Women's Basketball to host Arkansas State Wednesday
11/18/2008 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 18, 2008
www.siusalukis.com
GAME FACTS
Date/Time: Wed. Nov. 19, 7:05 p.m.
Site: Carbondale, Ill. - SIU Arena (9,409)
Head Coach: Dana Eikenberg (83-147 overall, 45-72 at SIU)
Radio: 810 AM Patrick Erickson, Julie Beck
Video Webcast: www.stretchinternet.com/siuvideo.html
Audio Webcast: www.siusalukis.com
Livestats: www.siusalukis.com
For Complete game notes click here
DAWG BITES
The Southern Illinois Basketball team is in its 49th year of existence... Head Coach Dana Eikenberg is in her fifth season with the team and holds a 45-72 (.385) record... last season the Salukis finished with a 10-20 record and were 5-13 in MVC play, ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference... Southern returns four letterwinners and two starters from the 2007-08 squad and welcomes five transfers and three freshmen.
SCOUTING ARKANSAS STATE
The Arkansas State Red Wolves return all five starters from last season's team that went 20-12 overall and 13-5 in the Sun Belt conference for second place in the West Division of the league. The Red Wolves are under 10th-year head coach Brian Boyer. The Red Wolves return 76 percent of their offense from a year ago including top-scorer, junior guard, Veronica Smith who averaged 9.6 points and 5.4 boards last season.
SALUKIS WIN SEASON OPENER
For the second time in four seasons the Southern Illinois women's basketball team took their season opener with an 85-77 victory over Saint Louis Nov. 14. In 2005-06, the Salukis beat Weber State 55-48 in SIU Arena. SIU has won four season-openers in the last 16 seasons.
SWING HAS CAREER GAME
Sophomore forward Katrina Swingler recorded a career-best 28 points to help the Salukis push past Saint Louis, 85-77, in its season opener Nov. 14 in SIU Arena. Swingler surpassed her previous best of 13 points against Central Arkansas last December.
SALUKIS SPREAD THE WEALTH
In three games for the 2008-09 squad this season, a different person has led in scoring each contest. Freshman Olivia Lett scored 20 points to lead the Salukis against Christian Brothers, while senior Erica Smith recorded 21 points to push SIU poast Lambuth in exhibition play. Sophomore Katrina Swingler was one of five players in double figures in the season-opener against Saint Louis, leading the Dawgs with 28.
SMITH ON THE BOARDS
Saluki senior Erica Smith is one of six guards in the country to lead her team in rebounds the last two seasons and one of 15 to lead her team last season. Smith averaged 6.8 boards last season to lead the Salukis and rank fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference. As a sophomore, Smith also led the Salukis with a 5.4 RPG average
Guards Who Led Their Teams in Rebounds the Last Two Seasons
(arranged by 2007-08 Rebounding Average)
Name, School, HT, POS • 07-08 • 06-07
Megan Frazee, Liberty, 6-3, G/F • 9.5 rpg • 8.5 rpg
Chevon Keith, WCU, 5-11, G • 8.6 rpg • 8.3 rpg
Diamond Rogers, UAB, 5-10, G/F • 8.2 rpg • 7.8 rpg
Shalee Lehning, K. St., 5-8, G • 7.6 rpg • 6.9 rpg
Erica Smith, SIU, 5-7, G • 6.8 rpg • 5.4 rpg
Emily Florence, UW, 5-5, G • 6.5 rpg • 5.2 rpg
SMITH EARNS POST-SEASON ACCOLADES
Senior guard Erica Smith recorded 54 steals and 21 blocks averaging 10.2 points and 6.8 boards for the Salukis last season to earn a spot on the MVC All-Defensive Team. As a junior she also earned her second MVC Scholar-Athlete nod, with a spot on the honorable mention team.
GIBSON STREAK ENDED
Senior forward Jasmine Gibson posted double-digit scoring in 11 straight games last season, being held to single-digits just four times during the season. As a junior, the Saluki forward led the team in scoring until suffering a stress-fracture that cost the Salukis seven games during the conference season without her.
LETT IMPRESSES IN EXHIBITION DEBUT
Saluki freshman Olivia Lett had an impressive debut in an SIU uniform Nov. 4 against Christian Brothers putting up a team-high 20 points and nine boards adding an assist, a block and a steal.
GIBSON ON PACE FOR 1000
Saluki senior Jasmine Gibson is 253 points away from 1,000, 26th all-time at SIU. If Gibson stays healthy this season she should hit the mark and wrap up her career top-20 all-time. She recorded 272 points last season in just 19 games as a junior.
"PINK OUT" SUCCESS
Friday, Feb. 8, Southern hosted the second annual "Pink Out" night in SIU Arena, the final attendance, 2,969, third all-time in program history after two games during the 2006-07 season. In the season-opener against Missouri two seasons ago, the Salukis set a new single-game record of 3,367. At the first annual "Pink Out" of SIU Arena, Southern had 3,055, second all-time.
FIRST OVERTIME VICTORY SINCE 2006
The Salukis picked up their third Missouri Valley Conference victory and seventh overall win this season Sunday, Jan. 20 at SIU Arena in overtime against Creighton. It was the first overtime game since March 4, 2006 with a 59-58 win over Illinois State.
SALUKIS ADD THREE FRESHMEN FOR 2008-09
Southern Illinois women's basketball head coach Dana Eikenberg and her staff added three freshmen from the state of Illinois this season. Olivia Lett, Eryn Stepherson and Latoya Hambrick join the team for the 2008-09 season. Lett, a 6-0 guard from Pana, Ill., finished fifth in the voting for 2008 Ms. Basketball in Illinois. She averaged 22.0 points, 4.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds as a senior. She recorded 2,439 career points, the most for boys or girls at Pana. Stepherson, a 5-9 guard from Edwardsville, Ill., averaged 7.2 points and shot 81 percent from the free throw line last season. Hambrick, a 6-0 forward from Chicago, averaged 18 points and 12 boards per game as a senior.
FIVE TRANSFERS JOIN TEAM FOR 2008-09
Adrianne Griffith, Nicole Howe, Karlee Myers, Christine Presswood and Lacie Ward join the team for the 2008-09 season, all junior college transfers. Griffin was a second-team All-Mid-Florida Conference pick with three years left of eligibility. Howe was selected for the conference all-star game twice at Otero Junior College, leading her team to a 23-9 record last season. Myers was named MVP of the Golden Valley Conference, leading her team to the league title and an elite eight appearance at the JUCO National Tournament. Presswood was a two-time all-region and all-conference pick at Lincoln Land Community College and Ward was a first-team all conference and all-region as a sophomore at Coffeyville Community College.
SALUKIS PICKED 9TH IN PRESEASON POLL
The defending regular season and tournament champion Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball team, Illinois State, was picked to repeat in 2008-09. The Salukis were picked ninth in Preseason Poll selected by coaches, media and sports information directors the league announced Tuesday, Oct. 28 at its annual basketball media day. The Salukis finished ninth a year ago.
SALUKI RADIO NETWORK
Women's basketball games will be broadcast throughout the season on WOOD-AM 810, and streamed on the website at www.siusalukis.com. Patrick Erickson will begin his first season as radio broadcaster for Saluki Women's Basketball. Julie Beck will also return as color commentator.