Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Women's Basketball hosts Drake Saturday
01/20/2006 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 20, 2006
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
Date: Saturday, Jan. 21, 2006
Tip Off: 2:05 p.m., CST
Site: SIU Arena (Carbondale, Ill.)
The Series: Drake leads, 38-20
Head Coaches: SIU: Dana Eikenberg (10-33, 4-21 MVC/2nd Year)
DU: Amy Stephens (38-37, 23-19 MVC/3rd Year)
Rankings: Neither team is ranked
Radio: WCIL 1020 AM
Audio Webcast: www.siusalukis.com
Livestats: www.siusalukis.com
Home Sweet Home
SIU moved to 5-2 at home with a dominating 85-63 win against Creighton Thursday. Prior to this year, SIU went eight-straight seasons with losing records at home. The five home victories are also the most in a season since the Dawgs went 8-4 in 1996-97.
Heat Flash
SIU shot a season-high 61 percent (36-of-59) from the field against Creighton Thursday. The Salukis, who held a double-digit lead at halftime for the second time in Valley play, made 15 of their first 18 field goals to open the second half. The Salukis have shot over 60 percent in a game twice this season.
Going for the Sweep
SIU has been in position to sweep Creighton and Drake at home only once in the last nine years. The lone occasion was in 2003 when the Dawgs upset, at the time, league-leading CU, 70-63. The last time the Salukis beat both the Bluejays and Bulldogs at SIU Arena was in 1996 -- 77-67 vs. CU; 76-68 vs. Drake.
Swarming Salukis
The Saluki defense has forced 21 or more turnovers in three of its last four conference games. SIU recently smothered Creighton into 22 turnovers, including six in the last 6:30 of the first half. Opponents are committing an average of 16 turnovers against SIU in league play this season.
The Turnaround has Begun Under Eikenberg
Dana Eikenberg is turning around the Saluki program in just her second year as head coach. Eikenberg and the Dawgs are three wins shy of getting 10 victories in a season for the first time since 1997-98 (10-18). SIU's three conference wins also match the total number of wins in MVC play over the last two years combined (3-33). Additionally, no Saluki team has posted seven or more wins in its first 16 games of a season since 1996-97 (9-7).
Headed in the Right Direction
When you compare Dana Eikenberg's dramatic four-year stint at UMKC to what she has accomplished at SIU thus far, you can clearly see Eikenberg has the Dawgs headed in the right direction.
At UMKC
2000-01: 2-25, 2-14 (9th)
2001-02: 7-21, 3-11 (8th)
2002-03: 14-14, 8-6 (t2nd)
2003-04: 15-14, 11-5 (2nd)
(Mid-Con Finish in parentheses)
At SIU
2004-05: 3-24, 1-17 (10th)
2005-06: 7-9, 3-4
(currently 7th in MVC)
Series History
SIU has lost 19-straight games against Drake, and trails the overall series, 38-20. That losing streak currently stands as the longest against any league opponent. The Salukis haven't beaten the Bulldogs since 1996 when they posted a 73-66 win in Des Moines on Feb. 1, 1996.
Drake at SIU Arena
Drake is perfect in its last nine trips to Carbondale. The Bulldogs haven't lost at SIU Arena since 1995-96.
Moore Consistent Every Game
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 10-straight games. She is the first Saluki to lead her team in scoring in 10 or more consecutive games since Amy Rakers was SIU's top scorer in 25-straight games from Nov. 25, 1990 to Feb. 14, 1991.
Twenties Only Please
Carlai Moore scored 20 or more points in all but two Valley games this year. She has scored double-digits in 15 of SIU's 16 games, including a career and league high 31 points against Illinois State on Dec. 30. Moore also pitched in 20 or more points her last four games and had a double-double 23 points, 11 rebounds at Wichita State on Jan. 14.
Sizzling Stretch
Red-hot Carlai Moore has averaged nearly 22 points (21.9), made almost 60 percent (91-of-154) of her field goals and knocked down 80.4 percent (37-of-46) 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 (at Illinois State on Dec. 30). Additionally, Moore grabbed a total of 54 rebounds, dished out 16 assists, had 10 steals and gathered two blocks during that span.
300 Point Club
Carlai Moore's 26 points against Creighton pushed her total to 311 on the year. The most points a Saluki has scored in a season the last five years are 407 by Molly McDowell in 2002-03.
Good Golly, it's Gibson
Freshman Jasmine Gibson came off the bench to score 12 points on 6-of-8 field goals against Creighton. Gibson, at one time, scored on four of six Saluki possessions during a 32-18 rout in the first 12 minutes of the second half. A native of Kansas City, Mo., Gibson had made six-straight starts prior to Thursday.
Gibson off the Bench or as a Starter?
Jasmine Gibson has scored double figures six times this year, including five off the bench. Gibson made her way into the starting lineup against Illinois State on Dec. 30, and started six-straight games. During that time she only averaged six points and pitched in double-digits once. As a reserve, Gibson averaged nine points in 10 games and registered double figures in the scoring colum on five occasions.
Thrown for a Loop
Saluki head coach Dana Eikenberg started two freshmen for the first time this season against Creighton (1/19). Rookies Teresa Parker and Erica Smith made their first career starts. They replaced Jasmine Gibson and Jayme Sweere in the lineup. Eikenberg has used five different lineup combinations this year.
Needless to Say, They Earned It
Freshmen Teresa Parker and Erica Smith impressed Eikenberg enough to garner a start after each scored career-highs on the Salukis' last road trip. Parker had 10 points against Missouri State (Jan. 12), while Smith netted 13, including nine in the second half against Wichita State (Jan. 14).
Defending the Trey
The Salukis lead the MVC in three-point field goal percentage defense after 16 games this season. SIU's opponents are averaging just 3.4 treys per game for a mere 28.4 percent (54-of-190). The Dawgs limited their first seven conference opponents to 20-of-81 (24.7 percent) threes.
Balanced Attack
Thursday, SIU had four players score double figures for both the first time in MVC play and first since the Missouri game on Dec. 18. Carlai Moore had 26 points, Jasmine Gibson and Jayme Sweere each had 12 and Elyse Morris added 10. Four Salukis have reached double figures in a game five times this year and SIU is 3-2 in those contests. Prior to Thursday, no more than three Salukis had 10 or more points in a game since the Valley season began.
Back to the 80s
SIU's 85-63 win marked its biggest all-time against Creighton. It also marked the fourth time this season that the Dawgs have scored 80 or more points. SIU's highest point total of the year is 94 against Murray State (Nov. 22). The Salukis' largest point total in league play is 87 against Illinois State (Dec. 30). SIU hasn't scored 80 or more points in three games of a season since 2002-03.
About the Bulldogs
Drake is 1-5 on the road and enters Saturday's game after falling, 68-61, at Evansville Thursday. The Bulldogs rank second in the conference in scoring defense, allowing just 63.0 ppg. Jill Martin tops DU with 15.7 points and 8.6 rebounds as one of two Bulldogs averaging double figures on the year. Brandy Dahir is the other with 10.4 points. The Bulldogs had won three-straight prior to their loss to Evansville, and are in a second-place tie with Creighton.
Up Next
SIU breaks for a week before travelling to Evansville on Jan. 28. Tip off is at 2 p.m., CST.
