Southern Illinois University
6-7, 2-0
Missouri State
4-6, 0-1
Women's Basketball mauls the Bears, 63-38
12/31/2006 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2006
By Shalae Schulte
www.siusalukis.com
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The Southern Illinois women's basketball team halted a nine-year losing streak against Missouri State with a 63-38 victory over the Bears Saturday night at the John Q. Hammons Student Center.
The win puts the Salukis at 6-7 on the season and 2-0 in the league, their best start to the Missouri Valley Conference season since 1993-94.
"It was all about our team tonight," Saluki head coach Dana Eikenberg said. "We played with great composure and great defensively. This is really a special weekend."
Southern went up 24-9 with 7:29 left in the first half following four straight treys, one from Erica Smith and three-straight from Debbie Burris.
Burris scored nine of her 11 points in the stretch, adding four rebounds and a block. Smith finished with four points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
The tenacious Saluki defense held the Bears scoreless from 11:28 to 2:45 in the first half as MSU shot just 19.4 percent (6-of-31) in the period.
SIU held a 34-13 lead at the half, taking MSU out of their offensive rhythm.
MSU pulled within 12, 40-28, with 11:50 left to play following an 11-2 run, but that was as close as the Bears would get as Southern held on to lead by as many as 27 (63-36) with 48 seconds left to play.
The Salukis held a team under 40 points for the first time since January, 1990 when they held Indiana State to 38 points under former Saluki head coach Cindy Scott.
Freshman Dana Olsen led a balanced Saluki offense with 13 points, adding three rebounds, three assists and two steals on the night. Jasmine Gibson chipped in 10 points off the bench, along with six boards, two blocks and a steal.
Jayme Sweere scored nine points to go with her game-high seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals.
SIU swept the Wichita State - Missouri State road trip for the first time since the 1988-89 team.
"I've seen us grow so much," Eikenberg said of her team. "They play with confidence and this team really believes. This is a big stepping stone, I'm proud of them. We're blue collar so tomorrow we'll start to prepare for a tough swing at home next week."
The Salukis will look to reach .500 and build on their undefeated conference mark when they return home to take on Illinois State and Indiana State Jan. 4 and 6 in SIU Arena.
