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Media Credit: Anthony Souffle THURSDAY September 27, 2007 -- SIU forward Randal Falker greets fans at the Willimson County Aiport as he and fellow teammates arrive back in soutern Illinois following their victory over Virginia Tech in the first round of the Men's NCAA Tournament in Columbus, Ohio on March 18. Falker and the team will take to the floor of the SIU Arena for the first time Oct. 12 in the nationally-televised "Maroon Madness." Anthony Soufflé ~ Daily Egyptian FILE PHOTO

Ball boys and coaches won't be the only ones watching when the SIU men's basketball team suit up for its first practice of the season.

One of the ESPN networks is slated to air the Salukis first official practice - dubbed "Maroon Madness" as a take-off on the traditional Midnight Madness events to mark the first practice of the college basketball season - on Oct. 12.

The event is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the SIU Arena and will be free to fans.

The team hosted similar events in the 1990s under then-head coach Bruce Weber called "Almost Late Night," and has recently hosted "Afternoon Madness" under head coach Chris Lowery.

Lowery said this year's event would be more encompassing of the heights Saluki basketball has reached in recent years.

"It'll be different because in the past we've really downplayed it and haven't had a chance to really market it the way it should be," Lowery said. "Now we are and it's going to be a true Midnight Madness."

The event is set to air as part of a two-hour special on a yet-to-be-determined ESPN network with similar events from Georgetown University, the University of Memphis and Davidson College, said Mark Gazdik, assistant athletic director of marketing.

The program will be the first time SIU fans will get to see the 2007-08 basketball team on the court, and will include a dunk contest, three-point contest, prize giveaways for students and a post-practice autograph session, Gazdik said.

Lowery said he remembers the event fondly from his times in a maroon jersey.

"It was just a fun time - the start of practice, the start of a new season, and really a chance for you to get out in front of people," Lowery said. "The adrenaline of having fans see you play, even it's just a scrimmage and not something you take very seriously."

Gazdik, who marketed similar events at Xavier University, said he hopes to see 9,000 screaming Saluki fans greet the team at the event. He said the Xavier events traditionally netted 4,000 to 5,000 fans.

The fact that the event is televised nationally, Lowery said, should provide great exposure for the program and its fans.

"Any chance you get to be on TV is obviously a plus," Lowery said. "It doesn't mean anything to our players because most of them have been on TV quite a bit in their careers. It's just a chance for our new guys to get a chance to be in front of cameras, and hopefully it's more of a fan friendly event for our fans than it is an event for our players."

Daily Egyptian writer Sean McGahan can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 269 or mcgahan@siu.edu.

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