defense. EC gets beat constantly -- more than MH. I recall a couple of games ago that one of the commentators of an ISU game said that EC allows his man to blow by him all of the time and needs to learn to get in front of the guy he is guarding. If you ever watch, DM benches him because of blown defensive assignments not necessarily offensive misses and freshman mistakes. MH makes offensive blunders and doesn't get benched. Follow the defense. Defense is the hardest thing to learn in college and EC shows that he is still making freshman mistakes in this regard. MH is not as quick or fast as EC but he is smarter and knows where to be -- yes, he gets beat just like everyone else does but if you watch he is fundamentally sound on D. DM must value MHs defense and game experience more than ECs offense. Gut check time for the semi-final.

[TIMMY]

Stay out of early foul trouble and take better shots.
We win by 10.

[cpacmel]

Game opened as a pick em.

141 over / under

[SgtHulka]

Doubt we see the officials we had last night in either game today. I expect both games to be light on the whistles today and they let am play.

[Redbirdalum_15]

I’m confident they’ll win tonight.

[TN-Bird]

picking David to have a big night....

[birdballfan]

Doubt we see the officials we had last night in either game today. I expect both games to be light on the whistles today and they let am play.

Have seen Pollard & Higgins officiating 2 games each so far. Very well may be one of them?

[ekeyfanclub]

Doubt we see the officials we had last night in either game today. I expect both games to be light on the whistles today and they let am play.

Have seen Pollard & Higgins officiating 2 games each so far. Very well may be one of them?

Give me Higgins over Pollard every time.

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[Retire 12]

This one scares me more than last night or whoever we could get tomorrow.

It's the tweener.

We're close enough to the Dance to get excited about it, and facing a team we should very well beat, but we have to hope they don't overlook this game.

It's easy to sell the team on that for Friday's game. Saturday's a different story when they could be dancing in 24 hours from tipoff.

Get our boys ready Dan.

[birdballfan]

Doubt we see the officials we had last night in either game today. I expect both games to be light on the whistles today and they let am play.

Have seen Pollard & Higgins officiating 2 games each so far. Very well may be one of them?

Give me Higgins over Pollard every time.

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I do like Higgins & dislike Pollard (who doesn't?) but the games they have helped officiate in the tourney have been pretty well officiated unlike our game last night! Regardless let's win this one!!

[Tpguy]

I'm a Porter Moser fan and I'm pulling for Loyola, but Bradley looked pretty good yesterday and I see them upsetting Loyola. A Bradley win gives our guys so much more to play for Sunday if we make it. As gobirds85 says, It sucks to BU.

[V Boy]

This will be another grind. Need all players to click to win this one. Could use some David offense/defense in this one. Some are wondering why MH plays and it is because DM has stated several times throughout the year that he considers him one of the top defensive players on the team. I have to agree. He is not the fastest or quickest but he knows what to do on defense. EC gets beat constantly -- more than MH. I recall a couple of games ago that one of the commentators of an ISU game said that EC allows his man to blow by him all of the time and needs to learn to get in front of the guy he is guarding. If you ever watch, DM benches him because of blown defensive assignments not necessarily offensive misses and freshman mistakes. MH makes offensive blunders and doesn't get benched. Follow the defense. Defense is the hardest thing to learn in college and EC shows that he is still making freshman mistakes in this regard. MH is not as quick or fast as EC but he is smarter and knows where to be -- yes, he gets beat just like everyone else does but if you watch he is fundamentally sound on D. DM must value MHs defense and game experience more than ECs offense. Gut check time for the semi-final.

Very true.

[V Boy]

Going to be a different game today. SIU does not have the backcourt Indiana St. does, but they play better defense so it's going to be harder for us. Here are what I think keys to the game will be today:

-Milik has got to play better against SIU. He has had two really bad games against SIU. Must limit the turnovers and continue taking the ball to the basket.

-We have got to have 3 or 4 guys crashing the boards on every SIU shot. They are going to crash and Pippen is a big problem for us size-wise.

-Don't leave Smithpeters open. If he makes 3 or 4 threes we are going to be in trouble. Need to keep his points in the low-mid single digits.

These three things happen I think we win. I don't think SIU has the horses on offense.

[Retire 12]

I'd zone these guys for 40 minutes and pack it in tight. Make them shoot.

Will help our legs and foul situation.

[ThisIsTheLineup]

I hope we find some rhythm early and come out guns blazing. You can tell the guys we’re gassed last night. Getting a big early lead will let Dan limit minutes and mix out rotations.


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[Redbrd1]

I'd zone these guys for 40 minutes and pack it in tight. Make them shoot.

Will help our legs and foul situation.

But hurts our rebounding.

[BirdsEyeView]

How many minutes did the main 6 SIU players play yesterday??

Tired legs perhaps...

[DoubleDeuce]

I'd zone these guys for 40 minutes and pack it in tight. Make them shoot.

Will help our legs and foul situation.

Smithpeters might feast on that.