Southern Illinois University
0-4
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Western Michigan
2-3
Women's Basketball falls to Western Michigan, 82-77
11/25/2009 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 25, 2009
By Beth Miller
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Four players scored in double figures for Southern Illinois, but it was not enough to overcome Western Michigan, which dropped the Salukis, 82-77, Wednesday night.
The Salukis (0-4) were led by MVC Newcomer of the Week, Stephany Neptune, who scored a career-high 22 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and added four assists. Neptune's double-double marks her second on the season, recording her first against Northern Illinois last weekend.
Christine Presswood also had a big night for SIU setting a career record 20 points, while Eboni Crayton chipped in a career-high 16. Teri Oliver set a career-high as well, contributing 10 points on the night.
"The game started really well, but then we got some kids in foul trouble," head coach Missy Tiber said. "That's the discipline that we have been teaching them is to control your fouls. But we are not there yet."
SIU led the Broncos (2-3), 35-33, at the half, but Western shot 55 percent from the field in the second half to pull away for the victory. Miame Giden put up 31 points on the night to lead the Broncos, 19 of those points occurring the second half.
"They have a go to player in Giden, she is a phenomenal player," Tiber said. "We don't have a scorer of that caliber. It affected us some, but I don't know what changed for us tonight."
SIU fought in the second half, with four players in double digits before dropping the contest by five points. The Salukis stayed in the game by shooting 51 percent in the second half, but could not keep pace with Western Michigan.
"I thought we played very well during the first 10 minutes of the game," Tiber said. "I just don't think we played hard, smart and was not a team I recognized."
SIU will be back in action Dec. 5-6 at the Colliers International Classic in Berkeley, Calif.
