Holy Cross prepared to get physical
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard has been upfront with the Crusaders regarding Southern Illinois, their first-round NCAA Tournament opponent.
"Coach has been telling us that they're the most physical team that we're going to play all year," senior guard Keith Simmons said. "Even with the schedule we've played, they play physical for 40 minutes and they play hard for 40 minutes."
The 13th-seeded Crusaders (25-8) go up against the fourth-seeded Salukis (27-6) in West Regional action tonight at 9:40 at Nationwide Arena. The mid-major matchup is expected to be defensive.
"We know they're going to come out and play hard for 40 minutes, just like we're going to do," said Southern Illinois senior guard Jamaal Tatum.
The Salukis allow just 56.5 points per game, third fewest in the nation. The Crusaders allow an average of 57.4 points, sixth in the country. Southern Illinois has held 26 of 33 opponents to fewer than 65 points; Holy Cross has limited 23 of 33 foes to fewer than 60 points.
"They try to keep everybody out of the middle," said Holy Cross senior guard Torey Thomas. "They give great weak-side help. They play with a great deal of emotion and passion on the defensive end as we do, and it's going to be a battle."
While Holy Cross, as Simmons pointed out, switches up its defenses, Southern Illinois is primarily a man-to-man team.
"They're committed to defense like we're committed to defense," Willard said. "But they're so much more physical than we are."
Willard liked the quote in the Southern Illinois media notes from Missouri State coach Barry Hinson on how to simulate the Salukis' defense in practice: "We run down to the police station and we get all the German shepherd attack dogs and we just bring them onto the floor and we rub meat juice all over our arms, and we just get ready to practice."
"We do many more things on the defensive end in terms of trying to make you think," Willard said. "They're just trying to wear you down and keep constant pressure on you. Though both teams are committed to defense, I think there's a different philosophy between the two teams."
In all but one game this season, Holy Cross has held its opponent scoreless for at least three consecutive minutes, including 20 stretches in which it has held the opposition without a point for at least five straight minutes. Bucknell went 5:03 without scoring in the first half of last week's Patriot League tournament final. The Crusaders average 9.5 steals and Thomas, averaging almost three a game, ranks sixth in the country in that category.
"I love the kid, he'd be great with us," Southern Illinois coach Chris Lowery said of Thomas. "He steals the ball from anybody close to him. That sets up everything that they do, because not only is he their best defender, he also is their best guy at pushing the basketball. And that's why he and Simmons really have a strong niche together as teammates. They get in transition after steals, after missed shots, as well as anybody in the country."
Holy Cross averaged 70.7 points in three Patriot League tournament games, above its average of 64.2. The speedy Thomas averaged 19 points in the Patriot tourney, the semifinal and final probably two of the best games of his career. Simmons averaged 15.3 points and junior center Tim Clifford 16.3.
"We can't allow Clifford to get his confidence on offense," Lowery said.
Southern Illinois, which averages 63.2 points, is not regarded as a great offensive team, but, when looking at Tatum, the Missouri Valley Conference player of the year who averages 15 points, solid-shooting senior guard Tony Young, 6-foot-7-inch forward Randal Falker inside, and 6-7 power forward Matt Shaw, who can shoot the three, Willard sees otherwise.
"They do a lot of things that make it difficult to guard them," Willard said. "They use the high-low pass exceptionally well with Falker, and their guards are quick. The point guard [sophomore Bryan Mullins] is amazing to me. He reminds me of the Energizer bunny. They're a good offensive team. They're also very patient. That's part of their philosophy in wearing you down, too, making you defend for 25, 30 seconds before they take a shot."
With the Salukis' quickness, Willard said Holy Cross will also have to prevent them from getting out in transition.
Like Holy Cross, which produced the Patriot League player (Simmons), defender (Thomas), and coach (Willard) of the year, Southern Illinois has the Missouri Valley Conference's top player (Tatum), defender (Falker), and coach (Lowery). At 34, Lowery is the youngest coach in the NCAA Tournament.
Southern Illinois last played 12 days ago, in a 67-61 loss to Creighton in the Missouri Valley tourney final. The Salukis don't expect the long break to be a factor.
"We've been getting back focused on doing the small things that we do," Young said. "We've just been going hard at each other [in practice] getting ready to play the game. I think we'll be ready to play once we get back on the floor."
Holy Cross defeated Bucknell in the Patriot final one week ago and has spent the last five days getting ready for the next challenge.
"We've got to be able to handle Southern Illinois's pressure," Thomas said, "staying composed and making plays. I think it's going to be a defensive slugfest, but whoever executes the best is going to win the game."
