Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Women's Basketball Hosts Indiana State Friday
02/24/2005 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 24, 2005
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill.-Southern Illinois (3-20, 1-13) plays its final two games of the season this weekend. The Salukis host Indiana State (18-7, 11-5) Friday at 7:05 p.m., and Illinois State (9-15, 6-9) Sunday at 2:05 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
Despite holding a 37-25 lead in its all-time series against INS, the Salukis have dropped their last 10 games to the Sycamores. Of that string of losses, only two have been decided by less than 10 points.
LAST TIME OUT
SIU, who led at halftime for the fourth time this season against Evansville, fell victim to a 15-0 second half run, which polished off a 67-55 win for the Purple Aces last Saturday at Roberts Stadium. UE became the fourth league team to sweep the Salukis in two games this year.
ROUND ONE AGAINST INDIANA STATE
INS caused several turnovers, made plenty of free throws and used a big second half run to beat SIU, 78-66, on Jan. 27 in Terre Haute.
SIU, who lost by 33 or more points at the Hulman Center in each of the last two years, gave the Sycamores all they could handle.
Despite turning the ball over a season-high 29 times, including 19 in the first half, SIU stayed within striking distance of INS for much of the game's first 28 minutes.
SIU just couldn't narrow INS' margin to anything less than three. Ashley Clark finished with 23 points on 8-of-10 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Clark's efforts underneath helped the Sycamores to a 44-22 advantage in points inside the paint.
Like Clark, SIU's Danette Jones also had 23 points. She was 8-of-17 from the field, including 5-of-12 from three-point range.
ABOUT INDIANA STATE
Red-hot INS has won nine of its last 10 games, including two straight. The Sycamores currently occupy the fourth-place spot in the league standings behind SMS, Creighton and Northern Iowa.
The only loss that stopped INS from coming to Carbondale on a 10-game winning streak was a 71-70 nail-biter at league-leading SMS on Feb. 12.
The Sycamores are led by Melanie Boeglin and Ashley Clark, who each average double figures in the scoring column. Boeglin, who tops the Valley with 100 steals, leads all Sycamore scorers with 15.4 points per game, while Clark follows with 14.6.
As a team, INS is scoring a league-leading 75.6 points a game, and ranks second in field goal percentage with a .441 clip. The Sycamores also lead the MVC in steals, averaging 12.3 per outing.
GOOD LUCK SENIORS
SIU bids farewell to four seniors, including Danette Jones, Wendy Goodman, Lecretia Akines and Daphney Desamours on Feb. 27 when the Salukis host Illinois State. Jones and Goodman have played together for four years at SIU, while Akines and Desamours have been with the Dawgs for two.
JONES GARNERS ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT HONORS
Senior guard/forward Danette Jones was one of 10 student-athletes named to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V Women's Basketball Team selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Jones, who carries a 3.82 GPA in Elementary Education, garnered second-team honors.
JONES BOUNCES BACK
SIU's leading scorer, Danette Jones, was held to under 10 points for just the sixth time this season when she scored seven at Northern Iowa on Feb. 10. The native of Salem, Ill., however, regrouped to score 17 points two days later at Bradley (Feb. 12). Against the Braves, she made 6-of-11 field goals, including 3-of-7 from three-point range to lead all Saluki scorers. Jones, who has scored double-figures in 16 games this season, pitched in 10 or more points in seven of her last eight outings.
KEEPING UP WITH JONES
Senior guard/forward Danette Jones leads the Salukis in scoring with 14.7 points per game. A native of Salem, Ill., she has been SIU's top scorer in all but nine games this season. Jones ranks among individuals in the MVC in several categories, including scoring (5th), free throw percentage (9th; .794), three-point field goals made (1st; 61) and minutes played (2nd; 36.6 avg).
ON A ROLL
SIU's top scoring threat, Danette Jones, has been on a tear ever since she was held scoreless in 12 minutes against Northern Iowa on Jan. 14. Since that time, she has recovered to score double figures in eight of her last nine games. However, in four of those outings, Jones has done some serious damage. A native of Salem, Ill., Jones shot a combined 27-of-56 (.482) from the field, 17-of-37 (.459) from three-point range and 13-of-16 (.813) at the free throw line in games from Jan. 27-Feb. 5. She also grabbed seven rebounds, dished out five assists and had two steals.
THREE-MARKABLE
SIU's number one long range threat, Danette Jones has knocked down 61 three-pointers this season, the most of any player in the Valley. Currently ranking 15th in the nation in three-pointers per game (2.7), she has drained five or more treys five times this season. She also knocked down a career-high seven threes (7-of-16) at Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 18. Additionally, Jones ranks eighth all-time in the MVC with 144 career three-pointers.
