Southern Illinois University
4-3
South Dakota State
5-3
Women's Basketball beats South Dakota State, 75-59
12/10/2005 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 10, 2005
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois (4-3) used a 24-3 run to overcome a 10-point second half deficit and beat South Dakota State (5-3), 75-59, earlier today at SIU Arena.
The win ended a three-game losing streak for the Dawgs, who surpassed their win total from the last two seasons.
Down, 43-33, with 17:08 left in the game, SIU's defense forced seven turnovers and limited the Jackrabbits to 1-of-9 field goals over the next 10:30.
"Our defense created some opportunities which increased our intensity level and our offense was much more poised in the second half," said SIU head coach Dana Eikenberg.
Junior Carlai Moore scored eight points to guide the surge, as SIU took a 57-46 lead with 7:20 left to play.
SDSU, who never recovered from the rout, fell behind by as many as 18 (72-54) before suffering its biggest loss of the season.
"I felt we disrupted what they were trying to do and that gave us confidence," said Eikenberg. "It allowed others on our team to step up."
Freshman Jasmine Gibson was part of that group.
A native of Kansas City, Mo., Gibson came off the bench to score double figures for the third time this season. She scored 12 points, including seven during the Salukis' big run.
In the first half, SIU scored on five of its first seven possessions to take an early 11-2 advantage, its first lead since the 9:29 mark of the first half against Indiana eight days ago.
Moments after Jayme Sweere's layup gave SIU a 21-13 lead at the 9:46 mark, the Salukis turned the ball over four times and fell victim to a 14-2 Jackrabbit run.
Six of the last eight points during the run came from behind the three-point arc, as Megan Vogel's trey put the Jacks ahead, 27-23 (5:37), before SDSU took a 36-31 lead at the break.
Moore shot 11-of-13 from the field, including 7-of-8 in the second half en route to her game-high 23 points, her third 20-plus point performance this season.
A native of Kansas City, Kan., she also grabbed three rebounds and dished out two assists.
"I know what Carlai can do and she did exactly that today," commented Eikenberg.
Sweere, who dished out a team-leading six assists and collected three steals, followed with 15 points, while Erin Pauk added 12.
Moore, Sweere and Pauk each scored under 10 points in SIU's previous outing at Tennessee Tech on Dec. 5.
SIU shot a season-high 60.4 percent (32-of-53) from the field. The Salukis also outrebounded the Jackrabbits, 39-30.
Defensively, the Dawgs forced 13 second half turnovers after SDSU turned the ball over only three times in the game's first 20 minutes.
Christina Gilbert led the Jacks with 21 points, as SDSU shot 38.3 percent (23-of-60) on the day.
SIU takes to the road for its final two non-conference games. The Salukis first go to Missouri on Dec. 18, before closing out non-league play at Saint Louis on Dec. 22.
