Former Wisconsin wide receiver has record-setting game with new program
Former Wisconsin wide receiver Keontez Lewis had a record-setting Week 3 performance for Southern Illinois on Saturday.
Lewis finished the Salukis’ 35-28 win over Incarnate Word with eight receptions for 148 yards and a touchdown, plus one carry for a 57-yard score. That amounts to nine touches, 205 total yards and three touchdowns.
His 148 receiving yards were the most in a game for a Southern Illinois receiver since Sept. 2, 2021. Additionally, his and Nah’shawn Hezekiah’s 266 combined receiving yards are the second-most for a duo in one game in school history.
Saturday was a true breakout for the former Badger. His first two games at Southern Illinois included seven receptions for 102 yards. The big Week 3 performance pushes his season totals to 15 catches, 250 receiving yards, two carries, 53 rushing yards and two total touchdowns.
Lewis transferred to Southern Illinois after entering the portal in early September of 2023. He played one game for the Luke Fickell Badgers, recording one catch for 12 receiving yards.
Wisconsin’s influx of transfers at the position before the 2023 season cut into Lewis’ snaps significantly. He caught 20 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns for the Paul Chryst and Jim Leonhard-led Badgers in 2022.
The former Badger is one of many having success at new programs. Among them are Jordan Turner (Michigan State) and Trey Wedig (Indiana).
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Johnson turned in a tremendous campaign at Southern Illinois after ranking fifth in the country in scoring.
Armed with a strong work ethic and world-class ability, Xavier Johnson knew that he just needed an opportunity to prove himself as one of the top point guards in the country.
He got that chance and ran with it this past season.
Johnson, a former three-star prospect, played the first three years of his college career at George Mason. He posted averages of 6.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, three assists and 1.1 steals in 81 games, including 50 starts, with the Patriots.
Sensing a change was needed, Johnson transferred to Southern Illinois in April 2022 to play for coach Bryan Mullins. His brother, Brendan Mullins, had recruited Johnson out of high school in Maryland, and the transfer had formed a strong connection with the two.
Johnson averaged seven points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 steals on 42.7% shooting from 3-point range in his first season at Southern Illinois. He earned a place on the Missouri Valley Conference All-Defensive team, along with teammate Lance Jones.
After averaging no more than 7.7 points per game in a single season prior to that point, his head coach challenged him to step up with leading scorers Marcus Domask and Jones transferring to other programs. He accepted it and exploded as a fifth-year senior.
Johnson was voted the MVC Most Improved Player after averaging 22.2 points, 6.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals on 36.8% shooting from 3-point range. He was the only player in the country to average at least 22 points and six assists this past season.
“He probably took as big of a jump as anyone I’ve coached just in terms of the maturity that he showed over the two years and learning the position and understanding what it takes,” Bryan Mullins told Rookie Wire. “He put a ton of work in before he got to us, as well. It just doesn’t happen overnight or over a year or two, so there was a built up process of all the work he put in at George Mason and in high school and with his dad.”
Johnson became the workhorse for the Salukis, averaging 36.7 minutes per game, which ranked 15th among all Division I players. He started every game he played in for the first time in his career and was ninth in usage percentage (33.4).
The 6-foot-1 guard responded by registering six 30-point games, which topped all players in the conference. He finished the season ranked fifth in the country in scoring, seventh in free throws (219) and 18th in offensive win shares (4.2).
He credited Mullins and his staff for his success.
This year, preparation meets opportunity. Marcus and Lance decided to leave and go to different places, so that kind of opened the door for me to have the opportunity this year to be one of the top five scorers in the nation and lead my league in both points and assists. I think being at SIU definitely prepared me.
Johnson led the NCAA in scoring at one point and flirted with a 50-40-90 campaign early in the season. He produced one of his 30-point efforts on Dec. 5 in a win over Oklahoma State, in which he went 13-of-15 from the free-throw line.
“He played with a lot of freedom,” said his father, Kelvin, who is the special assistant to Johnny Dawkins at UCF. “When I see a guy that plays with a lot of freedom, that means the coach trusts him a lot with the ball in his hands. He had the ball a lot in his hands and they depended on him offensively, which was great to see. He was able to get to his bag a little bit but still kept it simple and got his teammates involved.”
Xavier Johnson, SIU-Carbondale guard is the newly ranked #1 scorer in the NCAA, and went off for 31 points against UIC last night for the win. @xav1erj0pic.twitter.com/lro3OP191b
Johnson has made Central Florida home over the predraft process. In addition to his father coaching at UCF, his brother, Darius, is fresh off his best season in college and will be entering his fourth year with the Knights, who just completed their first campaign in the Big 12.
He also has a strong connection with Dawkins.
The former Player of the Year and two-time All-American at Duke played against Kelvin in high school and has been friends with him for a number of years. He is Xavier’s godfather and another basketball mind who has helped him throughout the predraft process.
