Southern Illinois, Nicholls State, UC Davis
http://thesouthern.com/sports/siu-men-s ... 963f4.html

I am underwhelmed. Sure wish we could drop the Gossner to every other year.

This is a pretty bad group of teams...even for the Gossner. Last year these 3 teams had records of 10-20, 5-26 and 8-23 and RPI's of 255, 298 and 338.

FYI, I am pretty sure that our game against USC is December 1 and BYU is December 5.

ususports wrote:FYI, I am pretty sure that our game against USC is December 1 and BYU is December 5.

Do you have a source on this? When the BYU series was announced they said that it would be the first game of the season both years.

ProvoAggie wrote:This is a pretty bad group of teams...even for the Gossner. Last year these 3 teams had records of 10-20, 5-26 and 8-23 and RPI's of 255, 298 and 338.

which was SIU? It may have been a record worst for them. They are often in the top half of "The Valley".

SIU was 8-23 with an RPI of 255. UC Davis was the worst in both categories.

At first I was a little excited to see SIU in the Gossner. Last time I payed much attention to Southern Illinois they were quite good. When I graduated in '07 from USU, SIU had gone 29-7, won the MVC, and went to the Sweet Sixteen. The five years prior to that (since 01-02) were equally impressive. The five years since then...not so much, with only one winning season and one .500 season. Last season they had their fewest win total since 85-86 and the most losses since becoming Division 1 in 68-69. What has happened to them? This would have been a great mid-major match up five+ years ago.

What purpose does the Gossner server? No one enjoys these games. It hurts our RPI. Only 5 or 6 thousand attend. And it doesn't prepare the team for conference play. Not sure why it is played.

Chatman wrote:What purpose does the Gossner server? No one enjoys these games. It hurts our RPI. Only 5 or 6 thousand attend. And it doesn't prepare the team for conference play. Not sure why it is played.

1 - I enjoy the games.
2 - Yes, it does hurt our RPI (most if not all years)
3 - Stew says it's good to play 3 games in 3 days to prepare for the conference tourney
4 - It gives us more home games, and an extra game or two on our schedule for being exempt
5 - Gossner is one of our big donors and we need the money they provide us.
6 - We averaged 9,895 in attendance at the tournament last year.
7 - It provides games over the holiday break for people who are coming back to Logan (like me).

Yes, it would be nice to swap the Gossner for another exempt pre-season tournament (Maui Inviational comes to mind), but It's not going to happen at least in the near future.

Here's a quick write-up on the three teams. It will be the first time we ever play Nicholls State.

http://www.usufans.com/News/11399

Aglicious wrote:

Zaggie07 wrote:At first I was a little excited to see SIU in the Gossner. Last time I payed much attention to Southern Illinois they were quite good. When I graduated in '07 from USU, SIU had gone 29-7, won the MVC, and went to the Sweet Sixteen. The five years prior to that (since 01-02) were equally impressive. The five years since then...not so much, with only one winning season and one .500 season. Last season they had their fewest win total since 85-86 and the most losses since becoming Division 1 in 68-69. What has happened to them? This would have been a great mid-major match up five+ years ago.

This was my thoughts as well. Five years ago we would have been stoked to get someone like SIU in the Spectrum. Oh how the Saluikis have fallen. I also found it humorous to read comments from their head coach about how we are a little known mid-major program and probably have a home winning percentage over 80% in the past 6 years. Why did their coach pick six years out of the air? (btw, we are 98-7 at home over the past 6 seasons = 93%) Also, 5 of the 7 losses came in one horrid year last season....I think their coach is not quite sure what he has signed up for.

EDIT: Nice write up sap! Just read it and glad you pointed these things out!

LOL. Yeah we did the exact same critique of his comments. I also initially quoted him as their head coach, but had to revise it after a second read through. He's an "Associate Head Coach" whatever that means. They have a Head Coach and Assistant Coaches as well.

http://www.siusalukis.com/sports/m-bask ... l-mtt.html

treesap32 wrote:

Aglicious wrote:* * *

This was my thoughts as well. Five years ago we would have been stoked to get someone like SIU in the Spectrum. Oh how the Saluikis have fallen. I also found it humorous to read comments from their head coach about how we are a little known mid-major program and probably have a home winning percentage over 80% in the past 6 years. Why did their coach pick six years out of the air? (btw, we are 98-7 at home over the past 6 seasons = 93%) Also, 5 of the 7 losses came in one horrid year last season....I think their coach is not quite sure what he has signed up for.

EDIT: Nice write up sap! Just read it and glad you pointed these things out!

LOL. Yeah we did the exact same critique of his comments. I also initially quoted him as their head coach, but had to revise it after a second read through. He's an "Associate Head Coach" whatever that means. They have a Head Coach and Assistant Coaches as well.

http://www.siusalukis.com/sports/m-bask ... l-mtt.html

FWIW: Tim Duryea's title is also Associate Head Coach. Jones and Felton are mere Assistant Coaches.

