Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Women's Basketball visits Wichita State Saturday
01/13/2006 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 13, 2006
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By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
Date: Saturday, Jan. 14, 2006
Tip Off: 2 p.m., CST
Site: Charles Koch Arena (Wichita, Kan.)
The Series: SIU leads, 29-19
Head Coaches: SIU: Dana Eikenberg (9-32, 3-20 MVC/2nd Year)
WSU: Jane Albright (23-44, 11-29 MVC/3rd Year)
Rankings: Neither team is ranked
Audio Webcast:www.kfhradio.com
Livestats:www.goshockers.com
Life on the Road
SIU has lost 15 of its last 17 games on the road, and is 2-6 away from home this season. SIU's two road wins came against Murray State (94-77) and Illinois State (87-65), where the Dawgs posted their two highest point totals this year.
The Last Time . . .
SIU beat an MVC opponent on the road was on Dec. 30 when the Dawgs opened league play with a 87-65 win at Illinois State. The win marked SIU's first in a conference road game since the Salukis won at Bradley, 78-75, on Jan. 31, 2004. Since its win against the Redbirds, SIU has dropped its last two Valley road games.
The Turnaround has Begun Under Eikenberg
SIU has won six games under second-year head coach Dana Eikenberg. As a result, the Salukis match their total number of victories in the last two years. SIU entered its 2005-06 season after back-to-back 3-24 campaigns. The last time the Dawgs posted six or more wins in a season was in 2002-03 (7-20). The Salukis also haven't had six wins through their first 14 games since 1996-97 when it went 8-6.
How About the Valley?
With a win against Wichita State Saturday, SIU will tie its total number of conference wins in the last two years. The Salukis, who finished last in the league standings four-straight years, went a combined 3-33 in the MVC over the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons.
Eikenberg's First League Win Came Against Wichita State
Dana Eikenberg's first Valley win as SIU's head coach came against Wichita State a year ago. The Salukis beat the Shockers, 70-43, on Feb. 3, 2005, in Carbondale for their only conference win, as they later finished at 1-17.
Series History
SIU and Wichita State started playing each other in 1981, and the Salukis have since built a 29-19 series lead. However, the Dawgs have lost 12 of their last 13 games against the Shockers.
Let's Get One
It's been eight years since SIU has won a game in a Missouri State/Wichita State road swing. The last time SIU beat either of these teams away from home was on Feb. 22, 1997. That year, the Salukis defeated MSU, 80-65, in Springfield.
Something's Gotta Give
SIU has gone nine-straight games without a win in Wichita, Kan. The last time the Salukis beat the Shockers on their homecourt was on Jan. 2, 1996 (60-59).
Eight in a Row
Carlai Moore has led the Salukis in scoring for eight-straight games and has poured in 20 or more points in four of those contests. Moore, the Valley's third-leading scorer with 18.7 ppg, also posted double figures in the scoring column in all but one game this season. She is the first Saluki to lead her team in scoring for seven or more consecutive games since Terica Hathaway topped the Dawgs in nine-straight from Jan. 9-Feb. 6, 1999.
Moore on that Stretch
Carlai Moore averaged 21.3 points, made 60.9 percent (70-of-115) of her field goals and knocked down 85.7 percent (30-of-35) of her free throws in the last eight games. She also grabbed 40 rebounds, dished out 10 assists, had seven steals and gathered two blocks, as she leads the Valley in field goal percentage with a .582 mark.
Closing In
Carlai Moore scored 262 points in 14 games this season and is 38 shy of reaching 300 on the year. The most number of points a Saluki has scored in a season in the last five years was 407 by Molly McDowell in 2002-03.
Defending the Trey
The Salukis lead the MVC in three-point field goal percentage defense after 14 games this season. SIU's opponents are averaging just 3.2 treys per game for a mere .268 (45-of-168) percentage. The Dawgs limited their first five conference opponents to a combined 18.6 percent (11-of-59) from behind the arc.
Big Night for the Frosh
Freshman Teresa Parker scored in double figures for the first time in her Saluki career with 10 points in 22 minutes off the bench against Missouri State Thursday. Parker went 4-of-6 from the field and 2-of-3 from the free throw line, while pulling down seven rebounds. She also scored seven of her points as part of an 11-4 run which closed out the first half.
About the Shockers
Wichita State is 8-4 overall and 2-2 in the MVC after recently beating Evansville, 67-61, at home Thursday. The Shockers, currently undefeated at home (6-0) this season, are led by 2005 MVC Freshman-of-the-Year Kiki Stephens' 15.2 ppg. Antionette Wells follows averaging a double-double 12.8 points and 10.2 rebounds on the year. As a team, the Shockers lead the Valley with 11.2 steals a game.
