Southern Illinois University
3-15, 2-7MVC
Bradley*
4-13, 2-6MVC
Women's Basketball Sinks Bradley, 78-75
01/31/2004 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2004
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
PEORIA, Ill. - Dana Pinkston hit a three-pointer with four-tenths of a second left to give Southern Illinois (3-15, 2-7) a thrilling 78-75 win over Bradley (4-13, 2-6) earlier tonight at Robertson Field House. Pinkston finished with a career-high 27 points, including 15 from three-point range.
For SIU, the win snapped a five-game losing streak and marked its first over a Valley opponent on the road this season.
After going scoreless in her previous outing against Northern Iowa (1/29), Danette Jones knocked down a pair of three-pointers and four jumpers for 14 points in the first 10:40 of the game.
Following a pair of Dana Pinkston free throws (18:05), Jones scored SIU's next six baskets, four of which helped the Salukis to a 12-5 advantage with 15:44 remaining.
Despite Jones' hot hand, BU answered with a 21-7 run. Amy Peters, who came off the bench to score seven points, including six straight, helped fuel the attack which regained a 26-19 (7:27) lead for the Braves.
SIU, who has been accustomed to falling behind after an opponent makes a big run, such as the Braves', didn't do so this time. Instead, Pinkston heated up from long range and drilled four three-pointers in 7:16 to help the Salukis trade baskets with the Braves for the remainder of the first half.
While Pinkston went on her scoring binge, so did BU's Amy Fuller. Fuller came off the bench and scored eight straight points, including a layup which tied the game at 35-35 (1:12), before Jones hit another three-pointer to give SIU only its second lead at the half this season, 38-35.
The Jones (4-of-6) and Pinkston (4-of-4) show combined for 8-of-10 (.800) three-pointers, as SIU shot a blistering .727 from behind the arc.
Individually, Jones nearly matched her career-high (21) with 20 points on 8-of-13 field goals. As for Pinkston, she shot 4-of-4 from long range and 2-of-2 from the free throw line en route to 14 points.
SIU kept its momentum going in the second half, and as a result, went back-and-forth with BU for the first 13:17, as neither team led by more than three points.
After several lead changes and some occasional ties, Jones came up big again by scoring five straight points to give SIU a 66-61 lead with 6:43 left. Included in Jones' stretch was a four-point play after she was fouled while making a three-pointer at the 7:25 mark.
Two big baskets by Katie Berwanger, who sat most of the game due to foul trouble, gave SIU a 74-70 lead with a little over a minute remaining.
BU then stormed back with a Genny Mueller basket and a Erika Nelson make with less than 40 seconds to play.
Tied 75-75 with 32 ticks on the clock, Pinkston dribbled the length of the floor under intense pressure from the Braves and heaved a three-pointer just to the right of the key. Her huge shot found nothing but the bottom of the net to clinch the 78-75 nail-biter.
On the night, Pinkston shot 8-of-15 from the field, 5-of-8 from three-point range and 6-of-10 from the free throw line. Jones also had a career night for the Dawgs hitting 12-of-21 from the floor, including 6-of-10 from downtown en route to a stunning 33 points.
SIU returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 7 at Evansville. Tip off is at 5 p.m.
