College basketball Scouting reports
Detroit (4-1) at DePaul (3-1)
When: 1 p.m. at Allstate Arena
Radio: WSCR 670-AM
The skinny: These teams combined for a 16-47 record last year, but they're among the best early stories in the Midwest. The Titans are rolling behind Indiana transfer Eli Holman, a 6-foot-10, 255-pound sophomore who does it all (16.2 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 2.2 bpg). Xavier Keeling, another Indiana transfer who followed former IU assistant Ray McCallum to Detroit, averages 13.4 ppg. DePaul needs junior center Mac Koshwal to match up with Holman, but he's a game-time decision with a sore foot that caused him to miss the Paradise Jam finale against Saint Joseph's. Freshman forward Tony Freeland enrolled in school and joined the team's practices on Thursday and should make a brief Demons debut today.
Illinois-Chicago (1-2) at Southern Illinois (2-1)
When: 7:05 p.m. at SIU Arena
Radio: WMVP 1000-AM
The skinny: The Salukis are wary of UIC after the way the Flames battled Illinois State until the end on Monday. "They're kind of like a wounded animal," said SIU coach Chris Lowery. Sophomore G Zavion Neely has been a pleasant surprise for UIC. He's averaging 13.3 points per game, second only to junior G Robo Kreps (14.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.0 apg). The Salukis' balanced attack is led by guards Kevin Dillard (12.7 ppg) and Tony Freeman (11.7 ppg). A few of SIU's key players, including Anthony Booker and John Freeman, have missed practice this week due to injuries.
Northern Illinois (1-3) at Northern Iowa (3-1)
When: 7:07 p.m. at McLeod Center
Radio: WLBK 1360-AM
The skinny: The Huskies have endured a long week thinking about how SEMO stopped its 21-game losing streak with an overtime win in DeKalb. Junior guard Jake Anderson apparently intends to be the best rebounding little man in America. Though he stands 6-foot-1 at best, Anderson averages 12.0 rebounds (and a team-high 12.8 points) per game. NIU shoots 49.5 percent at the FT line. Northern Iowa recovered from its first-round loss to DePaul at the Paradise Jam to beat Boston College for the consolation title in the Virgin Islands. Junior guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe leads the Panthers with 17.0 ppg. Jacobs HS grad Johnny Moran has started all 4 games, but he's off to a slow start with 23 percent shooting overall and 14 percent from 3-point range.
St. Ambrose (4-2) at Loyola (3-1)
When: 3 p.m. at the Gentile Center
Radio: WAUR 930-AM, WNTD 950-AM, WLUW 88.7-FM
The skinny: The Ramblers are off to an excellent start, but their stats prove their eight-man rotation gets things done unconventionally. Sophomore F Walt Gibler (13.0 ppg) and senior SG Marcus Thomas (12.3 ppg) don't start, but they're the only Ramblers in double figures. Andy Polka contributes 7.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. And did we mention Loyola shoots 46 percent on 3-pointers (38 of 82), but 35 percent on 2-pointers? St. Ambrose, an NAIA school located in the Quad Cities, features five varsity players from the Chicago area. Brother Rice's Mike Kennedy (13.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and East Aurora's Justin Tiner (10.7 ppg) are half of the Bees' double-figure scorers.