Women's Basketball faces first road test at Western Michigan
11/22/2010 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 22, 2010
By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 24
Time: 3 p.m. CST
Location: Kalamazoo, Mich.
Site: University Arena (5,421)
Radio: 810 WDDD-AM
Play-by-play by Patrick Erickson
Color commentary by Johnny Sole
Game Notes
Live Stats (free)
Game Central audio (subscription)
TEAM FACTS
Southern Illinois Salukis (0-3)
Head Coach: Missy Tiber, Second Year (172-97 overall, 5-27 at SIU)
Western Michigan Broncos (1-2)
Head Coach: Tasha McDowell, Third Year (17-46 overall and at WMU)
SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
The Broncos (1-2) enter the matchup on a two-game skid, having lost to Horizon League members Detroit and Loyola (Ill.) after opening the season with a win over Eastern Illinois. WMU, who was selected to finish sixth in the Mid American Conference West Division, are led by Ebony Cleary who has averaged 16.7 points and 10.0 rebounds through the team's first three games. Also for the Broncos, Taylor Manley has averaged 15.3 points per game. WMU is in its third season under coach Tasha McDowell, who led the team to a 16-44 record during her first two years in Kalamazoo, Mich.
SERIES WITH WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan leads the all-time series 2-0, including an 82-77 win over the Salukis last season at SIU Arena.
SALUKIS BEATEN AT THE BUZZER
Northern Illinois guard Courtney Shelton's half-court buzzer-beater lifted the Huskies past the Salukis 46-45 Friday, Nov. 19, at SIU Arena. SIU forward Charnise Mitchell's floating layup gave the Salukis their first lead of the second half on the prior possession, but the 1.8 seconds left on the clock gave Shelton just enough time to squeeze off a desperation shot that hit nothing but net. Teri Oliver led the Salukis with 11 points in the loss while Sidney Goins chipped in seven and CiCi Shannon added six points, 10 rebounds and five blocks.
SHANNON'S BLOCK PARTY
SIU freshman center CiCi Shannon's five blocks Nov. 19 against Northern Illinois tied the fourth-highest single-game block total in program history. It was the most blocks in a game by an SIU player since Krsitine Abramowski set the school record with seven blocks against Indiana State on Dec. 29, 1999.
NOT HALF BAD
SIU averages a nine point loss through its first three games, but the Salukis have only been out-scored by an average of 1.3 points per game after halftime. In its last two games combined, SIU out-scored its opponents 47-43 in the second half.
WE'RE HOME EARLY
Southern is getting plenty of time to get comfortable competing in the newly renovated SIU arena as the Salukis start the season with five of their first six at home. After its first road game of the season Wednesday at Western Michigan, SIU will seek its first win in the renovated facility with home games against Austin Peay Nov. 28 and Saint Louis Dec. 2. Following this early-season homestand, the Salukis will play six of their next seven on the road.
DAWGS GET DEFENSIVE
Early in the season, the Salukis have been able to hang their hats on a tough defense that ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference through Tuesday's games. The Salukis are holding opponents to an average of 55.5 points per game. Teams are shooting a paltry 33.7 percent against the SIU defense.
SALUKIS ON THE BOARDS
SIU has had at least one player record double-digit rebounds in each of its first three games. Dating back to last season, at least one Saluki has had 10 or more rebounds in five straight games.
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 172-97 (.639) career record in 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.