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Cougars hope best days in front of them
Holston's 28 lead undermanned team
CHICAGO STATE 109, INDIANA-SOUTH BEND 73
By Terry Bannon
Tribune staff reporter
January 10, 2007
Tuesday was not just another day for the Chicago State basketball team. Then again, it hasn't been just another year for the Cougars.
Tuesday night's 109-73 victory over Indiana University-South Bend was only the Cougars' third home game of the season, and just their second with coach Kevin Jones on the sidelines.
Jones missed the last home game, a New Year's Day loss to New Mexico State, while the school was determining he was not to blame for a halftime dispute with a player Dec. 16 at Michigan State.
Also Tuesday, the Cougars dressed only six players for the victory over the NAIA school before an intimate gathering of 121 fans at the Dickens Center.
It all seemed to be in character for a program that is 7-14 in a season in which it is fighting for a rebirth in NCAA Division I as it looks for a conference to join and awaits the completion of a new home court.
"We've had some bad things happen to us, but we've come together as a team," said junior guard David Holston, the Cougars' leading scorer at 16 points per game who had 28 against the Titans (7-12). "And with a new gym next year, it'll be easier to get more good players."
For now, the Cougars are spending most of the season on the road--23 of 29 games--after leaving the Mid-Continent Conference. They're only 7-14, but among their road losses are Texas, Wichita State, Indiana, DePaul, California and Michigan State.
Athletic director Wayne Baskerville, in his first year at 95th Street and King Drive after six seasons as an associate commissioner of the Big Ten, inherited an athletic department whose Division I status is in question.
"We're going through that whole evaluation process, but our intent is to be in Division I," Baskerville said.
The NCAA has banned the Cougars' teams from postseason play while the school raises its participation to minimum levels.
"We're making sure we have all those bases covered," said Baskerville, who also said he plans to step up the marketing of the program. "We're increasing our budget. We're making sure we have sufficient budget at the level we have to operate."
Playing without a conference affiliation long ago ceased to be a desirable situation in college basketball.
Independent status now is reserved generally for teams new to Division I, and they quickly try to find an appropriate conference.
Only 11 teams are playing as independents this year, and the Mid-Continent Conference will welcome three of them next season--North Dakota State, South Dakota State and Indiana-Purdue-Ft. Wayne.
University of California-Davis will join the Big West and Winston-Salem State is bound for the Mid-Eastern Athletic.
Chicago State is talking to the five other independents about scheduling games--Utah Valley State, Texas-Pan American, Savannah State, Longwood and New Jersey Tech.
That could provide the genesis of a conference for the Cougars, who moved up to Division I in 1984 and joined the Mid-Con in 1993.
"One or two more years as an independent and we'll be OK, but after that you have to find a conference," Jones said. . . . (read more)
Go State!
Cougars hope best days in front of them
Holston's 28 lead undermanned team
CHICAGO STATE 109, INDIANA-SOUTH BEND 73
By Terry Bannon
Tribune staff reporter
January 10, 2007
Tuesday was not just another day for the Chicago State basketball team. Then again, it hasn't been just another year for the Cougars.
Tuesday night's 109-73 victory over Indiana University-South Bend was only the Cougars' third home game of the season, and just their second with coach Kevin Jones on the sidelines.
Jones missed the last home game, a New Year's Day loss to New Mexico State, while the school was determining he was not to blame for a halftime dispute with a player Dec. 16 at Michigan State.
Also Tuesday, the Cougars dressed only six players for the victory over the NAIA school before an intimate gathering of 121 fans at the Dickens Center.
It all seemed to be in character for a program that is 7-14 in a season in which it is fighting for a rebirth in NCAA Division I as it looks for a conference to join and awaits the completion of a new home court.
"We've had some bad things happen to us, but we've come together as a team," said junior guard David Holston, the Cougars' leading scorer at 16 points per game who had 28 against the Titans (7-12). "And with a new gym next year, it'll be easier to get more good players."
For now, the Cougars are spending most of the season on the road--23 of 29 games--after leaving the Mid-Continent Conference. They're only 7-14, but among their road losses are Texas, Wichita State, Indiana, DePaul, California and Michigan State.
Athletic director Wayne Baskerville, in his first year at 95th Street and King Drive after six seasons as an associate commissioner of the Big Ten, inherited an athletic department whose Division I status is in question.
"We're going through that whole evaluation process, but our intent is to be in Division I," Baskerville said.
The NCAA has banned the Cougars' teams from postseason play while the school raises its participation to minimum levels.
"We're making sure we have all those bases covered," said Baskerville, who also said he plans to step up the marketing of the program. "We're increasing our budget. We're making sure we have sufficient budget at the level we have to operate."
Playing without a conference affiliation long ago ceased to be a desirable situation in college basketball.
Independent status now is reserved generally for teams new to Division I, and they quickly try to find an appropriate conference.
Only 11 teams are playing as independents this year, and the Mid-Continent Conference will welcome three of them next season--North Dakota State, South Dakota State and Indiana-Purdue-Ft. Wayne.
University of California-Davis will join the Big West and Winston-Salem State is bound for the Mid-Eastern Athletic.
Chicago State is talking to the five other independents about scheduling games--Utah Valley State, Texas-Pan American, Savannah State, Longwood and New Jersey Tech.
That could provide the genesis of a conference for the Cougars, who moved up to Division I in 1984 and joined the Mid-Con in 1993.
"One or two more years as an independent and we'll be OK, but after that you have to find a conference," Jones said. . . . (read more)
Go State!
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