“It is a great relationship,” Xavier said of Dawkins. “I get to talk to him here and there throughout this process, and kind of gain some of his knowledge and insight and get a little more knowledge as far as the process and kind of what goes into it and how I can be better and make sure I can stand out.”
Said Kelvin: “(Xavier) gets the opportunity to lean on (Dawkins) during the offseason. Even when coach doesn’t get a chance to watch his games, he is always watching his stats to see what he is doing, you know? He’ll come up to me and say, ‘X is doing really well,’ and so forth. He can’t watch everybody but he does watch the stats.”
Dawkins guided UCF to the first round of the NIT after posting a 17-16 record in their first season in the Big 12. (Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports)
Johnson has continued his momentum into the predraft process. He was among the top 64 seniors who competed in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament and was named MVP of the championship game after scoring 14 points and six rebounds.
The 24-year-old showed off his overall skill set and ability in the annual event in front of executives and scouts. He can score from all three levels and is crafty getting into the paint. He uses his strength well to draw contact and get to the line.
Johnson projects to provide teams with a two-way threat as a point guard at the next level. He showed at Southern Illinois that he can be one of the top players on both ends of the court who can score and get others involved while defending at a high level.
“His ability to shoot the ball off the bounce is really what separates him from a lot of college guards because he can make 3s off the dribble and pull up off the dribble,” Mullins said. “He got better as a shooter every single year in college and that doesn’t just happen. That is a lot of hours by yourself in the gym.”
Johnson completed the predraft circuit by working out with eight teams, including the Orlando Magic. He made it a point of emphasis to showcase his defense and shooting ability to teams, while also proving himself as a leader who can run a team.
He has been surrounded by a great support system, from Coach Mullins to his father to Coach Dawkins, and is grateful for the wealth of knowledge afforded to him.
Johnson is ready to tackle whatever is thrown at him.
“From a young kid until this point, I’ve always been surrounded by the game of basketball,” Johnson said. “I have a lot of knowledge around it, and I’ve continued to learn more. My dad pushes me to the next level and having that work ethic instilled in me has been great up to this point. I think he did a great job preparing me.”
Report: Southern Illinois’ Xavier Johnson had predraft workout with Thunder.
The calendar has flipped to June, which means NBA teams are intensifying their predraft process and hosting players for workouts and visits. The 2024 NBA draft will take place from June 26-27.
The Oklahoma City Thunder enter this year’s class with a sole draft pick of the No. 12 selection. OKC was gifted the free lottery pick via the Houston Rockets.
The Thunder will host several meetings with draft prospects in the coming weeks. This includes players outside the lottery range as OKC will likely seek to add undrafted free agents or even buy back into the second round if it likes someone enough.
One possibility is Southern Illinois’ Xavier Johnson. He had a predraft workout with the Thunder on Sunday, per Rookie Wire.
The 24-year-old played in five college seasons from 2019-24. He spent his first three years at George Mason before transferring to Southern Illinois for his final two campaigns.
In 32 games last season, Johnson averaged 22.2 points on 42.2% shooting, 6.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals. He shot 36.8% from 3 on 5.8 attempts. At 6-foot-1, 189 pounds, he’s on the lighter side of guards.
Johnson is a potential undrafted free agent target. He has a shot to join the Thunder’s summer league squad and possibly be added to the G League’s OKC Blue for next season if he impresses enough.
A full list of 2024 NBA draft prospects that have worked out or visited the Thunder in the predraft process can be viewed here.
Top Wisconsin Badgers MBB assistant coach rumored to MVC school
Wisconsin basketball top assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft is rumored to be leaving the Badgers for the head coach opening at Southern Illinois.
The Salukis moved on from head coach Bryan Mullins on March 8 after five seasons and the spot remains vacant.
Krabbenhoft has an incredible reputation in Madison, not only as a coach but also as a recruiter. He has been the Badgers’ lead recruiter on nearly all of their top commits, including Daniel Freitag, Chucky Hepburn, Brad Davison, Nolan Winter, Ben Carlson and Johnny Davis.
The 37-year-old played for the Badgers from 2005-2009 before returning to join Bo Ryan’s staff as the team’s video coordinator in 2012-2013, later returning to Greg Gard’s staff as an assistant coach in 2016 before being promoted to associate head coach in 2022.
Nothing about the Krabbenhoft–Southern Illinois connection is confirmed. But this situation is worth monitoring as the offseason continues.
