Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Women's Basketball to host Creighton Thursday
01/17/2007 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 17, 2007
www.siusalukis.com
Date: Thursday, January 18, 2007
Tip Off: 7:05 p.m. CT
Site: Carbondale, Illinois - SIU Arena (10,014)
The Series: CU leads, 23-12
Head Coaches: SIU: Dana Eikenberg (60-124 overall, 22-50 at SIU)
Creighton: Jim Flanery(80-60 overall and at CU)
Rankings: NR
Radio: WUEZ - FM 95.1 - Mike Reis
Audio Webcast: www.siusalukis.com
Livestats: www.siusalukis.com
This Week
Southern Illinois will return home for a two-game swing against Creighton and Drake. The Salukis will take on Creighton Thursday, Jan. 18 for a 7:05 p.m. tip-off. Saturday, SIU will host Drake in SIU Arena at 2:05 p.m.
Last Week
The Salukis finished the week with a sweep on the road at Bradley and UNI. It was the second sweep of the conference season and the second sweep on the road for the first time since SIU joined the MVC in the early 90s. Thursday, SIU handled the Braves, 64-40, before heading to UNI Saturday for a 79-74 win against the Panthers.
Best MVC Start Since 1993-94
The Saluki sweep to begin the Missouri Valley Conference season gives the team its best start since 1993-94 when head coach Cindy Scott led her team to a 4-0 start with wins over Evansville, UNI, Bradley and Drake before dropping a game to Creighton to begin league play. Now 5-1 on the MVC season, SIU's record mirrors that of the 1993-94 squad.
First double-road sweep in MVC history for the Dawgs
The Salukis are a perfect 4-0 on the road this season in conference play, sweeping two road swings for the first time in MVC history. Southern swept two Gateway Conference road trips in 1989-90.
Best start since 1996-97
SIU is an 9-8 on the season, just one win away from tying last season's win total. This is the first time since the 1996-97 season that the Salukis record sits at .500 or above 17 games into the season. In 96-97, SIU was an identical 9-8.
Series History
The Bluejays lead the series against the Salukis 23 games to 12. CU has taken 16 of the last 20 meetings, dating back to 1997. Southern swept the Jays during the regular season a year ago, but fell to them in the first round of the league tournament.
Eikenberg Against CU
Saluki head coach Dana Eikenberg begins her third conference season against the Bluejays. SIU was swept Creighton Eikenberg's first season as head coach, but answered with a sweep of her own last season. Eikenberg dropped the first game of the league tournament last season and dropped a game to CU while at UMKC, to make her record 2-6 against Creighton.
Previewing the Bluejays
CU is currently 5-11 on the season including 2-3 in the MVC. The Bluejays are on a two-game win streak taking games from Bradley and Drake in Missouri Valley Conference play.
Preseason pick: Returning one starter from a year ago, Creighton was picked to finish ninth of 10 teams in the Missouri Valley Conference in 2006-07.
2005-06 finish: The Bluejays return one starter from a team that went 8-21 overall and 5-13 in league play to finish tied for ninth in the MVC a year ago.
Scouting report: Creighton returns six letterwinners from last season's squad, including just one starter, Ally Thrall. The Bluejays' top three scorers this season return including Thrall, Sara Cain and Chevelle Herring. Thrall averages 11.1 points, 3.4 assists, while Cain (10.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and Herring (9.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg) round out the top three.
Snapped Under 70, keeping wins under 75
For the first time in nine wins this season, the Salukis could not hold their opponent under 70 points. In the most recent win, Southern's defense gave up 74 points, winning by five against Northern Iowa on the road. Prior to the win, the Salukis were able to hold each of their opponents under 70 in all wins this season. The Salukis held three opponents to 41 points or below picking up a big win over Missouri State Sat. Dec. 30, 63-38. It was the first time a SIU team held an opponent under 40 points since January, 1990 when they held Indiana State to 38 points under former Saluki head coach Cindy Scott.
