Women's Basketball heads to SE Missouri State Tuesday
11/28/2005 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 28, 2005
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By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2005
Tip Off: 7:30 p.m., CST
Site: Show Me Center (7,000)
The Series: SIU leads, 23-5
Head Coaches: SIU: Dana Eikenberg (6-24/2nd Year)
SEMO: B.J. Smith (59-34/4th Year)
Rankings: Neither team is ranked
Radio: WUEZ 95.1 FM
Audio Webcast: www.siusalukis.com
Two Left
Southern Illinois is one of two undefeated Missouri Valley Conference teams remaining after three games this season. The Salukis, along with Illinois State are currently atop the league standings at 3-0.
Best Start in 13 Years
SIU is 3-0 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. The best start of a Saluki team in school history is 10-0 under Charlotte West in 1969-70.
Hot Dawgs Getting it Done
SIU ranks among the top-two MVC leaders in several categories, including scoring offense (2nd, 77.0 ppg), scoring margin (1st, +15.0), free throw percentage (1st, .825), field goal percentage (1st, .457), rebounding defense (2nd, 33.0 rpg), steals (1st, 11.7 avg) and turnover margin (2nd, +8.00). Defensively, the Dawgs have forced 23 turnovers in two of their first three games and are forcing 22.3 on the year. On the offensive side, SIU has heated up to shoot over 50 percent from the field in the first half of its last two games -- 52.8 percent (19-of-36) at Murray State (11/22) and 51.7 percent (15-of-29) vs. South Alabama (11/25).
Eikenberg vs. SEMO
Dana Eikenberg is 0-1 all-time against SE Missouri State. At UMKC, Eikenberg's Kangaroos lost to the Redhawks, 65-48, in 2000-01.
Series History
SIU is 23-5 all-time against SEMO in a series which dates back to 1962. The Salukis have lost their last three against the Redhawks, including two in Cape Girardeau.
Against the OVC
SIU moved to 108-31 all-time against OVC schools when it beat Murray State on Nov. 22. The Salukis are 36-6 against Eastern Illinois, 2-0 against Eastern Kentucky, 31-4 against Murray State, 23-5 against SEMO, 7-5 against Tennessee-Martin, 2-0 against Tennessee State and 7-11 against Tennessee Tech. SIU has played all but four teams -- Morehead State, Austin Peay, Samford, Jacksonville State -- from the OVC.
Eikenberg Gets First Win vs. OVC Opponent
Dana Eikenberg moved to 1-2 against OVC opponents with a win at Murray State on Nov. 22. In a little over five years as a Division I head coach, Eikenberg's teams have defeated Murray State, 94-77, in 2005-06 and lost to SEMO, 65-48, in 2000-01 and Austin Peay, 70-62, in 2002-03.
About the Redhawks
Preseason Pick: SEMO was picked second in this year's OVC Preseason Poll behind Tennessee Tech. The Redhawks went 22-8 overall and 14-2 in the conference a year ago. Scouting Report: Under the direction of fourth-year head coach B.J. Smith, SEMO returns three starters and seven letterwinners from a squad that advanced to the finals of the OVC Tournament last season. 2005-06 OVC Preseason Player-of-the-Year Tatiana Conceicao currently leads the Redhawks with 20.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Conceicao, who scored 27 points against the Salukis a year ago, was the OVC's Player-of-the-Year in 2004-05. As a team, SEMO averages 76.2 points and is turning the ball over 22.5 times a game. Last Time Out: Tatiana Conceicao's double-double of 30 points and 10 rebounds led SEMO to a 79-66 win over Henderson State on Nov. 26. Conceicao shot 10-of-14 from the field and 10-of-12 at the free throw line, while dishing out one assist and posting two steals.
Many See Doubles
Four or more Salukis put up double figures in the scoring column in each of SIU's two games last week. Against Murray State (11/22), Jayme Sweere (28), Carlai Moore (21), Katy Freeman (14), Jasmine Gibson (12) and Erin Pauk (11) keyed SIU to a 94-77 win. Three days later, Moore (28), Pauk (14), Sweere (13) and Elyse Morris (11) took over to lead the Dawgs to an 82-61 win over South Alabama (11/25). The last time SIU had four or more players score double-digits in back-to-back games was on Feb. 25 (at Illinois State) and Mar. 3 (at Evansville), 2001.
Moore On a Roll
Carlai Moore went on a scoring binge in two games for SIU last week. A native of Kansas City, Kan., Moore averaged 24.5 points on the week, with 21 against Murray State (11/22) and 28 against South Alabama (11/25). She shot a blazing 56.3 percent (18-of-32) from the field and 81.3 percent (13-of-16) from the free throw line, while grabbing 12 rebounds and posting two steals. Moore, who averages a team-leading 19.7 points per game, became the first Saluki to score 20 or more points in consecutive games this season. She is also the league's third-leading scorer.
Gotta L-Eik It
Dana Eikenberg is off to her best start as a Division I head coach. At UMKC, Eikenberg's teams went 0-3 in 2000-01 and 2001-02, and 1-2 in 2002-03 and 2003-04. In her SIU debut a year ago, the Salukis started at 0-3. Eikenberg is 44-98 in her fifth year as a head coach.
PAU-erful at the Point
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. As SIU's third-leading scorer (12.3 ppg), she has posted double figures in all three games this season. Pauk also ranks among MVC leaders in assists (t11th, 3.0 apg), free throw percentage (7th, .923), three-point field goal percentage (t2nd, .500), three-point field goals made (t8th, 5 3FG) and assist/ turnover ratio (4th, 1.80).
10 in a Row
Erin Pauk looks to extend a streak of 10 consecutive free throws Tuesday at SEMO. Pauk, who boasts a 92.3 percentage at the line this season, has only missed once, as she is 12-of-13. Over the last two games, Pauk has knocked down 6-of-6 free throws against Murray State (11/22) and 4-of-4 against South Alabama (11/25).
Sweere Sizzles
After shooting only 1-of-9 from the field in her Saluki debut against Weber State (11/19), Jayme Sweere bounced back with back-to-back double-digit outings last week. Sweere, who hails from Springfield, Mo., pitched in 12 points in the first half and 16 in the second en route to a career-high 28 points at Murray State on Nov. 22. Three days later, she scored 13 against South Alabama (11/25). On the week, Sweere made 17-of-34 (.500) field goals and 7-of-9 free throws. She also pulled down 11 rebounds, dished out eight assists and had 10 steals. Sweere is the Dawgs' second-leading scorer with 14.3 points after three games.
Saluki Bench Giving Opponents Splinters
Thanks largely in part to sophomore Katy Freeman (9.3 ppg), freshman Jasmine Gibson (8.0 ppg) and sophomore Elyse Morris (6.3 ppg), the Saluki bench is outscoring its opponents, 73-39, after three games this season. The patented trio has combined for 71 points, 47 rebounds, 10 assists, three blocks and 10 steals. Freeman (.500, 11-of-22) and Gibson (.800, 12-of-15) are also shooting over 50 percent from the field, while Morris is SIU's leading rebounder with 7.0 boards a game.
Pressure, Pressure, Pressure
SIU leads the MVC with 11.7 steals a game and is forcing a second-best 22.3 turnovers. The Salukis recently held South Alabama to 19 points in the first half on Nov. 25. The last time the Saluki defense held an opponent to 20 or less points in the first half was against DePaul on Nov. 23, 2002. SIU led the Blue Demons, 31-20, at the intermission.
Up Next
SIU returns home to host Indiana on Friday, Dec. 2. Tip off is at 7:05 p.m., CST. Live audio for that game can be accessed on the internet at www.siusalukis.com.