Southern Illinois University
4-13, 0-8MVC
Bradley
7-10, 3-5MVC
Women's Basketball Loses at Bradley, 66-45
01/31/2003 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2003
Peoria, Ill. - Dena Williams and Mandy Sides combined for 22 points off the bench to lead Bradley (7-10, 3-5) to a 66-45 win over Southern Illinois (4-13, 0-8) earlier tonight at Robertson Field House. With the help of Sides and Williams, the Braves held a 34-15 advantage off the pine.
The loss marked SIU's 10th straight and 11th in its last 12 games.
Neither team could build anything larger than a three-point lead in the opening 7:47 of the first half. After a Va'Nicia Watermann three-pointer gave the Braves a 9-6 lead with 15:34 left to play, the Salukis quickly regained a 10-9 advantage on a Hillary Phillips jumper (15:28) and a pair of Tiffany Crutcher free throws (14:10).
Immediately following Crutcher's tosses, SIU ran into trouble on the defensive end of the floor. The Salukis committed six fouls in 2:30, and shortly thereafter, were forced to pull starters Katie Berwanger, Molly McDowell and Dana Pinkston who were whistled for two hacks apiece.
Despite the fouls, SIU kept itself in the game by controlling the offensive glass, where it at one time, held a 9-1 advantage over BU.
Although the Dawgs' rebounding effort was helping, their missed scoring opportunities were not.
Ahead 13-12 after Danette Jones split a pair of free throws with 11:18 remaining, BU went on a 10-0 run that saw SIU go scoreless for six minutes. Consecutive layups by Williams (10:09) and Sides (9:17) ignited the spree which came to an end on a Jaime Lugge jumper.
Leading by nine (22-13), Williams continued to be strong off the bench for the Braves. In the last five minutes of the half, Williams scored easily on back-to-back layups to lift BU to a 30-20 lead at the break.
Williams scored eight points in 13 minutes, as the Braves outscored the Salukis, 20-10 inside the paint. SIU also made just 6-of-28 field goals for a .214 percentage.
After missing twice and turning the ball over once in its first three possessions of the second half, SIU cut BU's lead to 32-26 thanks to consecutive Berwanger layups.
BU, however, answered the SIU attack with a Lugge layup (16:54) and a Sara Bailey jumper. From then on, the Salukis couldn't get any closer.
Up 36-26 with 16:24 left to play, Williams and Lugge converted on layups to push the Braves' lead to 41-29 with 12:49 on the clock.
Both Sides and Lugge would then score a couple more layups each, before the Braves cruised to the 66-45 win.
If it wasn't Lugge driving through the lane, it was Williams or Sides scoring easily underneath, as BU'inside game dominated SIU, 40-20 in the paint.
Lugge shot 8-of-9 from the field to lead the Braves with 17 points. Meanwhile, Sides followed with 12 and Williams finished with 10.
SIU, who shot 23 percent (15-of-64) for the game, was led by Berwanger and Crutcher's eight points apiece. SIU, who ended up being out-rebounded, 50-39, also went without a Saluki scoring in double figures for the second time this season.
The Salukis will return to action Sunday, Feb. 2 at Northern Iowa. Tip off is set for 3:05 p.m.
