Southern Illinois University
SE Missouri State
Women's Basketball Loses to SE Missouri State, 77-56
12/01/2004 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 1, 2004
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Tatiana Conceicao scored 27 points, while Natalie Purcell added 13 and Chandra Brown chipped in 10 to lead Southeast Missouri State (4-1) to a 77-56 win over Southern Illinois (0-5) earlier tonight at SIU Arena.
Against a defense which averages 15.8 steals per game, SIU had trouble holding onto the ball early, where it committed 11 turnovers in the first 11:15 of the game.
SIU led by as many as three (3-0) courtesy of a Danette Jones free throw and a Elyse Morris jumper nearly two and a half minutes into the first half.
Shortly after Morris' make, both teams traded baskets en route to a 7-7 tie with 15:25 left to play.
It was then, where the quickness, size and depth of an overpowering Otahkian unit kicked into gear.
Conceicao, scored six points underneath and both Brandi Russia and Julie Sweetin knocked down three-pointers to fuel a 16-0 run.
Sweetin's trey at the 8:14 mark capped off the attack that gave the Otahkians a 23-7 lead.
Although SIU was held scoreless for 8:20 during SEMO's big surge, the Salukis didn't give up.
Trailing, 25-9, with 7:33 remaining, Jones hit a jumper to spark a 11-3 jaunt, which brought the Dawgs to within eight.
Jones, who made shots to start and end the run, scored seven points, including a three-pointer that narrowed SEMO's lead to, 28-20, with 2:44 on the clock.
After a Wendy Goodman jumper sliced the Otahkians' lead to eight (30-22) with 23 seconds, Russia answered with a jumper (:06) to give SEMO a 32-22 advantage at the break.
Conceicao tallied 11 points on 5-of-9 to pace SEMO, who didn't shoot all that well from the field in the first half. In fact, it hit 11-of-32 shots for 34.4 percent.
Jones registered eight first half points, as the Salukis shot 32 percent on 8-of-25 field goals.
Trailing, 41-31, at the 15:16 mark in the second half, SIU suddenly heated up from behind the three-point line.
Amy Hayden, who made just two three-pointers in her first 13 attempts on the season, tied that mark by draining back-to-back long balls in a 1:07 span.
Hayden's huge pair of treys brought the Saluki crowd to its feet, as SIU pulled to within four (41-37) with a little under 14 minutes left.
Shortly after Purcell answered with a three-pointer for SEMO, Jones sunk one from downtown to chop the Otahkians' lead to 44-40 (13:28).
In what appeared as if SIU really had something going after draining three-pointers on three straight possessions, the Salukis ended up missing their next 11 field goals in a row.
The ice cold shooting spell led to a 17-5 SEMO run, and as a result, the Otahkians extended their lead to, 61-45, with 4:48 left.
SIU, who finished the game with five players after Goodman (3:21), Morris (2:14) and Bernettra Grayer (8:44) fouled out, didn't recover, and SEMO went on to win, 77-56.
Jones led all Saluki scorers with 16 points on 4-of-13 field goals, 3-of-8 three-pointers and 5-of-6 free throws. Her three treys pushed her career three-point total to 104, as she moved into a tie for third on the school's all-time list. Jones shares that spot with Molly McDowell who played for the Dawgs from 1999-03.
Daphney Desamours followed with a double-double 14 points and 13 rebounds. Her 13 boards marked a career-high. Hayden also registered double-digits with 10 points off the bench.
Conceicao shot 9-of-16 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free throw line to lead all SEMO scorers. The Otahkians caught fire to shoot 48.1 percent (13-of-27) from the field in the second half.
SIU forced 13 turnovers and had six steals against a much bigger and stronger team, and head coach Dana Eikenberg was happy with the effort.
"I was pleased for a good 23-24 minutes because I felt we really battled hard defensively against a much more athletic team," Eikenberg said. "I thought we were aggressive and did a good job of getting position on our rebounding. We played to their speed for a long time."
The Salukis break for six days before closing out their three-game homestand against Saint Louis on Dec. 7. Tip off is at 7:05 p.m.
