Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Women's Basketball wraps up regular season at home
02/28/2007 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 28, 2007
Date: Thursday, March 1
Tip Off: 7:05 p.m. CT
Site: Carbondale, Ill. - SIU Arena (10,014)
The Series: MSU leads 33-23
Head Coaches: SIU: Dana Eikenberg (69-125 overall, 31-51 at SIU)
Missouri State: Katie Abrahmson-Henderson (87-58 overall and at MSU)
Rankings: SIU received four votes USA Today Poll, one vote in AP Poll
Radio: 95.1 FM - Rick Gregg
Audio Webcast: www.siusalukis.com
Livestats: www.siusalukis.com
TV: Mediacom
This Week
The Salukis wrap up the regular season at home against Missouri State (Thur. Mar. 1, 7:05 p.m.) and Wichita State (Sat. Mar. 3, 2:05 p.m.).
Last Week
Southern Illinois clinched the regular-season championship with a victory over Evansville, 63-60, Friday at the SIU Arena "Pink Out." Illinois State lost to Northern Iowa Sunday, helping the Salukis obtain the championship out right.
Salukis in polls for third-straight week
SIU made its third-straight appearance, receiving four votes in the ESPN/USA Today Poll. They sit 36th even with New Mexico and behind Temple with five votes. The Salukis made their first appearance in the AP Poll with one vote, tied for 38th with Florida State, New Mexico and West Virginia all with one vote.
MVC Champions
SIU wrapped up the regular-season conference championship Friday with a victory over Evansville at home. The Salukis will take the title and a number one seed in the tournament for the first time in the MVC era and for the first time since they won 1989-90 Gateway title. The last time Southern won a conference title out right was back in 1986-87, 18-0 in league play.
Eikenberg Worst to First
In just three years, Saluki head coach Dana Eikenberg has done her best to turn the program around, starting 3-24 her first season, (10th of 10 teams in the MVC) to 10-18 (8th of 10 teams in the league) the following season. This season, just her third as head coach, the team has garnered the MVC Championship and the most wins in a season since the mid-90s and the most conference wins the 1995-96 season.
Six-straight
Southern Illinois for the second-time this season is on a six-game win streak, dating back to Feb. 4. Previously SIU had a six-game win streak snapped by Indiana State Feb. 2. Both streaks mark the first time since 1995-96 that Southern has won six in a row. SIU has won 15 of its last 17 games dating back to Dec. 19.
Five-team Sweep
With a wins over Evansville Friday, SIU swept its fifth MVC team this season. The previous two weekends the Salukis wrapped up league sweeps of UNI, Bradley, Drake and Creighton. This marks the first time since 1996 that SIU swept five league opponents (CU, DU, INS, UNI, WSU). The Salukis have a chance to sweep seven of the nine conference teams, if they can pick up victories over Missouri State and Wichita State this weekend.
Road Warriors
SIU wrapped up conference play on the road, 8-1, the team's best showing in MVC history. The Salukis fell at Indiana State on the road Feb. 2 for their only road blemish in league play. The Salukis are 8-1 on the road this season in conference play, sweeping three road swings for the first time in MVC history. Southern swept two Gateway Conference road trips in 1989-90.
Most wins since 1995-96
SIU is 18-9 on the season, already surpassing last season's win total (10) which was the best since 1997-98 (10). SIU has the most wins since the 1995-96 team that went 18-10 and 15-3 in the league.
Series History
The Bears lead the series against the Salukis 33 games to 23. MSU had taken 18-straight contests dating back to 1998. Before the Salukis beat the Bears in the league opener in December on MSU's home court, 63-38.
Eikenberg Against MSU
Saluki head coach Dana Eikenberg begins her third conference season against the Bears. SIU had been swept by MSU for the last nine seasons, including Eikenberg's first two seasons. With the victory over the Bears, Dec. 30, her tally against Missouri State sits at 1-4.
Previewing the Bears
MSU is currently 7-18 on the season and just 3-13 in league play. The Bears are on a one-game losing streak with a loss against Drake at home Feb. 25. Prior to the loss, the Bears had been on a eight-game skid before taking a game from Creighton Feb. 23.
Preseason pick: Returning one starter from a year ago, Missouri State was picked to finish in a tie with Southern Illinois for seventh place of 10 teams in the Missouri Valley Conference in 2006-07.
2005-06 finish: The Bears return one starter from a team that went 17-15 overall and 7-11 in league play for a sixth-place finish in the MVC standings.
Scouting report: Missouri State returns five letterwinners from last season's squad, including one starter. Tahnee Balerio, Breton Wyett and Tiff Terwelp lead the team. Balerio averages 19.3 points, 3.3 boards per game, while Terwelp is producing 9.8 points, 8.5 rebounds per contest. Wyett averages 11.0 points and 5.1 boards per contest.
Last time out: The Southern Illinois women's basketball team halted a nine-year losing streak against Missouri State with a 63-38 victory over the Bears Dec. 30 at the John Q. Hammons Student Center. Debbie Burris scored 11 points, 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. 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.