OKAggie wrote:

treesap32 wrote:

Aglicious wrote:* * *

This was my thoughts as well. Five years ago we would have been stoked to get someone like SIU in the Spectrum. Oh how the Saluikis have fallen. I also found it humorous to read comments from their head coach about how we are a little known mid-major program and probably have a home winning percentage over 80% in the past 6 years. Why did their coach pick six years out of the air? (btw, we are 98-7 at home over the past 6 seasons = 93%) Also, 5 of the 7 losses came in one horrid year last season....I think their coach is not quite sure what he has signed up for.

EDIT: Nice write up sap! Just read it and glad you pointed these things out!

LOL. Yeah we did the exact same critique of his comments. I also initially quoted him as their head coach, but had to revise it after a second read through. He's an "Associate Head Coach" whatever that means. They have a Head Coach and Assistant Coaches as well.

http://www.siusalukis.com/sports/m-bask ... l-mtt.html

FWIW: Tim Duryea's title is also Associate Head Coach. Jones and Felton are mere Assistant Coaches.

I see. I guess it's the equivalent of Assistant Regional Manager as opposed to Assistant to the Regional Manager.

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Well done treesap! A seaon 1 classic!

And I was going to respond the the "Why have the Gossnar" classic, but you did a fine job. The other reason, and one I think is really key to Stew, is it gives him time to fine tune the players and rotations right before going into conference play. Are the teams ever that good? No. But it does serve many purposes which I think are positive. I remember Stew in a luncheon saying there's not many people he can go ask for $10,000 each year, but Dalores Wheeler has always come through. If I recall, Stew said, I go down to see her and she has the check to USU by the end of the day.

I understand Treesap's and AS's responses as to why we have the Gossner's, but I still think everyother year would be better. If we want USU's program to take the next step they need to be playing in some of the preseason exempt tournaments and beat some BCS teams. I USU keeps doing what they have always done then they will keep being a small blip on the basketball radar like they have always been. I'm anxious for a bit more.

The good preseason tourneys are invitation only. If we would get invited to Maui or preseason NIT we would take it, right now we are middle ground, no mans land, scheduling tourneys. We aren't quite big enough to be a big time school in one of these tourneys, and we are to good to be fodder for the big programs. Even when we did get into the South Padre tourney we didn't get one of the expected games because Vandy (I think) refused to come to Logan like they were scheduled to so we had to play a lower division team instead. Once we have a deep tourney run or two and get major national recognition then we will get the good preseason tourneys. Until then the Gossner is the best we are going to get.

GUS wrote:I understand Treesap's and AS's responses as to why we have the Gossner's, but I still think everyother year would be better. If we want USU's program to take the next step they need to be playing in some of the preseason exempt tournaments and beat some BCS teams. I USU keeps doing what they have always done then they will keep being a small blip on the basketball radar like they have always been. I'm anxious for a bit more.

I agree, Gus, USU needs to step up. Now more than ever. We must get to the big dance and WIN. Beacause it's onlt a matter of time before some conference comes cherry picking from the MWC. That said, I think recruiting will have more to do with post season wins than pre season tourneys. And call it a gut feeling, but I think we're in for a treat the next few years......

AgSpaceCase wrote:The good preseason tourneys are invitation only. If we would get invited to Maui or preseason NIT we would take it, right now we are middle ground, no mans land, scheduling tourneys. We aren't quite big enough to be a big time school in one of these tourneys, and we are to good to be fodder for the big programs. Even when we did get into the South Padre tourney we didn't get one of the expected games because Vandy (I think) refused to come to Logan like they were scheduled to so we had to play a lower division team instead. Once we have a deep tourney run or two and get major national recognition then we will get the good preseason tourneys. Until then the Gossner is the best we are going to get.

Good point. And it was Valparaiso that refused to come to Logan so we replaced them with Montana Western.

http://www.usustats.com/gametype/index. ... vitational

We played Vandy that year in the South Padre on a neutral court and got beat. I always get those two teams confused, and it was even more confusing because we were slated to play both of them that year in the same tournament.

treesap32 wrote:Here's a quick write-up on the three teams. It will be the first time we ever play Nicholls State.

http://www.usufans.com/News/11399

I may be channeling my inner GFA, but isn't Nicholls State the team we were going to open the football season with a few years ago before the game got cancelled due to Hurricane Katrina? I'm surprised we haven't played them. I thought we would have played all of the no-name schools from way out of the region in the Gossner by now.

That is correct Geo. I remember hoping to get our first season opener win in a long time. That damn Katrina prevented Brent Guy from ever seeing .500 or better in his dubious coaching career at USU.

NVAggie wrote:That is correct Geo. I remember hoping to get our first season opener win in a long time. That damn Katrina prevented Brent Guy from ever seeing .500 or better in his dubious coaching career at USU.

