Southern Illinois University
1-6
Southern Mississippi
3-4
Women's Basketball Falls to Southern Mississippi, 55-48
12/11/2004 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 11, 2004
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Deondra Carter scored 20 points, and Southern Mississippi (3-4) shot nearly 47 percent en route to beating Southern Illinois (1-6), 55-48, earlier tonight at Reed Green Coliseum.
It was a sloppy start for both teams, as SIU and USM combined for 14 turnovers in the first 9:44 of the game.
The Golden Eagles, who entered the night coming off a school record 48 turnovers against Louisiana-Monroe, committed three on their first four possessions.
As a result, the Salukis took a quick 4-2 lead on an Elyse Morris layup nearly one and a half minutes into the first half.
Despite all the turnovers, SIU and USM were trading baskets.
Shortly after Shannon Stueber knocked down a three-pointer to give the Golden Eagles a five-point lead (15-10) with 10:15 remaining, Daphney Desamours responded with a pair of buckets in a span of seven seconds.
Moments after banking in a jumper (9:53), Desamours stole the ball and converted a layup (9:46), and just like that, SIU was within one at 15-14.
The Golden Eagles went ahead of the Salukis by five for a second time when a Carter jumper made it 21-16 at the 6:45 mark.
But, SIU answered with another Desamours basket (5:35) and a Bernettra Grayer jumper (5:31) to narrow the gap to 21-20.
The see-saw battle continued in the waning minutes of the half, but USM managed to string together a 6-2 run to take a 27-22 edge at the break.
Carter scored 12 points to lead all Golden Eagle scorers in the first half. For SIU, Hayden scored eight points, while Desamours added six to join forces for 14 of the Dawgs' 22 points.
Although it made just 37.9 percent (11-of-29) field goals, SIU managed to hang with USM, who shot 52 percent (13-of-25). There were a total of 25 turnovers in the opening stanza, including 13 by the Golden Eagles.
Additionally, SIU's lone bench of Desamours (6), Grayer (2) and India Bruster (2) outscored USM's reserves, 10-0.
Danette Jones, who was held scoreless in the game's opening 20 minutes, pitched in a jumper to ignite a 6-0 run to start the second half.
Wendy Goodman and Desamours also scored during the stretch that gave the Salukis their first lead (28-27) since the 18:32 mark of the first half.
Desamours, who capped off the rally, scored five more points, consecutively, to keep things going for SIU, as the back-and-forth battle resumed.
While SIU hung tight with USM, it was the Golden Eagles who scored when it mattered most, especially at the free throw line.
USM attempted 13 free throws compared to SIU's seven in the second half. What made things even more interesting was how the Golden Eagles did not go to the foul line at all in the first half.
Behind Kelsey Gurganus' four straight free throws, the Golden Eagles were able to take a 34-28 lead at with 13:32 mark.
Gurganus would pitch in her fifth free throw of the half as part of a conventional three-point play which gave USM another six-point lead (43-37) at the 6:39 mark.
Then, in the last three minutes, a key offensive rebound and layup by Emer Foley and a Carter bucket underneath put USM ahead by eight, 53-45, thus marking its biggest lead of the game, before the Golden Eagles polished off the 55-48 win.
Carter finished with 10-of-15 field goals and six rebounds to top the Golden Eagles. Shannon Stueber followed with 14 points.
SIU was led by Hayden for the second game in a row. Hayden finished with 15 points on 6-of-15 field goals, one three-pointer and a pair of free throws. Desamours, who did not start tonight's game due to disciplinary reasons, came off the bench to score 13 points on 6-of-12 from the field.
SIU outrebounded USM, 41-33, including a 22-11 advantage on the offensive glass. USM, however, shot 46.9 percent (23-of-49) for the game, which outweighed SIU's 36.1 percent (22-of-61).
The Salukis close out their non-conference schedule with two games in the Sunshine State. SIU visits Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 18 and Stetson on Dec. 21.
