Bravo and congratulations to the men’s basketball team on its 2-0 start in a rebuilding season.

After dropping its two exhibition games this season, the Dawgs have won convincingly against Northern Illinois, 65-63, and Old Dominion, 73-65 both times on the road.

In fact, SIUC and North Carolina are the only teams to defeat ODU in its last 16 home games.

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It is the way in which the Salukis have won that is impressive. They have won with clutch shooting, good defense, and leadership.

With Shane Hawkins being the only returning starter from last season’s NCAA Final Four Tournament team, many looked for him to carry the offensive load.

Hawkins himself said this before the game at NIU about his shooting performance in the preseason, which he shot 3-13 against Athletes in Action, and his role on the team.

We’re going to play nine or 10 guys, and we can’t rely on one player, he said. All the shots I missed, I was wide open. Obviously, the shooters have to shoot well for us to win.

The shooters Hawkins was referring to have stepped up their play and given SIUC a balanced attack. Jaratio Tucker and Scott Burzynski have made the biggest contributions for the Salukis down the stretch. Tucker scored 20 points against NIU and 18 points at Old Dominoin. Burzynski has also started this season exactly where he finished last year hitting the three in clutch situations.

Burzynski put SIUC ahead 45-44 against ODU by hitting a key three-pointer with 14:09 left one his three in the game.

It is true, though, that everyone has contributed in the victories. SIUC’s up-tempoed, run-and-gun style of play demands that every player performs in a role and plays hard wearing the opposition down. Such was the case during the ODU game in which Aminu Timberlake and Burzynski held ODU star Odell Hodge, who had predicted a 40-point night against the Dawgs, to a measley and irrelevant four points.

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SIUC’s starting five all scored in double-digits against ODU, and three of them did the same in the NIU game.

Aside from Hawkins, Tucker and Burzynski, Johnny Dadzie and Timberlake deserve medals of honor for going above and beyond the call of duty.

Dadzie and Timberlake both averaged only 2.4 points per game last season, but have turned the intensity up a notch by averaging 17 ppg between the two of them.

A complete team effort is the only way the Salukis can win this season. If any one player loses focus or dedication, any hopes for post season play are eliminated.

Two consecutive wins to start the season is as much as anyone can ask from this squad. They have played their hearts out, and won the old fashioned way with tenacity. This team is not flashy, unlike last year’s squad which sent three players to the professional ranks, they fight for the ball and hustle on every play a coach’s dream .

Whether they win ugly or big, each victory surpasses the preseason expectations set on this young and inexperienced team.

As Al Davis said, just win, baby.