Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Women's Basketball hosts Creighton and Drake this weekend
01/14/2009 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 14, 2009
www.siusalukis.com
Game Facts
Date/Time: January 15, 7 p.m. CST
Site: Cedar Falls, Ill. - McCleod Center (7,018)
Head Coaches: Dana Eikenberg (86-155 overall, 48-81 at SIU)
Jim Flannery (116-88 overall and at CU)
Radio: 810 AM Patrick Erickson (play-by-play), Julie Beck (color)
Video Webcast: www.siusalukis.com
Audio Webcast: www.siusalukis.com
Livestats: www.siusalukis.com
Series: SIU trails 15-24, the teams splitting two meetings last season
Last Meeting: CU def. SIU, 62-59, in Omaha
Up Next: SIU hosts DU Saturday at 3:05 p.m.
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 48-81 (.372) 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 Creighton
The Creighton Bluejays return three starters from a team that went 21-12 overall and 12-6 in the Missouri Valley, good for fourth-place in the league a year ago. This season the team is 7-8 overall and 2-2 in the MVC, led by seventh-year head coach Jim Flanery. The Bluejays have wins over Missouri State, Wichita State, Saint Louis and Colorado State. CU has three players averaging double-figures led by Chevelle Herring with 14.9 points and 2.5 assists. Kelsey Woodard puts up 13.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists and Megan Neuvirth averages an impressive 12.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and 2.3 steals per contest for the Jays.
SIU/CU Series History
Southern Illinois will meet Creighton for the 40th time in program history. SIU trails the series, 15-24. SIU has taken five of the last seven meetings, splitting the two meetings last season with a 75-74 overtime victory at home and a 62-59 loss at Creighton last season.
Scouting Drake
The Drake Bulldogs return three starters from a team that went 23-11 overall and 13-5 in the Missouri Valley, tied for first-place in the league a year ago. This season the team is 8-7 overall and 2-2 in the MVC, led by sixth-year head coach Amy Stephens. The Bulldogs have wins over Missouri State, Wichita State, Tennessee Tech and Western Michigan. DU has two players averaging double-figures led by Kristin Turk averaging 13.1 points and 2.9 rebounds. Jordann Plummer also adds 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest. Lauren Dybing also adds 8.8 points and a team-high 5.3 boards per game for the Bulldogs.
SIU/DU Series History
Southern Illinois will meet Drake for the 66th time in program history. SIU trails the series, 23-24. DU has taken 24 of the last 27 meetings, taking both meetings last season with a 55-52 victory at SIU and a 72-57 win at Drake.
Salukis on the Boards
SIU was out-rebounded by 10-plus in both games over the weekend at Bradley and UNI. The Salukis were out-boarded 47-to-30 at Bradley Friday, Jan. 9 and 34-to-23 at UNI Sunday, Jan. 11. The Salukis have been out-rebounded by over 10 twice before against No. 19 Florida (42-to-32) and DePaul (receiving votes) (53-to-30).
Conference Start
The Salukis 0-3 Missouri Valley Conference start this season is the worst since 2004-05. The 2004-05 squad started 0-9.
SIU in Conference Openers
Southern Illinois is 14-12 in conference openers since the 1983-84 season. The Salukis have won three of the last four conference openers, 3-2 under fifth-year head coach Dana Eikenberg.
Salukis in National Rankings
Katrina Swingler ranks second in the nation in free throw percentage at 93.8 percent while Jasmine Gibson ranks 39th in field goal percentage nationally this season making 53.1 percent of her shots. Both players help rank the Salukis 64th in the nation in team field goal percentage at 42.4 percent.
Starters Spur Offense
After 12 games this season, the Salukis have three players averaging double-digits, all starters. SIU's starters have contributed to 77 percent (577 of 750 points) of the Salukis' offense this season.
Gibson on Pace For 1000
Saluki senior Jasmine Gibson is 101 points away from 1,000, 21st all-time at SIU. If she stays healthy this season she should hit the mark and wrap up her career top-20 all-time. Most recently she passed former teammate and Wichita State assistant coach Carlai Moore. Moore finished her career 21st all-time with 890 points in just two seasons for the Salukis. Gibson recorded 272 points last season in just 19 games as a junior.
Stepherson Steps Up
Saluki freshman Eryn Stepherson stepped up to lead the bench with 11 points in SIU's MVC opener. In 12 games this season, it is the only time the Saluki bench has out-scored the opponents bench this season.
Senior Power
The 2008-09 team has three seniors, Jasmine Gibson, Kaci Bailey and Erica Smith. The trio has started all, but two games for the Salukis this season. Against Central Arkansas Dec. 16 the seniors combined to make up 52 of SIU's 69 points in the win.
Jazz the Buzzer Beater
After a crazy final 25 seconds of play, Jasmine Gibson hit a last second shot for the victory over Central Arkansas, 69-68, Dec. 16.
SIU in Non-Conference Play
Dana Eikenberg has guided the Salukis to a 20-34 record in non-conference play. When playing in SIU Arena, Eikenberg's teams are 12-9.
In January
SIU is 151-124 all-time in the month of January since 1974-75, including a 12-22 mark under Dana Eikenberg.
In December
SIU is 93-97 all-time in the month of December, including a 13-15 mark under Dana Eikenberg.
In November
SIU is 40-56 all-time during the month of November, including a 8-16 record under Dana Eikenberg.
Salukis vs. the State
Southern Illinois 226-118 versus other schools in the state of Illinois. Eikenberg is 8-17 against the state.
Best Non-Conference Since...
The Salukis are 4-5 this season in non-conference play this season. It is the best non-conference record since 2001-02.
Seven Degrees of Saluki Basketball
The 2008-09, 4-8 Salukis are seven points away from a 6-6 record this season. They dropped a heartbreaker in overtime at Chicago State by three points, 71-68 and another close one to Hofstra, 71-67.
Salukis in Overtime
Southern Illinois is 18-14 overall in single overtime games since 1974. The Salukis dropped their first overtime game since February, 2006, Sunday, December 14 at Chicago State, ending a two-game win-streak in overtime contests. Southern is 0-2 in double overtime games.
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 Games
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. She turned around to post her first career double-double (26 pts, 11 rbs) with a career-high in rebounds against Arkansas State, 79-76, Nov. 19.
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
Salukis Snap Streak
The Salukis were 1-4 on the toughest road stretch of the season, breaking a four-game losing streak with a buzzer-beater at Central Arkansas to wrap up the five-game road test.
Arena Renovation for 2009-10
Following the 2008-09 season the SIU Arena will undergo a renovation. The multi-million dollar project that includes a new football stadium will involve new seating throughout the entire facility along with a new scoreboard with a jumbo-tron. A new building will be added on to the arena including new locker rooms and offices for both the men's and women's basketball staffs.
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.
"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.
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.
