Southern Illinois University
3-22, 1-15MVC
Illinois State*
10-16, 7-10MVC
Women's Basketball Falls to Illinois State, 66-59
02/27/2005 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 27, 2005
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Illinois State (10-16, 7-10) had three players score double figures in a 66-59 win over Southern Illinois (3-22, 1-15) earlier today in Missouri Valley Conference action at SIU Arena.
Megan McCracken scored 14 points, while Jaci McCormack added 12 and Amber Shelton pitched in 11 to lead the charge.
Holding a two-point lead (12-10), ILS went on a 12-0 run with a little over 10 minutes to play in the first half.
Ashley Sandstead knocked down a three-pointer and made a pair of free throws to account for nearly half of the points, as the Redbirds took a 24-10 advantage with 10:34 left.
Shortly after Katie Donovan hit a couple free throws to give ILS a 28-21 edge at the 6:36 mark, the Salukis used a 8-2 surge to pull to within a point. Wendy Goodman's jumper with 4:44 remaining sliced the Redbirds' lead to 30-29.
SIU came to within one point (33-32) again when Elyse Morris buried a three-pointer, and trailed by three (35-32) following two McCormack free throws. But, the Salukis couldn't get the basket they needed, despite having several opportunities to score.
Morris (2) and Daphney Desamours (1) combined to miss three shots when the Salukis were down 33-32.
Then, Lecretia Akines, Amy Hayden, Danette Jones and Morris each missed when the Dawgs trailed by three.
Meanwhile, a Holly Hallstrom free throw with 19 seconds left gave the `Birds a 36-32 lead at the break.
SIU had plenty more chances to catch the Redbirds in the second half, but once again, couldn't capitalize.
The Dawgs trailed by three (45-42 and 47-44) on two other occasions, but went a period of 5:20 without a field goal.
While SIU was missing, ILS was heating up.
McCracken's three-pointer (9:41) and McCormack's jumper (9:18) ignited a 12-4 ILS run that shook off the Salukis for good.
Ahead 59-48 after the jaunt, ILS didn't let the Salukis narrow the margin to anything less than six, as the `Birds polished off the 66-59 win.
McCracken shot 5-of-11 from the field, including 3-of-8 from outside the arc, while McCormack went 4-of-10 from the floor and 2-of-2 at the free throw line. Shelton narrowly missed a double-double when her 5-of-11 field goals and 1-of-2 free throws complemented nine rebounds.
Hallstrom also hauled down 15 boards for the `Birds, who edged the Salukis, 44-39, on the glass.
SIU was led by Morris' 13 points. Morris was one of four Salukis scoring in double-digits, as India Bruster followed with 12, and Goodman and Daphney Desamours each had 10.
For SIU seniors Jones, Desamours, Akines and Goodman, each scored at least three points in their final home game as Salukis.
SIU takes to the road for its final two games of the 2004-05 season. The Salukis visit Creighton on Mar. 3 and Drake on Mar. 5.
