Next Coach for SIU?

[PantherSigEp]

I'm somewhat amazed that while performing his duties as an assistant coach at Kansas State, Mr. Lowery has had the time to make 28 posts on this website.

Showed up same year C-Lo got fired...hmm...

[Aargh]

Let me see if I understand this.

Lowery took a perennial NCAA tourney team and turned it into a bottom feeder. Lowery's salary nearly bankrupted SIU's athletic department, and pretty much everyone around the league understood why SIU had no choice but to keep him on after it was apparent he was destroying the program. The athletic department couldn't afford to pay Lowery and another basketball coach for more than a very few years of Lowery's contract.

Let's drop the financial mess for a moment and look at the image of SIU in the minds of recruits when Hinson arrived. Every decent player Lowery recruited left SIU after a year or two. SIU was a program that decent players refused to play for, and a bottom-feeder in a league that wasn't producing multiple NCAA teams.

Recruits have memories maybe back to their Jr. Hi years, and during that time SIU went from powerhouse to slaughterhouse. SIU was a dumpster fire when Hinson arrived. He's probably competing with NAIA schools for recruits who would consider going to SIU.

The results Hinson is getting this year are what everyone (other than dean_SIU) expected.

The hole Lowery dug for SIU BB was like a Mt. Everest-sized asteroid hitting the Earth. This time it was SIU BB, not the dinosaurs, that became extinct. Hinson is trying to climb out of that hole, but it's a deep, dark hole.

[siudawgs]

While dean_siu obviously is a mentally ill if slightly entertaining individual, Year 3 of the Hinson era has been majorly disappointing, and unless something changes fast, it might not be long before Hinson legitimately is on the hot seat. Hope that's not the case, but this season has been a regression and even the embarrassing schedule isn't enough to hide how far SIU has to go.

[Cdizzle]

While dean_siu obviously is a mentally ill if slightly entertaining individual, Year 3 of the Hinson era has been majorly disappointing, and unless something changes fast, it might not be long before Hinson legitimately is on the hot seat. Hope that's not the case, but this season has been a regression and even the embarrassing schedule isn't enough to hide how far SIU has to go.

Seems reasonable. I can see the seat getting warm enough to be hot next year unless there is significant improvement. I don't think anyone is advocating a free pass. And obviously Hinson has some doubters around the league, at least regarding the ability to build a championship team, which is fair. Perspective is nice though. I think if you stick with Hinson another 1-3 years, the worst case you'll have is a middle-of-the-pack Valley team and a program on solid footing. That isn't super fun sounding, but it is a long way from where Lowery had driven the program.

[siudawgs]

While dean_siu obviously is a mentally ill if slightly entertaining individual, Year 3 of the Hinson era has been majorly disappointing, and unless something changes fast, it might not be long before Hinson legitimately is on the hot seat. Hope that's not the case, but this season has been a regression and even the embarrassing schedule isn't enough to hide how far SIU has to go.

Seems reasonable. I can see the seat getting warm enough to be hot next year unless there is significant improvement. I don't think anyone is advocating a free pass. And obviously Hinson has some doubters around the league, at least regarding the ability to build a championship team, which is fair. Perspective is nice though. I think if you stick with Hinson another 1-3 years, the worst case you'll have is a middle-of-the-pack Valley team and a program on solid footing. That isn't super fun sounding, but it is a long way from where Lowery had driven the program.

What's interesting is SIU has no scholarship seniors this year, so unless some guys leave/are run off (which probably will happen), this is the group he has to coach up. The goal was to get very competitive by next season (Beane's senior year) but not enough of the younger players are showing the progress you'd like to see to make that as realistic as Saluki fans had hoped a few months back.

[Cdizzle]

I'm a little surprised by SIU's performance this year. I thought they were starting to figure it out at the end of last season. Didn't think they were going to be world-beaters, but still, better than they have been thus far. Curious to see if Hinson can get them playing better by March like last year. If not, I can see where the frustration would come from.

[Fraydog]

Not sure why anyone with their mental facilities together would not only defend the worst head coach SIU ever had but also one grade A miserable human. I'm sure that is why Dean would know what is going on knowing what is up with SIU basketball 1800+ miles away in Las Vegas.

While I'm not happy with Hinson's progression at this point, I would defy any coach to win with this roster. The area where Hinson has failed has been, quite simply, recruiting. As far as cleaning the deck for the next coach, he has done a good job of making sure SIU basketball is not a Superfund site of toxic academic failure and arrests. That said, he better recruit better or he'll find himself on the unemployment line with Weber and Lowery who could also get sacked in the same time frame.

Chris Lowery would struggle to win a Division I game with this bunch.

[UNIFanSince1983]

This team has won 6 DI games this year. I guess I have not seen them play this year, but that doesn't seem terrible to me. I will get my chance tonight though. I have no doubts you guys know what you are talking about though. I think Hinson can be on the hot seat, but I don't think it would be this year quite yet.

[uniftw]

This team has won 6 DI games this year. I guess I have not seen them play this year, but that doesn't seem terrible to me. I will get my chance tonight though. I have no doubts you guys know what you are talking about though. I think Hinson can be on the hot seat, but I don't think it would be this year quite yet.

Their wins are
RPI 335 Tenn State X2
RPI 344 SIU-E
RPI 323 Austin Peay
RPI 322 Chicago St
RPI 278 UI-Chicago


Not all wins are created equal


Should UNI find a way to lose to them tonight UNI would deserve no post season play

[BCPanther]

Unfortunately for Barry, I think he'll be the guy they brought in to flush the system and get rid of the crap that Lowery left. He'll get the program to the point where it can be built again and then be given his walking papers.

I think in a dream world for SIU, Barry gets them to .500 two years from now and they go out and find a guy that can really turn the corner for them.