Southern Illinois University
8-13, 4-8MVC
Missouri State
11-10, 5-7MVC
Women's basketball falls to Missouri State, 62-55
02/10/2006 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 10, 2006
By Shalae Schulte
www.siusalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois women's basketball (8-13, 4-8) team rallied back, scoring just two points through the first 11 minutes of play to lead 28-21 at half time, but couldn't hold on as Missouri State (11-10, 5-7) pulled away and held off the Salukis 62-55 in Missouri Valley Conference play Friday night.
The Lady Bears' Kari Koch opened the second half with 10 of her game-high 23 points to put MSU up by one with 15:43 left in the game.
The Salukis came back to lead by three on a jumper by Carlai Moore with 9:56 left in the game, but the Lady Bears followed with eight unanswered points to go up for good.
"I really felt the difference for them was Kari Koch. She really stepped up and refused to lose," Saluki head coach Dana Eikenberg said of the game's leading scorer. "(SIU) is a young team that doesn't know how to win. That team has a leader in Koch and Sarah Klassen that helps them find a way to win and that was the difference."
Moore led the Salukis with 14 points and four rebounds, while Jayme Sweere came off the bench for 13 points, five boards and five assists. Erin Pauk added 10 points and five assists.
The teams were nearly identical in all categories including rebounds (29) and field goal percentage (44.0-43.4).
SIU sent MSU to the charity stripe 18 times, the Lady Bears converting 15, while Southern made four of seven free throws.
Missouri State also forced 19 Saluki turnovers, committing 13.
Klassen added 14 points and six boards for the Lady Bears, while Kayli Combs added 10.
"This game for us is about fundamentals and we're not there right now," Eikenberg stressed of her young team. "It's going to come down to hard how we are willing to work to win a ball game. We're right there. That's what I challenge them on. How deep are they will to reach into their hearts to leave it out on the floor."
The Salukis return to action Sunday when they host Wichita State at 2:05 p.m. in SIU Arena.