Moore joins 800-point club
With her second bucket against Bradley Feb. 9, Carlai Moore scored her 800th career point as a Saluki. Moore currently sits with 853 points, just the 23rd Saluki in the program's history to accomplish the feat. 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 sixth in scoring (14.7 ppg) and first field goal percentage (.581) in The Valley this season. The 2006 MVC Newcomer of the Year is currently 23rd all-time in scoring at SIU with her 853 points, just one point away from 22nd and is currently ranked nationally in field goal percentage (13th).
Sunday slump snapped
The Salukis snapped a 0-14 run on Sundays dating back to Feb. 16, 2003 when they picked up a victory at Redbird Arena Super Bowl Sunday, 79-66. Under head coach Dana Eikenberg, the Salukis were 0-11 on Sundays during the regular season in her first two and half seasons. With a win over UNI Sunday, Feb. 11 and another at Creighton, Feb. 18 SIU is now 3-11 on Sundays under Eikenberg.
Under 75
In all but one Saluki victory this season, the team held their opponents under 70 points. In a win on the road, Southern's defense gave up 74 points, winning by five against Northern Iowa, Jan. 13. 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.
Salukis in half-time leads
Southern has been down at halftime three times this season and came back for the win. Against Drake, Jan. 20, Bradley, Feb. 9 and UNI Feb. 11. SIU has led at the half in 19 of 27 games this season, going 14-5 in those games. The team is 1-1 when tied at the half.The Salukis are now an even 3-3 on the season, when down at halftime - two of those losses came at the odwalla Classic in San Francisco in November.
Salukis from the field - 13th nationally
All season, SIU has led the league in field goal percentage, held under 40 percent just five times all season until Feb. 11 when Northern Iowa came to SIU Arena and held the Salukis to just 33.3 percent (18-of-54) for the game. It was the lowest game total since Missouri State held Southern to 33.3 percent (20-of-60) in Springfield, Mo. Jan. 12, 2006.
Sweere Steps Up
Saluki guard Jayme Sweere has stepped up to lead the Salukis in steals (50) and blocks (18), second on the team in scoring (11.6 ppg) and assists (65). 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 11.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, tallying 37 assists and 30 steals in 31.8 minutes per game. She sits in the top-15 in the league in scoring (14th), steals (4th) and blocks (9th).
Olsen moves from bench to starter
Freshman Dana Olsen worked her way into the starting lineup after just eight games her first collegiate season. The forward averaged 7.9 points, 3.3 boards, shooting 60 percent from the field off the bench. In 17 games as a starter, Olsen has averaged 9.3 points, 4.2 boards, shooting 50 percent from the field. She recorded a career-best 24 points against Murray State and 10 rebounds at Indiana.
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).
Burris Burries Threes - streak stopped
SIU's Debbie Burris has played in 27 games as a Saluki this season after transferring from Allen Community College in the off-season. The junior guard was 0-3 in the season-opener against Missouri from beyond the arc, but burried at least one three in the following 22 games. Most recently, Burris had her streak snapped, going 0-for-1 beyond the arc against UNI Feb. 11. Burris currently leads the team in 3-pointers (46). Her 3-point field goal percentage (.397) ranks eighth in the league and first at SIU in the career rankings, while her 3-pointers per game average (1.70) ranks 10th.
Smith accepts role
Saluki guard Erica Smith moved from the bench to the starting point guard at SIU. In 18 games at the one guard, she has led the Salukis to a 15-3 record. She accepted the role and in her first 17 starts has averaged 8.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 3.2 assists per game. In those games she is shooting 58 percent (56-of-97) from the field.
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.
Salukis ink six for 2007-08
Southern Illinois women's basketball head coach Dana Eikenberg and her staff signed the largest recruiting class since taking the reigns at SIU two years ago. The Saluki coaching staff signed six athletes, including four from Illinois. Eikenberg's current team holds no players from in-state.
• Paris Campbell, 6-2, Forward/Center (Chicago, Ill. - Whitney Young HS)
• Brenna Saline, 5-7, Guard (Galesburg, Ill. - Galesburg HS)
• Katrina Swingler, 6-0, Guard/Forward (Teutopolis, Ill. - Teutopolis HS)
• Natalie Taylor, 6-0, Guard (De Pere, Wis. - De Pere HS)
• Tanaeya Worden, 5-5, Guard (Sioux City, Iowa - Sioux City North HS)
• Ellen Young, 5-6, Guard (Salem, Ill. - Salem Community HS)
Warden named to WBCA High School All-America Game Honorable Mention
SIU 2007-08 signee Tanaeya Worden was one of 20 high school players to be named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) High School All-America Game Honorable Mention list. The WBCA picked the top 40 players in the nation to be recognized with the top 20 playing in the game March 31 in Cleveland, Ohio.
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.
Sweere, Olsen Sweep Weekly Honors
Junior Jayme Sweere and freshman Dana Olsen were named Missouri Valley Conference Player and Newcomer of the Week, the league announced Monday, Jan. 15. Sweere averaged 19.0 points, 4.5 boards and 5.0 steals 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.
Burris earns weekly honors
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.
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.
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.
Interviews During the Week
Please arrange all interviews of players and coaches through Shalae Schulte. She can be reached by phone at (618) 453-7102 (office) or (618) 201-6727 (cell) and via e-mail at sschulte@siu.edu.
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.