Head Coaching Whispers: •Lutz to Oklahoma State •Spradlin or Horn Western Kentucky •Krabbenhoft to SIU •Saul Phillips to UT Martin •Ben McCollum to Drake •No Schertz to FAU or Saint Louis •Joyce to Duquesne •Montgomery Inn to Detroit@trillydonovan@samurai_hoops
An unexpected name popped up on the list of transfers Michigan State is adding, and he’s the brother of a current Spartan
Michigan State football officially announced their transfer portal class who have enrolled for classes for the 2024 spring semester, and there was one surprising name on that list. Aveon Grose, a transfer safety from Southern Illinois and brother of Spartan cornerback Angelo Grose, was included on the list.
Grose spent last year with Southern Illinois, and the year before that was with Charlotte. He was a 3-star safety in the 2022 recruiting class.
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Northwestern vs Southern Illinois game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 3 game on Saturday, September 17
Northwestern vs Southern Illinois prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 3, Saturday, September 17
Northwestern vs Southern Illinois How To Watch
Date: Saturday, September 17
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Ryan Field, Evanston, IL
How To Watch: BTN
Record: Northwestern (1-1), Southern Illinois (0-2)
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Will Northwestern have the same turnover problems from the loss to Duke?
The three giveaways – including a brutal late one that killed the comeback attempt in the 31-23 loss – were a problem, the inability to run the ball was a bigger deal, and Southern Illinois has to take advantage of every possible break.
The Salukis are scoring, and they’re doing a great job of controlling the clock. Against Northwestern, time of possession and tempo are vital. However …
SIU’s secondary was rolled by Incarnate Word and its high-powered attack for 451 yards and six scores in a 64-29 loss, and last week SE Missouri State tacked on 332 yards and four more touchdowns in its 34-31 win.
Ryan Hilinski has been great so far with 314 passing yards against Nebraska and 435 more against Duke. He’ll take target practice this week, but …
The Wildcats have to work on getting the running game back.
It looked great late against Nebraska, but it sputtered and stalled in last week’s loss. Hilinski and the Cats will throw well enough to get the win – it won’t be a blowout – but the offense will work on the ground-and-pound this week and next – Miami University to follow – before dealing with Penn State and Wisconsin.
Northwestern vs Southern Illinois Prediction, Line
Northwestern 38, Southern Illinois 20
Line: Northwestern -13.5, o/u: 57
ATS Confidence out of 5: 1.5
Northwestern vs Southern Illinois Must See Rating (out of 5): 2
No. 15 Tennessee opened its 2021-22 season with a comeback victory Wednesday.
The No. 15 Lady Vols (1-0), who trailed throughout much of their contest against Southern Illinois, turned up their defense in the fourth quarter en route to capturing a 59-49 win over the Salukis at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Tennessee was short-handed, as Jordan Horston did not play and Rae Burrell left the game in the first half due to injury after scoring 12 points.
The Lady Vols overcame a 42-38 third quarter deficit and outscored Southern Illinois, 21-7, over the final 10 minutes of the game to emerge victorious.
Newcomer Alexus Dye led Tennessee, recording a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Jordan Walker also had 14 points and Tamari Key, who battled foul trouble, scored all of her points in the fourth quarter to help spark the Lady Vols’ comeback.
Quierra Love led the Salukis (0-1) with 13 points.
Bucky Brooks of NFL.com talked about Southern Illinois safety Jeremy Chinn and the versatility he brings to the table.
The main priority for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers entering this month’s NFL draft will likely be finding protection for quarterback Tom Brady. While the six-time Super Bowl champion certainly brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Bucs, none of that will do them any good if they can’t keep him upright.
Last season, the Bucs’ O-line allowed Jameis Winston to be sacked 47 times, so it’s no wonder most mocks have the Bucs targeting an offensive tackle with the 14th pick in round one.
But, let’s not forget about the Bucs’ secondary. While Tampa Bay’s rush defense ranked first in the NFL last season, allowing just 73.8 yards per game on the ground, their pass defense was 30th in the league. So, while Tampa Bay may address tackle in the first round, looking for a safety or cornerback may take precedence in round two.
In his recent two-round mock draft over at ESPN, Todd McShay had the Bucs taking Southern Illinois safety Jeremy Chinn with the 45th pick in round two. Chinn has many people excited with his size and versatility, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 221 pounds.
“As a run defender, Chinn is an instinctive playmaker with a strong nose for the ball and rock-solid tackling skills. He stones running backs in the hole and displays dependable wrap-up skills while corralling receivers in the open field. Chinn’s tackling skills, aggressiveness and overall physicality make him a potential disruptive force as a box-area defender at the next level. He has a knack for finding the ball and his instincts stand out when studying the tape. With Chinn also showcasing explosive playmaking skills on blitzes, he could be an intriguing defender to build a scheme around.”
Chinn could certainly help improve Tampa Bay’s secondary. The Bucs have young pieces to be excited about in both Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean, but with Drew Brees and Matt Ryan both in the NFC South, the Bucs’ pass defense needs to improve. Chinn may not be available after round one, but if he is, the Bucs should consider adding him to their roster.
