Basketball Dawgs’ forward Tucker ineligible to play

The SIUC men’s basketball team opens its 1997-98 season with an exhibition battle at 7:05 p.m. Monday against the NBC Thunder at SIU Arena, but the squad is expected to be without the services of forward Rashad Tucker.

The Salukis are awaiting a decision from the NCAA regarding the eligibility of Tucker concerning his academic record. Tucker averaged 15.1 points and 9.7 rebounds per game last season, and was expected to be SIUC’s go-to guy because guard Troy Hudson left for the NBA last season.

Advertisement

We have made an appeal in regard to Tucker’s status, SIUC Athletics Director Jim Hart stated in a press release Thursday afternoon. But we have no idea when we might hear from them. Until we do, Rashad will not be eligible to compete, although he is allowed to practice with the team.

The Thunder, comprised of former college basketball players and coached by Sparta native Danny Beard, beat Washington State University 74-67 Wednesday night. Saluki coach Rich Herrin said the traveling team will provide a challenge regardless of whether Tucker is eligible to play Monday night.

Naturally we’re hoping to have Rashad available for all of our games this season, but if he hasn’t been cleared by Monday night we’ll have to go without him, Herrin said. Our guys have been practicing with a lot of enthusiasm this year, and I feel good about things overall. Hopefully we’ll be ready to play.

Women’s basketball kicks off Sunday

The SIUC women’s basketball team’s exhibition game has a little more significance than exhibition games in the past because it is the only game that the Salukis have to prepare for the preseason NIT, which begins Nov. 14.

SIUC women’s basketball coach Cindy Scott said Sunday’s 2 p.m. game against the Australia National Team will be more experimentation than anything else.

This year, this game is more important than it has been in the past simply because we are opening so early being in the preseason NIT, Scott said.

Advertisement*

We really have to use this in a little different way than we have in the past. We need to look at some combinations and get a good feel as to who we want to go with against Northwestern next Friday.

Spikers wrap up home season

The SIUC volleyball team plays its final two home matches of the season this weekend.

Creighton University visits Davies Gymnasium tonight, and Drake University comes to battle with the Salukis Saturday night. SIUC enters the matches with a 12-12 overall record and 7-7 in the Missouri Valley Conference.

This weekend marks the last time seniors Erika Holladay and Traci Eggers get to play in front of the home crowd.

Holladay, an outside hitter from Pine Bluffs, Wyo., is fifth on the team with 129 kills this season. Eggers, an outside hitter from Rantoul, has been more of a role player coming off the bench.

SIUC coach Sonya Locke said it would be a pleasure to get two wins this weekend for Holladay and Eggers.

We just hope they can have a good weekend and something to remember when they leave, Locke said.

The Salukis hold the sixth and final spot for the MVC tournament, but can still finish as high as third in the conference. Creighton, picked to finish eighth in the preseason polls, owns third place with a 9-6 league mark. Wichita State University and Indiana State University are in fourth and fifth place with records of 8-6 and 8-7, respectively.

I’m not surprised that the race is so tight, Locke said. It’s just unfortunate we just happened to be the ones in the tight part of the race.

While Creighton has been one of the biggest surprises in the conference, Drake’s season has been filled with disappointment. After finishing second in 1996, the Bulldogs sit in ninth place with a 4-11 MVC mark.

Locke knows her team’s offense will play an important role in the matches.

We just can’t make a lot of mistakes, Locke said. They’re (Creighton) a good defensive team and don’t let a lot of balls hit the floor.

Swimming and diving team travels to Missouri

The SIUC men’s and women’s swimming and diving team travels to Columbia, Mo., Friday night to battle the University of Missouri in a dual meet.

The men’s team is 1-1 and is trying to rebound from Friday’s loss to the University of Kentucky 137-94. The Salukis’ lone victory came Oct. 25 against Drury College by a score of 137-104 in Carbondale.

Men’s coach Rick Walker is expecting another challenging weekend.

Missouri is going to be as tough as Kentucky, Walker stated in a press release. On paper, it appears that we are pretty even, but they are going to be a challenge for us.

The women’s team also is trying to rebound from a Kentucky defeat. The women’s team fell to Kentucky 136-92 to move its record to 1-1 in dual meets after a victory over Drury College 136-105 in Carbondale Oct. 25.

Women’s coach Mark Kluemper wants his team to improve on last Friday’s performance.

It is important for us to get back on track, considering how we did last weekend against Kentucky, Kluemper stated in a press release. We did not swim well last weekend, and I’m anxious to see how well we respond against Missouri. I’m also anxious to see how our freshmen respond on the road for the second week in a row.