Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Women's Basketball hosts Creighton Thursday
01/18/2006 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 18, 2006
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By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
Date: Thursday, Jan. 19, 2006
Tip Off: 7:05 p.m., CST
Site: SIU Arena (Carbondale, Ill.)
The Series: Creighton leads, 22-10
Head Coaches: SIU: Dana Eikenberg (9-33, 3-21 MVC/2nd Year).
CU: Jim Flanery (73-36, 45-14 MVC/4th Year)
Rankings: Neither team is ranked
Audio Webcast: www.siusalukis.com
Livestats: www.siusalukis.com
Going for Five
SIU looks for its fifth win at home this season against the Bluejays Thursday. The Salukis are currently 4-2 at SIU Arena, where they are holding opponents to under 60 points (59.2 ppg) a game. SIU has gone the last eight years with losing records at home.
Valley Home Games
SIU has had only two Valley home games so far this season. The Dawgs dropped their MVC home opener, 59-48, to Northern Iowa on Jan. 5. SIU then regrouped to beat Bradley, 66-64, on Jan. 7.
The Turnaround has Begun Under Eikenberg
SIU has won six games this season under second-year head coach Dana Eikenberg. As a result, the Salukis matched their total number of victories in the last two years. SIU entered its 2005-06 season after back-to-back 3-24 campaigns in 2003-04 and 2004-05. Prior to that, the last time the Dawgs posted six or more wins in a season was in 2002-03 (7-20). SIU hasn't had six wins through its first 15 games of a season since 1996-97.
How About the Valley?
With a win against Creighton Thursday, SIU will tie its total number of conference wins in the last two years. The™™ Salukis, who finished 10th in the league standings the last four years, went a combined 3-33 in the MVC over the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons.
Eikenberg Posts One League Win in SIU Debut
Dana Eikenberg's only Valley win in her first year as SIU's head coach came against Wichita State. The Salukis beat the Shockers, 70-43, on Feb. 3, 2005, before finishing the year at 1-17. Creighton, along with every other team in the conference, with the exception of WSU, swept the Dawgs a year ago. The Bluejays won, 85-63, in Carbondale and, 78-58, in Omaha.
Series History
Creighton leads the all-time series against SIU by a count of 22-10. The Bluejays have won nine of the last 10 meetings and are 8-1 in their last nine visits to Carbondale.
Points Have Been Tough to Get against Jays
SIU averaged only 57.3 points in its last nine games against Creighton. The Bluejays also held the Salukis under 55 points on four of those occasions. The most points SIU has put up against CU in the last nine meetings was 70 in 2002-03. That year, the Dawgs beat the Jays, 70-63, in Carbondale.
Similar Scenario. Hopefully, Same Outcome
In 2002-03, Creighton came to town in a first-place tie atop the league standings. However, SIU stunned the Bluejays with a 70-63 upset. This year, CU comes to SIU Arena in a second-place tie among league foes after going 4-1 in its first five MVC contests.
Moore Consistency
Carlai Moore has been the most consistent of any Saluki this season. A native of Kansas City, Kan., Moore has led SIU in scoring for nine-straight games, and is the first Saluki to accomplish that feat since Terica Hathaway topped the Dawgs in as many games from Jan. 9-Feb. 6, 1999. She has scored 20 or more points in four of her first six Valley games, including a career and league high 31 against Illinois State on Dec. 30. In addition, Moore has scored double- digits in all but one game and has poured in 20 or more points eight times.
Moore Gets Double-Double
Carlai Moore had a double-double 23 points and 11 rebounds against Wichita State on Jan. 14. She became the first Saluki to register a double-double since India Bruster had 16 points and 13 boards against Northern Iowa on the exact same day a year ago.
Smoking Streak
Red-hot Carlai Moore has averaged 21.4 points, made 58.5 percent (79-of-135) of her field goals and knocked down 81.3 percent (35-of-43) of her free throws in the last nine games. She also registered a double-double (23 pts., 11 reb.) and poured in a career-high 31 points. Additionally, Moore grabbed a total of 51 rebounds, dished out 11 assists, had eight steals and gathered two blocks during that span.
Closing In
Carlai Moore has scored 285 points in 15 games this season and is 15 shy of reaching 300 on the year. The most points a Saluki has scored in a season in last five years are 407 by Molly McDowell in 2002-03.
Freshmen Step Up
Freshmen Teresa Parker and Erica Smith registered double figures in the scoring column for the first time in their Saluki careers last week. Parker, who hails from Pequot Lakes, Minn., scored 10 points and had seven rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench against Missouri State (Jan. 12). Seven of Parker's points came as part of an 11-4 run to close out the first half. As for Smith, she came off the bench to score 13 points, haul down seven rebounds and post four steals in 32 minutes against Wichita State (Jan. 14). A native of St. Louis, Mo., Smith scored nine of her points in the second half.
Defending the Trey
The Salukis lead the MVC in three-point field goal percentage defense after 15 games this season. SIU's opponents are averaging just 3.1 treys per game for a mere .266 (47-of-177) percentage. The Dawgs limited their first six conference opponents to a 13-of-68 (19.1 percent) threes.
NCAA National Statistics Update
In the latest NCAA Division I women's basketball statistics released on Jan. 16, SIU ranked 30th in free throw percentage (.742) and is 28th. Individually, Carlai Moore ranks 24th in field goal percentage (.569, minimum of 5 FG made per game) and ties for 27th in scoring (19.0 ppg).
Freeman Doubtful
Sophomore guard Katy Freeman is doubtful for Thursday's game against Creighton. Swelling occurred in Freeman's right knee following SIU's game against Missouri State on Jan. 12. She did not play against Wichita State on Jan. 14.
About the Bluejays
Creighton opened league play with four-straight wins for the third consecutive season, as the Bluejays are 6-8 overall and 4-1 in MVC play. Currently in a second-place tie in the Valley, CU is led by Angie Janis, who averages 18.6 points and 8.3 rebounds as one of three Jays starters averaging double-digits on the year. CU has won four of its last five games and leads the league in rebounding margin (+5.9).
