Hinson Looking for Leadership and Execution

(St. Louis, MO) – This season hasn’t gone quite the way Barry Hinson thought it would. His Southern Illinois roster (9-10, 2-4 in the Valley) has six seniors, including a preseason all-conference player. Six games into conference play Hinson is still looking for leadership and execution.

Big things were expected from this team. SIU was a 20-win team last season and had six returners with starting experience. Hinson scheduled appropriately. The Salukis opened the season at Kentucky, played nationally ranked Buffalo twice and played A-10 favorite Saint Louis and Ohio Valley contender Murray State.

After opening with a loss to the Wildcats and then to Buffalo, the Egyptian Dawgs took off. They won seven of their next eight games. Consecutive losses to Murray State, Buffalo (again) Winthrop found SIU at 7-6. Injuries and a suspension of leading scorer Armon Fletcher were factors.

Stepping into conference season the Salukis won their first two Valley games, but have dropped their last four.

What’s Gone Wrong?

Injuries & Suspensions

Fletcher has missed nine games between injuries, illness and suspension. He is SIU’s most dangerous offensive player. He has reached double figures in seven his ten games and he’s had three games of 20 or more points. His absences weaken the Saluki offense.

He is such an offensive catalyst that when he returns there are times when his teammates have to relearn their roles. Ironically, Fletcher missed the team’s two MVC wins and has played in all four of their losses.

Thik Bol missed all of last season with a knee injury. He has played in 16 of the team’s 19 games, but he is averaging just 14 minutes per game. The former MVC shot-blocking champion missed the first three conference games and has averaged under 11 minutes per game in the other three. When right, Bol is a defensive stopper.

Leadership and Execution

With six seniors you would expect chemistry and leadership would be the SIU strength, but the team has coughed up some second half leads with turnovers and poor shooting. Defined roles have been hard to come by, so in critical moments they have made bad mistakes.

SIU has dropped four straight Valley games. The last three losses have come by a total of eight points. Hinson says his team’s decision making in critical times has to improve.

 

 

Sometimes six seniors are too many and teams struggle to know who is in charge. Hinson says on-court leadership has been lacking at times.

 

 

Hinson is in his seventh year at SIU and his 18^thin the Valley. He is quick to point out his team gets along and they have good interpersonal chemistry, but some times the in-game out working doesn’t go very well. Five Salukis average double figures in scoring. Bol and Kavion Pippen are blocking shots and the roster is filled with talented wings.

With his team struggling with role definition and a some lost confidence, Hinson says he and his staff have to get to work and help the players fight their way to success.

 

 

So when Northern Iowa visits SIU Arena Wednesday night Hinson  will be looking for some leadership and execution.

UNI visits SIU at 7:00 pm on ESPN+

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