Southern Illinois University
Indiana
Women's Basketball falls to Indiana, 64-59
12/02/2005 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 2, 2005
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Indiana (3-3) made only one field goal in the last 7:15 of the game, but used four free throws in the last 20 seconds to squeak past Southern Illinois (3-2), 64-59, earlier tonight at SIU Arena.
IU shot 52.3 percent (23-of-44) on the night, but cooled off down the stretch, where it gave SIU plenty of chances.
"We let tonight slip away due to lack of discipline on the defensive end and not following our game plan," said SIU head coach Dana Eikenberg. "We didn't execute what we worked on."
IU exposed SIU's weaknesses, and Hoosier guards Cyndi Valentin and Jenny DeMuth made the Salukis pay.
DeMuth, who had a double-double 13 points and 14 rebounds, knocked down a pair of free throws with 20 seconds left to give the Hoosiers a 62-57 lead.
Fourteen ticks later, Valentin polished off the win with two free tosses with six seconds remaining. Valentin led IU with 19 points, as the four free throws came after a wild eight-minute span which was up for grabs.
IU led, 60-53, following a three-pointer by Nikki Smith at the 7:15 mark. Then, neither team scored until Jayme Sweere stole the ball, went the length of the court and scored a layup to cut the lead to, 60-55, with 3:48 left.
Carlai Moore's jumper then sliced the lead to 60-57 and the Dawgs appeared to be in business.
However, Erin Pauk (1:37), Sweere (:54) and Elyse Morris (:39) all missed three-pointers in the final two minutes.
IU went 1-of-5 from the field and turned the ball over four times in the last 7:15 of the game.
"We made a couple of good defensive plays in the last eight minutes of the game, but couldn't turn them into easy buckets," said Eikenberg.
SIU, who trailed, 33-30, at the half, only led the Hoosiers once when Sweere's three-pointer put the Dawgs ahead, 18-16, 10 minutes and 30 seconds into the game.
SIU (63) attempted 19 more field goals than IU (44), as the Salukis were getting several looks against the Hoosiers' 2-3 zone.
Meanwhile, on the boards, IU outrebounded SIU, 38-25, but the Dawgs won the battle on the offensive end, 13-9.
Sweere led four Salukis in double figures with 20 points, while Moore added 13, Pauk pitched in 12 and Morris chipped in 10.
SIU has had four or more players put up double-digits in the scoring column in three of its last four games.
The Dawgs also turned the ball over a season-low seven times in the disappointing loss.
SIU, who hits the road to face preseason Ohio Valley Conference favorite Tennessee Tech on Monday, has lost 10 games in a row to Big Ten opponents.