Sweere, Olsen Sweep Weekly Honors
Junior Jayme Sweere and freshman Dana Olsen were named this week's Missouri Valley Conference Player and Newcomer of the Week, the league announced Monday. Sweere, a junior from Springfield, Missouri, averaged 19.0 points, 4.5 boards and 5.0 steals this week in a Saluki sweep on the road in MVC play. The guard scored a game-high 20 points, adding seven boards and seven steals in the win over Bradley Thursday, then turned around Saturday to score a team-high 18 points, to go along with two boards, two assists and three steals against the Panthers. For the weekend, Sweere shot 54 percent (15-of-28) from the field, as well as 4-of-5 from both the 3-point line and free throw line (80 percent). Olsen averaged 11.0 points, 6.5 boards, shooting 62 percent (8-of-13) from the field. The forward scored six points, adding four boards and two steals against Bradley Thursday. She then turned around to shoot 5-of-7 from the field, scoring 16 points, adding nine boards and a steal for a near double-double against UNI Saturday.
Sweere Steps Up
Saluki guard Jayme Sweere has stepped up to lead the Salukis in blocks (11) and steals (39) this season, second on the team in scoring (11.8 ppg) and assists (2.6 apg) She produced a season-high 23 points to help pull the Salukis past Weber State on the road Dec. 2. In league play the junior is averaging 12.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, tallying 16 assists and 19 steals in 30.5 minutes per game. She sits in the top-20 in the league in scoring (16th), steals (1st) and blocks (11th).
Olsen moves from bench to starter
Freshman Dana Olsen has worked her way into the starting lineup after just eight games this season. The forward averaged 7.9 points, 3.3 boards, shooting 60 percent from the field off the bench. In her seven games as a starter, Olsen has averaged 9.6 points, 4.4 boards, shooting 60 percent from the field. She recorded a career-best 24 points against Murray State and 10 rebounds at Indiana. The freshman is first on the team and in the league shooting .604 from the field.
Salukis snap league skids
• Jan. 13, Southern took a game from UNI, 79-74, the first game since 2002 and the first game in Cedar Falls since 1997.
• The Salukis snapped a 13-game losing streak to Indiana State dating back to 2000 when SIU beat INS in Terre Haute 64-62, Jan. 6. It was the first time Southern beat the Sycamores in SIU Arena in 21 tries, dating back to 1997.
• A week earlier SIU snapped losing streaks at Wichita State (Dec. 28) (won at WSU for first time since 1996) and Missouri State (Dec. 30) (19-game losing streak).
Babies
SIU opened the Missouri Valley Conference season with a sweep of Wichita State and Missouri State on the road. Saluki freshman Dana Olsen wasn't even one-year-old, the last time Southern took both games of the road trip back in January of the 1988-89 season when SIU was a part of the Gateway Conference.
Gibson records career highs
Sophomore Jasmine Gibson emerged off the bench in two games against Illinois State and Indiana State to record career highs in points (19) and rebounds (10) at home. The forward scored a career-high 19 points off the bench, adding five boards and a steal against Illinois State Thu., Jan. 4, then turned around Sat. Jan. 6 to just miss a double-double off the bench again with a career-high 10 boards and nine points in a big win over defending MVC champs Indiana State.
Moore joins 700-point club **FG % 11th in the nation
With one bucket against Bradley Jan. 11, Carlai Moore scored her 700th career point as a Saluki. Moore currently sits with 724 points, one of 25 SIU women's basketball players to reach the milestone in the program's history. Moore is the highest-scoring transfer in school history, passing Angenette Sumrall (1993-95) who scored 631 points in her career. The Salukis' lone senior, Moore is currently fourth in scoring (15.7 ppg) and second in field goal percentage (.602) in The Valley this season. The 2006 MVC Newcomer of the Year, she is currently tied for 24th all-time in scoring at SIU with her 724 points. ***The senior is currently ranked nationally in field goal percentage (11th).
Burris earns weekly honors - tops beyond arc
Junior Debbie Burris was named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week, for the week ending Jan. 1. She averaged 12.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks, shooting 56 percent (9-of-16) from the field, was perfect from the charity stripe and shot 50 percent (5-of-10) from beyond the 3-point line. Burris currently leads the team in blocks (11) and 3-pointers (31). Her 3-point field goal percentage (.413) ranks seventh in the league, while her 3-pointers per game average (1.82) ranks 11th.
