Women's Basketball loses to South Dakota State, 72-59
12/09/2006 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 9, 2006
By Shalae Schulte
www.siusalukis.com
BROOKINGS, S.D. - The Southern Illinois (3-6) women's basketball team tallied a season-high 15 steals, forcing 22 turnovers, but couldn't overcome a South Dakota State (7-2) offense that shot 57.8 percent from the field, falling to the Jacks, 72-59, at Frost Arena.
The Jacks opened the game on a 12 to one run, the Salukis missing nine straight shots over a five-minute drought stretching from 17:07 to 11:50.
South Dakota State extended the lead to 19 (26-7) including four three-pointers with nine minutes to go in the half.
Southern mounted a comeback, led by Carlai Moore and Jayme Sweere. The duo scored 14 points of a 20 to six run bringing the game within seven just before halftime, 40-33.
The Salukis continued to storm back, starting the second half with a 10 to five run. A Moore jumper brought the game within two, 45-43, with 14:31 left to play.
Down the stretch, SIU couldn't contain the SDSU offense that outscored Southern 13 to five the final nine and a half minutes of the game. Three of the Salukis final five points of the game came from free throws.
Moore finished with a game-high 23 points, adding two steals and three boards. Sweere added 14 for the Salukis, grabbing a career-high six steals.
The Jacks' Megan Vogel and Jennifer Warkenthien combined for 30 points, 10 boards and nine assists.
Southern shot a season-low 40 percent from the field and were out-rebounded for only the second time this season, 37 to 23.
SIU will stay on the road for their fourth consecutive game, traveling to Bloomington, Ind. Dec. 16 to take on the Hoosiers of Indiana.