Southern Illinois University
2-11, 1-3MVC
Indiana State*
9-5, 3-2MVC
Women's Basketball Falls to Indiana State, 91-58
01/17/2004 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 16, 2004
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind.-- 2003 first-team all-MVC selection Melanie Boeglin scored a career-high 25 points to lead Indiana State (9-5, 3-2) to an easy 91-58 win over Southern Illinois (2-11, 1-3) earlier tonight in Missouri Valley Conference action at the Hulman Center.
The win marked ISU's eighth straight over SIU and 11th in a row over league opponents at home. The Salukis, on the other hand, suffered their second straight loss by 30 or more points at the Hulman Center.
Apparently, ISU didn't like losing two straight games on the road because the minute the official tossed the ball in the air to start the game, an angry Sycamore unit aggressively attacked the Salukis and never let up.
Could things have gone differently from the start? Absolutely. But SIU missed a pair of wide open layups which could have kept it in the game. Then, foul trouble hit starters Daphney Desamours and Stephanie Brown, as each were whistled for two in a span of 21 seconds. While all this was going on, the Sycamores built a 10-0 run by scoring on their first five possessions.
Once SIU settled down, Danette Jones scored five points in the next 2:09 to try and regain some momentum for the Salukis. Her layup and three-pointer were part of a 9-2 run which brought SIU to within three (12-9) at the 16:29 mark of the first half.
Clinging to a 20-14 lead, ISU blew the game wide open in the last 10:36 of the half, where it used a 18-3 run to push its lead to 38-17. SIU turned the ball over five times and went scoreless for 3:08 during that stretch which was capped off by a Celeste Hlebovy layup with 6:33 remaining. Although Hlebovy's easy deuce helped, it was Anne Thatcher (1) and Kristen Weddle's (2) three 3-pointers that really lit up the surge.
Following the run, ISU went on to a commanding 51-25 lead at the break.
ISU nearly matched its league-leading 12.9 steals per game in the first half alone. Sycamore defenders, who created all sorts of havoc for the Salukis, registered 10 steals on 16 turnovers, and as a result, scored 20 points off those miscues.
In the second half, ISU would lead by as many as 35 points on two occasions following a pair of Boeglin free throws (9:19) and a Nikki Hall layup (3:59) before running away with the 91-58 win.
Boeglin shot 7-of-9 from the field, including 2-of-3 from downtown to lead all ISU scorers. Shooting 9-of-11 at the free throw line as well, she also grabbed three rebounds, dished out eight assists and posted four steals in just 29 minutes.
SIU was led by reserve post player Wendy Goodman. Goodman scored a career-high 16 points to accompany a career-high 11 rebounds for her first double-double as a Saluki. Dana Pinkston followed with 12 points.
Tiffany Crutcher (10) and Katie Berwanger (13) also pulled down double figures in rebounds, as the Dawgs registered a season-high 52 boards. For Berwanger, her double-digit outing marked her third straight, as she has now posted 10 or more rebounds on seven occasions this season.
The Dawgs finished with 25 turnovers and shot a dismal .304 (21-of-69) for the game. As for ISU, it shot .485 (32-of-66), including a .576 (19-of-33) clip in the first half. The Sycamores also held a 31-8 advantage in points off turnovers. Additionally, there were a total of 50 fouls between the two teams.
SIU returns to action on Sunday, Jan. 18 when it visits Illinois State at 4:05 p.m.
