Dantiel Daniels to Return for Southern Illinois on Saturday

Dantiel Daniels will return to the lineup for Southern Illinois when they take on Benedictine-Springfield on Saturday night. The sophomore had been out with a groin injury to begin the season.

Hinson: Southern Illinois' Dantiel Daniels Might Miss Just 5 Weeks

The Missouri Valley conference had their media day teleconference Tuesday, and Southern Illinois coach Barry Hinson gave an update on the injury report for the Salukis.

He said the Salukis are dealing with several injury issues, but the Dantiel Daniels situation is the one that most people are concerned about:

Most significant is C Dantiel Daniels. Out five weeks with a foot injury. SIU really needs him.

—Paul Suellentrop (@PaulSuellentrop) October 29, 2012

This goes back to the first estimate Tom Weber wrote about in his blog after the injury first occurred. With Daniels out for the first five weeks, the Salukis are going to have trouble in the nonconference portion of their schedule.

Fortunately, Southern Illinois has a pretty easy slate this year, so they could survive Dantiels' injury. The real question will be what Daniels is like when he returns. Foot injuries are not exactly kind to big men long term.

Southern Illinois Forward Dantiel Daniels Could Miss Season

Hidden at the end of the recap of Southern Illinois' exhibition victory against Lincoln University is some surprising - and for Saluki fans, troubling - news. According to siusalukis.com's Tom Weber, head coach Barry Hinson is worried that he may lose Dantiel Daniels for the entire season.