Southern Illinois University
3-7
Indiana
9-2
Women's Basketball falls short at Indiana, 73-66
12/16/2006 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 16, 2006
By Shalae Schulte
www.siusalukis.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Southern Illinois women's basketball came back from a 12-point first-half deficit to lead by as many as five points, but could not overcome 16 second-half points by Indiana's Nikki Smith, as the Hoosiers (9-2) picked up the victory over the Salukis (3-7), 73-66, Saturday night in Assembly Hall.
"I thought we played a great game and for the most part were in control," Saluki head coach Dana Eikenberg said. "Our undersized posts really took it to them. They are a big team."
Indiana jumped out to their largest lead of the game, 32-20, following four straight buckets with just over seven minutes to play in the opening half.
Southern worked their way back within one point twice in the next six minutes, pulling the game to 38-37 on a Jayme Sweere jumper at 2:30.
The Salukis held the Hoosiers scoreless the final three minutes of the half, pulling ahead for their first lead of the game by one on a Dana Olsen jumper with one minute remaining in the period, heading into the break with a 39-38 edge.
Carlai Moore and Olsen started the second half with back-to-back jumpers to give Southern its largest lead of the game, 43-38.
The Hoosiers answered with two layups and a 3-pointer to go up by two, 45-43, but an Erica Smith steal led to a Jasmine Gibson breakaway layup to tie the game at 45.
Indiana would go up by as many as six points before Southern raced back to lead by one, 58-57, on a jumper by Erica Smith with seven minutes to play. The Hoosiers' Nikki Smith answered with one of her game-high four 3-pointers to put her team up for good.
Costly turnovers and missed shots in the paint saw the Salukis playing catch up the remainder of regulation.
SIU put four starters in double-figures for the first time since January, led by Moore with 16. Olsen recorded her first career double-double in her second start of the season with 13 points and a game-high 10 boards.
Sweere pitched in 10 points, two boards and three assists, while Debbie Burris added 11 points, three boards and two assists.
Smith in her first start at the point scored eight, adding four assists, two blocks and a game-high five steals for the Salukis.
Southern shot 47 percent from the field, but Indiana dominated the paint 36 to 12, out-rebounding SIU 38 to 29.
"We've had some stingers before," Eikenberg said. "They prepare us and help to teach the younger players. They are learning points that will help us get better."
SIU will return home for the first time since Nov. 29, to face the third and final Ohio Valley Conference opponent, wrapping up non-conference play against Tennessee Tech, Tues, Dec. 19.
