Women's Basketball opens conference play at Missouri State
12/30/2010 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2010
By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Friday, Dec. 31
Time: 1:05 p.m. CST
Location: Springfield, Mo.
Site: JQH Arena (11,000)
Radio: 810 WDDD-AM
Play-by-play by Patrick Erickson
Color commentary by Johnny Sole
Game Notes
Game Central audio (subscription)
TEAM FACTS
Southern Illinois Salukis (2-9)
Head Coach: Missy Tiber, Second Year (174-103 overall, 7-33 at SIU)
Missouri State Lady Bears (9-3)
Head Coach: Nyla Milleson (52-53 overall and 237-89 at Missouri State)
SCOUTING MISSOURI STATE
The preseason Missouri Valley Conference favorite Lady Bears enter the matchup coming off a 66-39 win over Morgan State before the holiday break. At 9-3, MSU has been led in a strong start by preseason Valley Player of the Year Casey Garrison's 17.4 points per game, which stands second in the league to start conference play. Behind Garrison, Jasmine Malone has averaged 12.1 points per game while Christiana Shorter averages 10.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per contest.
SERIES WITH MISSOURI STATE
The Salukis trail 38-25 in the all-time series, as the Bears have won the last three matchups.
SIU IN CONFERENCE OPENERS
Southern Illinois is 15-13 in conference openers since the 1983-84 season. The Salukis have won four of the last six conference openers.
SALUKIS FALL AT PURDUE
SIU fell 75-36 at Big 10 power Purdue to close out non-conference play with a 2-9 record. The Salukis shot just 27.5 percent from the floor and turned the ball over 27 times in the loss. Charnise Mitchell led Southern with 12 points and a season-high 13 rebounds while CiCi Shannon added 10 points.
TALKING POINTS
The Salukis' 36 points at Purdue marked the team's lowest scoring output in seven seasons. The Salukis only lower scoring game in the past decade was a 35-point outing at Missouri State in 2003-04.
EFFICIENCY IN VICTORY
Southern's two wins this season have come on the team's top two shooting performances. The Salukis posted season-bests of 46.2 percent from the floor (24-of-52) and 50 percent from beyond the arc (9-of-18) in the win over Murray State. SIU shot 46 percent from the floor in a win over Austin Peay.
RECORDS COME IN THREES
The Salukis' 13-for-33 shooting performance from beyond the arc against Wright State set school records for both 3-pointers made and attempted in a game. Additionally, the 33 attempts tied for 14th most in MVC history. Southern shot 20 3-pointers in the first half alone to account for two-thirds of the team's shot attempts to that point and finished the game having shot 33 of 56 field goal attempts from down town. SIU's achieved its previous high of 12 made threes several times, most recently last season at Missouri State. The team's previous high of 29 attempts also occurred multiple times, with the last coming at Missouri State in 2007-08.
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 174-103 (.628) 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.