Women's Basketball opens MVC play Friday at Illinois State
12/28/2005 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 28, 2005
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By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
Date: Friday, Dec. 30, 2005
Tip Off: 7:05 p.m., CST
Site: Redbird Arena (10,200), Normal, Ill.
The Series: ILS leads, 43-40
Head Coaches: SIU: Dana Eikenberg (7-29/2nd Year)
ILS: Robin Pingeton (34-35/3rd Year)
Rankings: Neither team is ranked
Radio Broadcast: 95.1 WUEZ FM
Audio Webcast: www.siusalukis.com
Livestats: www.goredbirds.com
Struggling Salukis
After starting a season at 3-0 for the first time in 14 years, SIU stumbled to a 1-5 record to close out non-conference play at 4-5. The Salukis' four non-league wins, however, did surpass their total number of victories outside the MVC over the previous two years.
Tough Road
SIU lost 14 of its last 15 games on the road. The Salukis entered the 2005-06 season with a 10-game losing streak away from home, but ended that with a 94-77 win at Murray State on Nov. 22. SIU is currently 1-4 in away games this season. Also, the Dawgs are 0-2 in their current four-game road stretch.
Series History
SIU has played in-state rival Illinois State the most of any league opponent. The Rebirds hold a slight 43-40 lead in the overall series which dates all the way back to 1962.
Eikenberg Against the `Birds
Every Valley team except Wichita State swept SIU in Dana Eikenberg's debut as the Salukis' head coach a year ago. With that being said, Eikenberg is 0-2 all-time against ILS after losing, 70-49, in Carbondale and, 75-53, in Normal.
Valley Openers
SIU is 12-10 all-time in Missouri Valley Conference openers. The Salukis, who tipped off league play at home the last four seasons, haven't won an MVC-opener since 1999-00. That year, SIU beat Indiana State, 64-62, on the road under then-head coach Julie Beck. This year marks only the third time the Dawgs face Illinois State in their conference debut.
Salukis Look to Regroup in Normal
SIU dropped five of its last six games and enters its 18-game conference slate on a two-game losing skid. The Salukis have been held under 30 points in at least one half of basketball in four of their last five outings.
Road Trippin'
The Salukis open league play on the road against Illinois State and Indiana State for the fifth time since the three teams became members of the Gateway Conference in 1983-84. SIU started conference play with the Illinois State/Indiana State road swing in 1983-84, 1988-89, 1998-99 and 1999-00. Of those years, the Dawgs only swept the trip once, and that was in 1983-84.
Twenty Moore
Carlai Moore scored over 20 points in a game for the fourth time this season with 25 against Saint Louis on Dec. 22. Moore scored 13 points in the first half and 12 in the second. She shot 11-of-17 from the field and 3-of-5 from the free throw line, while pulling down seven rebounds and dishing out one assist in a career-high 38 minutes. Moore has made 54 percent (29-of-54) of her field goals en route to 66 points in her last three outings.
Transfers Debut in the Valley
UMKC transfers Carlai Moore, Jayme Sweere and Erin Pauk each make their Valley debuts as Salukis this weekend. Moore ranks third in the league in both scoring (17.6 ppg) and field goal percentage (.584), while Sweere, the MVC's Newcomer-of-the-Week on Nov. 28, is fifth in steals (2.2 spg). Meanwhile, Pauk ranks fourth among MVC individuals in assist/turnover ratio with a 1.68 rating.
Reserved for Gibson
Freshman Jasmine Gibson scored a career-high 16 points against Saint Louis on Dec. 22. A native of Kansas City, Mo., Gibson shot 6-of-10 from the field and 4-of-4 from the foul line, while grabbing a career-high nine rebounds, dishing out three assists and posting one steal in 25 minutes off the bench. The double-digit effort, which marked Gibson's fourth of the season, helped the Saluki reserves outscore the Billikens, 24-10.
Starters Sputter against SLU
Only one starter scored double figures SIU's stunning 63-61 loss to Saint Louis on Dec. 22. Carlai Moore's 25 points overpowered the rest of the starting lineup, which accounted for a mere 12 points. Jayme Sweere and Katy Freeman were also held scoreless in the loss. SIU has had at least three of its starters pitch in double figures in seven of nine games this season.
Halve it Your Way
SIU has trailed its opponent at halftime in four of its last five games, and is 1-3 in those matchups. The only win during that span came against South Dakota State on Dec. 10. SIU fell behind, 36-31, in the first half, before outscoring the Jackrabbits, 44-23, in the second en route to a 75-59 win.
