SLU host Kennesaw State

The Billikens will open a busy week of basketball this afternoon when they host Kennesaw State in the first game of the Chicago Classic.
SLU will play an NBA-like schedule this week with four games in seven days, all which are part of the Chicago Classic. SLU will host Kennesaw State today and Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday night before heading to Chi-Town over the Thanksgiving weekend for games against Iowa State and either Notre Dame or Northwestern. The youngsters will get a lot of run this week.
The schedule is a challenge because it will test the team's depth with only 10 players. At the same time, playing a lot of games in a short amount of time will help develop some team chemistry and rhythm, while helping the coaching staff continue to define roles on the team.
As for today's foe, Kennesaw State (Ga.) is a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. A former NCAA Division II school, Kennesaw joined the Division I ranks four years ago. They are no eligible to compete in their postseason conference tournament with a shot at an NCAA Tournament berth.
Both teams are 2-0. The Owls defeated North Greenville and North Georgia. The Owls are led by 6'3" sophomore guard Kurtis Woods, who averaged 10 points a game as a freshman and earned Atlantic Sun All-Freshman honors.
Junior Kelvin McConnell and sophomore Spencer Dixon are also back in the Owls backcourt. Up front, the Owls are led by 6'6" senior John-Michael Nickerson and athletic 6'7" redshirt freshman Markeith Cummings.
Cummings had a double-double in KSU's last victory while Nickerson is averaging 16 points in the Owls' two victories. The Owls also have some size with a 6'10" and three 6'9" players on the roster.
The Billikens are coming off a big 68-55 victory over Nebraska of the Big XII Conference. The young Billikids showed a lot of growth in that win, especially in the second half when they scored 41 points and displayed some crisp ball movement, which led to easy shots.
Today will present another chance for further growth by this young basketball team. I'm looking forward to seeing how this young team reacts mentally after such a big win over a team from one of the major conferences.
Instead of playing a team with a well-known name from a well-known conference, the Bills are facing a team that very few people know about in St. Louis. It's a game where the Billikids will be favored to win, but cannot take for granted.
That's where the growth comes in. Can these youngsters put last Wednesday behind them and come out with great intensity and effort, which has become an early staple of the 2009-10 SLU Billikens. And add some good execution to go along with it. Sophomores Kwamain Mitchell, Brian Conklin, Willie Reed and Kyle Cassity must set the tone and come out as if the Billikens are playing Kansas.
We will find out a few more answers about our Billikids, beginning at 1 p.m. See you at the Chaifetz. If not, you can listen to me and Hall of Fame play by play man Bob Ramsey on 101-ESPN, beginning at 12:45 p.m. with the pre-game.
Come on out. If you get a chance, stop by the table and say hi to me and Rammer.
I promise. We won't bite. Unless, your a referee, then Rammer might take a nibble out of you.