Saluki fans slow to show support

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- "Go Dawgs!" replaced "God Bless America" on strip mall signs in this town Monday.

That's because Carbondale is the home of Southern Illinois University, and the Salukis are on an unprecedented roll in the NCAA tournament.

By stunning No. 3-seeded Georgia 77-75 Sunday in the East Regional in Chicago, the 11th-seeded Salukis reached the final 16 for the first time since 1977, when only 32 teams participated.

SIU hasn't had this sort of basketball success on the national scene since Walt Frazier led it to the NIT championship in 1967.

"It's kind of wild, us getting this far," said Frank Hiller Jr., co-owner of the Mississippi Flyway bar and grill.

"By Wednesday, the whole town will be decorated. But people aren't used to it yet."

The Salukis (28-7) face Connecticut (26-6) in Friday's regional semifinals in Syracuse, N.Y.

Setting new goals

"We said we wanted to make the NCAA tournament, we wanted to win our conference and we wanted to go to the Sweet 16," said Jermaine Dearman, who led SIU with 25 points against Georgia.

"We've reached all our previous team goals. Our new goal now is to beat UConn."

Several hundred fans filled tiny Williamson County Airport late Sunday to greet the players when they arrived from Chicago. The university, where students returned Monday from spring break, is holding a pep rally tonight.

But there were few obvious signs of spirit on Monday.

Cell phone salesman Dustin Loring said he expected to see more flashes of team spirit -- a banner or two, or decorated cars. After all, rural southern Illinois tends to get fired up about high school sports, and SIU is the only major university for miles around.

"I remember when my team won the 3A state football championship," said Loring, of nearby Carterville. "The whole town was orange and blue."

That will happen here, too, said SIU student Nick Eggett.

"It's still early in the week," Eggett said. "But everyone's talking about it on campus. We're pumped!"