Southern Illinois University
8-18 (4-13MVC)
Missouri State
10-17 (6-10MVC)
Women's Basketball loses at Missouri State, 69-57
03/01/2009 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
March 1, 2009
By Shalae Patrick
www.siusalukis.com
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The Missouri State women's basketball team led Southern Illinois the entire contest, putting three players in double-figures to take down the Salukis in Missouri Valley Conference play Sunday afternoon, 69-57.
MSU's Jaleshia Roberson hit a 3-pointer 15 seconds into the contest and the Lady Bears (10-17, 6-10) led the remainder of the contest.
Up by four, 10-6, MSU used a 9-to-0 run, aided by three Saluki turnovers to take largest lead of the first half, 19-6.
Down 10, SIU (8-18, 4-13) pulled within four, 23-19, following three jumpers in three consecutive trips down the floor.
The Bears pushed away, up by 11, 33-22, but the Salukis threatened again, within five, 33-28 after a Karlee Myers layup with 3:40 left in the half.
MSU was back up nine with a minute left in the first period, eventually taking a 10-point lead into the locker room at the break, 40-30.
SIU came out of the locker room hot, scoring the first four points of the second half to pull within six, 34-40. The Salukis held the Bears scoreless from the field for the first five minutes, MSU's first bucket at 15:02, a jumper by Maggie Dwyer.
The Lady Bears led by as many as 14 after a jumper by Jacque Griggs with 8:24 left to play. Griggs finished with a team-high 16 off the bench for the Bears.
SIU made one more run, pulling within eight, 61-53, after a Jasmine Gibson bucket with just under four minutes to play, but that was as close as the Salukis would get. Gibson finished with a game-high 19.
Erica Smith recorded her second-straight double-double with 14 points and 12 boards, the only other Saluki to reach double-figures.
For the second straight game, the Salukis were ice cold from the free throw line, 12-of-23 from the charity stripe in the contest, 6-of-14 in the first half.
MSU shot just 33 percent from the field in the second half, but was 6-of-6 from the free throw line down the stretch, shooting 76 percent (19-of 25) in the game.
SIU finished league play on the road 0-9 for the first time since 2004-05.
The Salukis return home for their final game of the regular season Saturday, hosting Evansville for a 2:05 p.m. tip-off. Saluki seniors Gibson, Smith and Kaci Bailey will be honored prior the game
