Women's Basketball travels to No. 23/23 Vanderbilt
12/06/2010 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 6, 2010
By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 7
Time: 7 p.m. CST
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Site: Memorial Gymnasium (14,168)
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 (1-5)
Head Coach: Missy Tiber, Second Year (173-99 overall, 6-29 at SIU)
Vanderbilt Commodores (4-3)
Head Coach: Melanie Balcomb, Ninth Year (389-179 overall and 199-76 at Vanderbilt)
SCOUTING VANDERBILT
The Commodores (4-3) enter the matchup coming off back-to-back road losses at Bowling Green (79-68) and Denver (70-65). Vanderbilt was ranked No. 23 in the latest Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls, which were released Nov. 30. The Commodores were ranked No. 24 in the preseason AP Poll and No. 21 in the preseason Coaches Poll, and were picked in a tie for fourth in the Southeastern Conference preseason poll. The Commodores have five players averaging double-digit scoring through their first seven games, including Jasmine Lister (14.1 ppg), Hannah Tuomi (13.7 ppg), Stephanie Holzer (13.6 ppg), Jence Rhoads (12.0 ppg) and Christina Foggie (10.6 ppg).
SERIES WITH VANDERBILT
Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 9-1, including a 90-64 victory over the Salukis last season in Carbondale.
SAINT LOUIS STOPS SALUKIS
SIU lost to Saint Louis 66-39 Thursday night in what was the Salukis' lowest offensive output in two seasons. Southern's early-season offensive struggles returned, as the Salukis shot just 26.4 percent from the field and gave up a 50-30 rebounding margin. Additionally, SIU's 13 points in the first half against the Billikens was the second-lowest scoring half in program history. The all-time low of 11 points also came against Saint Louis in last season's opener. Charnise Mitchell was the only Saluki in double figures against the Billikens with 12 points while Eboni Crayton added eight rebounds and Olivia Patterson had four steals.
INJURY ENDS CRAYTON'S SEASON
Saluki guard/forward Eboni Crayton's senior season came to an abrupt and tragic end as the Guys, Tenn., native suffered a torn meniscus and torn ACL when she collided with an opposing player late during SIU's Dec. 2 game against Saint Louis. Crayton will have surgery to repair the knee, but will miss the remainder of the season in recovery.
SWINGLER AT 600
Senior Katrina Swingler scored her 600th career point in Southern's Dec. 2 loss to Saint Louis. The Teutopolis, Ill., native is the only player on the Salukis' 2010-11 roster to play all four years in Carbondale. A fan favorite known for her blue-collar style of play, Swingler is averaging of 7.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game through SIU's first six games.
DAWGS GET DEFENSIVE
Early in the season, the Salukis have been able to hang their hats on a tough defense that ranks first in the Missouri Valley Conference through last week's games. The Salukis are holding opponents to an average of 58.5 points per game and a field goal percentage of 35.6 percent, both of which are the top marks in the Valley.
DAWG BITES
The Southern Illinois women's basketball team is in its 52nd year of existence. Head Coach Missy Tiber is in her second season with the team and holds a 173-99 (.636) 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.
A 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. SIU will face four teams from Tennessee (UT Martin, Tennessee State, Austin Peay and Vanderbilt) during the 2010-11 season. SIU coach Missy Tiber coached four years at Tusculum College in Morristown, Tenn. before coming to SIU and Saluki assistant coach Michelle Smith is a native of Chattanooga, Tenn.