Women's Basketball hosts UT Martin to open season
11/10/2010 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 10, 2010
By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Friday, Nov. 12
Time: 7:05 p.m. CST
Location: Carbondale, Ill.
Site: SIU Arena (8,500)
Radio: 810 WDDD-AM
Play-by-play by Patrick Erickson
Game Notes
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TEAM FACTS
Southern Illinois Salukis (0-0)
Head Coach: Missy Tiber, Second Year (172-94 overall, 5-24 at SIU)
2009-10 Record: 5-24, 4-14 Missouri Valley Conference
UT Martin Skyhawks (0-0)
Head Coach: Kevin McMillan (11-19 overall and at UT Martin)
2009-10 Record: 11-19, 8-10 Ohio Valley Conference
DAWG BITES
The Southern Illinois Basketball team is in its 52nd year of existence. Head Coach Missy Tiber is in her second season with the team and holds a 172-94 (.647) career record entering her 10th season as a head coach. Last season the Salukis finished with a 5-24 record and were 4-14 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Southern returns five letterwinners and two starters from the 2009-10 squad and welcomes three transfers and eight freshmen.
SCOUTING UT MARTIN
Much like the Salukis, the Skyhawks start 2010-11 with a squad full of new faces. UT Martin returns two letterwinners from a 2009-10 squad that went 11-19 while welcoming 14 new players, including nine freshmen. The Skyhawks defeated Christian Brothers 97-67 Nov. 5, in exhibition play led by 20 points from Heather Butler and 18 from Beth Hawn.
SERIES WITH UT MARTIN
SIU leads the all-time series 7-5 and the Salukis have won the last three matchups. In the last meeting, Southern won 82-67 Nov. 29, 2001 at Martin, Tenn.
SALUKIS IN SEASON OPENERS
The Southern Illinois women's basketball team is 21-28 overall in season openers and 5-8 when opening at home since the 1974-75 season.
OVC ALL OVER AGAIN
UT Martin is one of four teams from the Ohio Valley Conference the Salukis will face during the 2010-11 season. SIU will also face OVC schools Tennessee State (Nov.. 16) and Austin Peay (Nov.. 28) in Carbondale before traveling to Murray State (Dec. 18). The Salukis are 116-35 all-time against the current roster of OVC schools.
TASTE OF TENNESSEE
The Saluki Roster contains four players from the state of Tennessee (Eboni Crayton, Sidney Goins, Raquel Miller and Renee Reed), which is the highest out-of-state contingent on the team.
NEW ERA IN THE NEW ARENA
The Salukis matchup against UT Martin will mark the first regular-season game in the newly renovated SIU Arena. Fans will be greeted by a new entrance and lobby area, as well as a concourse encircling the upper bowl of the arena featuring an athletic ticket office, Saluki Team Store, expanded concessions and new restrooms. The upgraded SIU Arena also features a VIP Club Room and state of-the-art scoreboard with individual statistics and replay capability. In addition, the retrofitted SIU Arena features all-new chairback seating, including chairbacks in the permanent upper bowl. The renovations also included updated locker rooms, coaches' offices, and team meeting areas for the men's and women's basketball teams.
SALUKIS TAKE EXHIBITION WIN
SIU forced 28 Illinois-Springfield turnovers and overcame a slow start on offense to post a 72-46 win in the team's only exhibition game Nov. 6 at SIU Arena. Teri Oliver led the Salukis with 19 points and five steals while Eboni Crayton had 12 points and seven rebounds. Also for SIU, Katrina Swingler and CiCi Shannon both chipped in nine points and nine rebounds while Charnise Mitchell added eight points and nine boards.