Smith accepts role
Saluki guard Erica Smith recently moved from the bench to the starting point guard at SIU. She accepted the role and in six starts has averaged 9.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 3.8 assists per game. In those games she is shooting 63 percent (22-of-35) from the field and 50 percent (6-of-12) from beyond the arc as of Jan. 11.
Pauk emerges from slump
Junior guard Erin Pauk had not attempted more than four field goals in a game through 10 contests this season. She scored a season-high eight points at South Alabama, but that was the closest the 2005-06 starting point guard had come to reaching her career-best 19 points. Tues. Dec. 19, Pauk emerged off the bench to score a season-best 17 points, including a career-high five threes to push her team past Tennessee Tech. She shot 6-of-13 from the field and 5-of-9 from beyond the arc.
Salukis from the field
Southern Illinois is first the league in team field goal percentage at .478 on the season. This season, eight of 10 players are shooting at or above 40 percent. Senior Carlai Moore (.602) and freshman Dana Olsen (.604) lead the team and the Missouri Valley Conference.
SIU overcoming charity stripe woes
Slowly but surely, the Salukis are improving their free throw percentage. Once under 50 percent on the season, SIU sits eighth overall in The Valley at 70.8 percent and fourth in league play at 75 percent.
Moore named All-Tournament
Saluki forward Carlai Moore led SIU in scoring, named to the odwalla Classic All-Tournament Team for her efforts in the two-game tournament. She highlighted the week, recording a season-high 27 points, adding five boards against, at the time, No. 20/24 Kentucky. In the tournament. She averaged 20.5 points, 3.0 boards and 1.5 assists.
Dawg House Packed - Salukis Shatter Home Attendance Record
The season opener against Missouri Sunday, Nov. 12, drew an attendance of 3,367 the mark broke the all-time single-game record at SIU Arena. The previous record of 2,003 was set back in January of 1989 at a match up between Southern and Wichita State.
SIU in Sunday slump
During the last two seasons, the Salukis were 0-9 on Sundays during the regular season. Sunday, Nov. 10, the Salukis opened the 2006-07 regular season with a 71-60 loss to Missouri to bring their Sunday record during the last three years to 0-10. The Salukis play again on Sunday, Feb. 4, when they take on Illinois State.
Moving on Up
The 2005-06 team recorded 10 wins in a season for the first time since 1997-98. The Salukis won four non-conference games and six Missouri Valley Conference games during the 2005-06 season. The conference mark is the highest since 1997-98 under former head coach Cindy Scott. SIU also garnered a winning record at home (7-6) for the first time since 1996-97. Last season the Salukis ranked second in The Valley in both field goal percentage (.421) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.294).
Salukis make strides in The Valley
• SIU swept two league opponents (Creighton and Illinois State) for the first time in a season since 1998-99. In 1998-99 the Salukis swept Bradley and Illinois State.
• Ended a 19-game losing streak against Drake. Before the Salukis' victory at home over the Bulldogs Jan. 21, 2006, SIU had not taken a game since 1996 when they swept Drake.
• Finished last in the MVC four years in a row prior to finishing eighth last season. In 1999-2000, SIU finished tied for eighth with a 5-13 record.
Radio
Mississippi River Radio will broadcast selected games throughout the 2006-07 Saluki women's basketball season. Mike Reis or Rick Gregg will call the play-by-play action. These selected broadcasts can be heard locally on WCIL 1020 AM or WUEZ 95.1 FM. The radio feed can also be heard live on the athletics website at www.siusalukis.com, using QuickTime software. Select games that are not being broadcast by Mississippi River Radio will be webcast live on www.siusalukis.com by Thad Jackson and/or Patrick Erickson.
Postgame Interviews in SIU Arena
Postgame interviews at SIU Arena are held in the Saluki Room located at the top of the stairwell on the south end of Lingle Hall. Coaches and players will be available 10 minutes following the conclusion of each game.
www.siusalukis.com
The official website www.siusalukis.com is the best source for up-to-date information on the Saluki women's basketball team. Rosters, box scores, cumulative statistics, pre-game notes and other materials are available on the site. You will need Adobe Acrobat to read PDF files.
