Women's Basketball Hosts South Alabama Friday
11/23/2005 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 23, 2005
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By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
Date: Friday, Nov. 25, 2005
Tip Off: 7:05 p.m., CST
Site: SIU Arena (10,014), Carbondale, Ill.
The Series: First Meeting
Head Coaches: SIU: Dana Eikenberg (5-24/2nd Year)
USA: Rick Pietri (86-60/6th Year)
Rankings: Neither team is ranked
Audio Webcast: www.siusalukis.com
Livestats: www.siusalukis.com™™
Best Start in 13 Years
SIU is 2-0 to start a season for the first time since 1991-92. That year, the Salukis tipped off their season with four-straight wins under then-head coach Cindy Scott. SIU later finished 23-8 overall and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where it lost to Ole Miss, 72-56, as a 10-seed.™™
Series History
USA is the second of three opponents SIU meets for the first time in 2005-06. The Jaguars join Weber State and South Dakota State in that group.
Against the Sun Belt Conference
SIU is 9-10 against five of the 11 teams from the Sun Belt Conference. The Dawgs are 1-0 against Florida International, 0-1 against Louisiana-Lafayette, 1-3 against Middle Tennessee State, 1-0 against Troy State and 6-6 against Western Kentucky. USA, along with Arkansas-Little Rock, Arkansas State, Denver, New Orleans and North Texas have never faced the Salukis.
About the Jaguars
Preseason Pick: USA was voted third in the Sun Belt's Preseason West Division Poll. The Jaguars were picked behind North Texas and Louisiana-Lafayette. Scouting Report: After going through an injury-riddled season a year ago, the Jaguars are looking to return to the postseason with the help of 2004-05 Sun Belt Conference Newcomer-of-the-Year JoAnna Williams. Williams picked up where she left off last season, and has helped the Jags to a 2-0 start in 2005-06. Against Southern Mississippi Monday, Williams posted a career-high 26 points, as most of her damage was done at the free throw line (12-of-15). She is one of six letterwinners returning to the Jags this season. Last Time Out: Williams' career-high 26 points led three Jaguars in double figures, as USA beat Southern Miss, 84-72, in its home opener Monday. Cortney Brown and Valencia Boswell also had 11 points. The Jags shot a blistering 57.1 percent (12-of-21) from the field in the second half, hit 6-of-13 three-pointers and made 32 of its 43 attempts at the free throw line in the win.
Party like it's 94
SIU's 94 points against Murray State Tuesday marked the most in a game since the Salukis put up 91 against Middle Tennessee State on Dec. 15, 1996.
I Sweere. It Really Happened
After shooting only 1-of-9 from the field in her Saluki debut against Weber State (11/19), sophomore guard Jayme Sweere regrouped to score a team-leading 28 points against Murray State Tuesday. A native of Springfield, Mo., Sweere scored 12 points in the first half and 16 in the second. She capped her monster night with 11-of-18 field goals, 6-of-8 free throws, three rebounds, three assists and a game-high five steals.
The Moore the Merrier
Junior Carlai Moore also scored over 20 points against Murray State. Moore, who hails from Kansas City, Kan., dominated the paint, where she pitched in 15 second half points en route to her 21-point effort. She scored six points on 3-of-8 field goals in the first half, before bouncing back to shoot a perfect 7-of-7 in the game's final 20 minutes. Moore has scored double figures in each of her first two games as a Saluki.
Fearsome Five
Sweere and Moore were among five double-digit scorers Tuesday. Katy Freeman (14), Jasmine Gibson (12) and Erin Pauk (11) also scored 11 or more points for the Dawgs.
Last Time it Happened
The last time SIU had five double-digit scorers in a game was at Tennessee Tech on Dec. 3, 2003. Danette Jones (17), Tiffany Crutcher (13), Dana Pinkston (12), Wendy Goodman (12) and Katie Berwanger (10) accomplished the feat that year.
34-Minute Machine
Sophomore point guard Erin Pauk is playing the most of any Saluki this season. A native of St. Charles, Mo., Pauk averages 34 minutes per game as the Dawgs' point guard. She leads the Salukis in assists (7), ranks third in steals (4) and is SIU's third-leading scorer with 11.5 points a game.
Smells Like Pine in Here
Thanks largely in part to sophomore Katy Freeman and freshman Jasmine Gibson, the Saluki bench is outscoring its opponents, 48-17, after two games this season. Freeman and Gibson keyed SIU's reserves to a 34-11 advantage against Murray State Tuesday. Freeman and Gibson are averaging 10 and 9 points, respectively, off the pine. Combined, the two have accounted for 30 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists and four steals in two games this year.
Defense Creates Offense
SIU leads the Missouri Valley Conference in both steals (12.5 avg) and turnover margin (+7.00), and ranks fourth in scoring offense (74.5 ppg) after its first two games this season. The Dawgs are forcing 21 turnovers a game.
Eikenberg vs. the Sun Belt
Dana Eikenberg is 0-1 against Sun Belt Conference teams in a little over five years as a Division I head coach. Her only loss came at UMKC, where her 2002-03 Kangaroos fell to North Texas, 65-41, on Nov. 29.
Window Washer
Sophomore guard Elyse Morris leads the Salukis in rebounding with eight boards per game. A native of Prophetstown, Ill., Morris nabbed a career-high 10 rebounds against Murray State on Nov. 22. She has 16 rebounds on the year, including seven on the offensive glass.
Let's Get Three
With a win Friday, SIU will match its total number of non-conference wins over the last two years. The Dawgs entered the year with a 3-15 mark in non-conference play after going 1-8 in 2003-04 and 2-7 in 2004-05.
Hot Dawgs
SIU shot a blazing 54.4 percent from the field Tuesday against Murray State. The Salukis shot 19-of-36 for 52.8 percent in the first half and 18-of-32 for 56.3 percent in the second. The 54.4 clip marked the Salukis' best field goal percentage in 20 games dating back to Dec. 18, 2004, where SIU shot 53.5 percent at Bethune-Cookman.
Up Next
SIU crosses the Mississippi River to visit SE Missouri State on Tuesday, Nov. 29. Tip off is set for 7:30 p.m., CST. That game will be broadcast live on WUEZ 95.1 FM and www.siusalukis.com.