Pretty insane to think how the football program has changed since that time...

GA
Three NFL draft picks in one year.
The NEZ
New logo
The MWC
New Strength and Conditioning Center going in
Hope (I don't remember having much back then, at least by 2006 when it was clear BG wasn't the guy)

Sure makes you appreciate what we have going on right now, whether you have to wait in line for the bathroom or just pee in the trees.

NVAggie wrote:That is correct Geo. I remember hoping to get our first season opener win in a long time. That damn Katrina prevented Brent Guy from ever seeing .500 or better in his dubious coaching career at USU.

with Guy we would have lost, that hurricane did us a favor.

And gentlemen, the Gossner is was it is, and I don't think it will change. Besides, this next year we're going to need plenty of "warm up" games anyway as we try and bring this new group together. The WAC is doomed to be a one bid league regardless, so we need to run through it anyway to go dancing.

I like the Gossner tournament. It's nice to go to the Spectrum 3 nights in a row over the holidays with family. I often go early a couple of nights and watch the other teams play too. Sure the teams aren't from the ACC but there are often good players here and there. Kenneth Fareid a few years ago. Also I believe Devin Brown (that played for the Jazz) may have been with UTSA when they came here several years ago.

Too bad this wasn't the lineup 5-6 years ago, otherwise I'd be completely stoked to bring in the Salukis.

My question is this... someone tell me how the Salukis are able to participate in both this tourney AND the Charleston Classic that is hosted by DirecTV, broadcast on ESPN, and features the likes of Baylor, Boston College, Colorado, Dayton, and St. John's???

Regardless, this tourney field just shows how 'relevant' this tourney really is and that it has truly run its course. A complete waste of time for a top mid-major program such as ours. Its time to make the right choice and let this thing roll over and die, finally. More home games against cupcakes = poor resume padders. Instead of trying to stay in Logan as much as possible during the preseason, we need to be doing the exact opposite by getting this program out of their comfort zone by going out and playing somebody. If schools such as Akron, Hofstra, Niagara, Bucknell, Albany, UMKC, Loyola (Md.), Mercer, Quinnipiac, UIC, Marist, Drexel, Drake, Pacific, Jacksonville State, Northern Arizona, Campbell, N.C. A&T, and a bevy of others, not to mention quality mid-majors, are able to somehow get into quality exempt preseason tourneys.. then we can, as well. There's only one thing holding us back.

AGGZILLA wrote:My question is this... someone tell me how the Salukis are able to participate in both this tourney AND the Charleston Classic that is hosted by DirecTV, broadcast on ESPN, and features the likes of Baylor, Boston College, Colorado, Dayton, and St. John's???

That tournament must not be exempt meaning that each game in the tourney counts towards their total.

ProvoAggie wrote:

AGGZILLA wrote:My question is this... someone tell me how the Salukis are able to participate in both this tourney AND the Charleston Classic that is hosted by DirecTV, broadcast on ESPN, and features the likes of Baylor, Boston College, Colorado, Dayton, and St. John's???

That tournament must not be exempt meaning that each game in the tourney counts towards their total.

Maybe just because a tournament is exempt doesn't mean that a particular team can't count all 3 games. Whereas a different team like USU can still exempt the tournament.

Considering that lopez will just be turning eligible and our lineup will be changing, three easier games are a good way to work out any kinks.

AGGZILLA wrote:My question is this... someone tell me how the Salukis are able to participate in both this tourney AND the Charleston Classic that is hosted by DirecTV, broadcast on ESPN, and features the likes of Baylor, Boston College, Colorado, Dayton, and St. John's???

Got the real answer for you. It looks like SIU pulled out of the Charleston Classic to play in the Gossner.

The Salukis pulled out of the eight-team Charleston (S.C.) Classic earlier this year, and will now play in the World Vision Classic from Dec. 20-22, according to associate head coach Tom Hankins. Utah State of the Western Athletic Conference is the host of the four-team round-robin event, which also includes Nicholls State and UC-Davis.

This paragraph has been pulled from the article in the opening post but I don't think that it was their originally.

Remember when Southern Illinois was the next Gonzaga? What happened?

UtahStizzle wrote:Remember when Southern Illinois was the next Gonzaga? What happened?

They obviously didn't play enough hats in the mall teams in the preseason.

Bing! Point Sap!

UtahStizzle wrote:Remember when Southern Illinois was the next Gonzaga? What happened?

I don't actually know what I'm talking about, but it could be money. SIU is a directional public school (I assume) that (probably?) also has to fund a football team, with a less than electrified alumni base. The Zags are it in Spokane, a rich private school, and probably doing quite well with the donors.
Again, I could just be talking out of my butt.

GeoAg wrote: I may be channeling my inner GFA, but isn't Nicholls State the team we were going to open the football season with a few years ago before the game got cancelled due to Hurricane Katrina?

Yes.