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Freeman verbally commits to Saluki men

By Todd Hefferman, The Southern

Sunday, May 18, 2008 11:26 PM CDT

Iowa's loss became Southern Illinois University's gain late Sunday night.

Former Iowa guard Tony Freeman verbally committed to the Saluki men's basketball team Sunday night. The 6-foot-1 guard from Maywood will likely have to sit out the 2008-09 season per NCAA regulations, but would have one year of eligibility left.

He made his official visit to SIU this past weekend.

Freeman, 21, didn't immediately return a message left on his cell phone late Sunday night.

The junior planned to return to Iowa City, Iowa, for his senior season, but was told by Hawkeye coach Todd Lickliter he wasn't in the plans for the future of the program. The Hawkeyes' leading scorer last season, Freeman missed the first 10 games of the year after suffering a stress fracture during an exhibition game. He returned to play in 22 games, started 19 of them, and averaged 35 minutes per contest.

Freeman averaged 13.8 points per game for a 13-19 Iowa club that finished eighth in the Big Ten Conference. He made 91 of 242 field goals and was 62 of 162 from beyond the arc (38.3 percent). Freeman had as many assists (71) as turnovers, but was a third team all-conference pick by league coaches. He was an honorable mention all-conference pick by the media.

Freeman has a storied basketball history. His father, Tony, lettered at Indiana and helped the Hoosiers win the 1987 national title.

In high school, he was the only player in the history of the East Suburban Catholic League to earn first team all-conference honors all four years. He trails only Isiah Thomas with 1,706 career points at St. Joseph's High School.

Freeman rounds out SIU's 2008 class that includes the Mr. Basketball of Illinois and four other all-state players.

Kevin Dillard, a Homewood-Flossmoor standout, won the state's biggest honor earlier this year. The Salukis have also signed forward Anthony Booker and guard Torres Roundtree of McCluer North (Mo.), guard Ryan Hare of Chicago Marshall High School, and guard Justin Bocot.

Bocot sat out last season due to academics, but was one of the most recruited players in the state his senior year at Bloomington High School.

todd.hefferman@thesouthern.com / 351-5087