Women's Basketball to Host Northwestern
12/19/2003 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 19, 2003
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill.-- Southern Illinois (0-7) remains at home to host Big Ten Conference foe Northwestern (5-3) on Saturday, Dec. 20. Tip off is set for 2:05 p.m., at SIU Arena.
SIU has lost its last six games to Northwestern, who holds a commanding 8-1 series lead. Both schools hooked up a year ago in Evanston, where the Wildcats posted a 75-62 win.
Still searching for their first win of the season, the Salukis enter tomorrow's contest coming off a close 59-55 loss to Southern Miss (12/16) earlier this week. Although Danette Jones still leads all SIU scorers with 11.3 points per game, it has been junior Wendy Goodman and sophomore Amy Hayden who have been key off the bench as of late. Against the Lady Eagles, Hayden registered a career-high 10 points and Goodman pitched in eight, as the two led the Dawgs to a 21-2 advantage in bench points.
Currently on a two-game winning streak, Northwestern enters Saturday's matchup coming off back-to-back wins over West Virginia (60-57) and Illinois-Chicago (78-77, 3 OT). Four of the Wildcats' first five wins this season have been decided by no more than four points. Junior guard Samantha McComb tops the team with 13.6 points per game to pace three starters who average double figures. Sophomore Ifeoma Okonkwo (11.1 ppg) and junior center Sarah Kwasinski (10.6 ppg) follow.
Based on both school's numbers this season, you might think that Saturday's game could be a low-scoring affair. As a team, Northwestern is scoring just 60 points per contest, while SIU is close behind with a 61.3 average. Both are also similar in field goal (SIU, .437, NU, .432) and three-point (NU, .331, SIU, .321) percentage.
The last time SIU defeated a Big Ten opponent was in 1993-94 under former head coach Cindy Scott. The Dawgs beat Illinois, 69-65, as one of eight wins in their first 11 games that season. Since then, SIU has gone 0-7 against Big Ten schools.