Southern Illinois University
2-16, 0-7
Northern Iowa
14-5, 7-1
Northern Iowa powers past Women's Basketball 79-39
01/23/2011 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 23, 2011
By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The Southern Illinois women's basketball team couldn't find a way to build on a strong start in a 79-39 loss Sunday at Northern Iowa.
SIU (2-16, 0-7 MVC) played toe-to-toe with the Missouri Valley Conference leading Panthers (14-5, 7-1) through the first 15 minutes before turnovers and foul trouble helped UNI cruise to a sizeable lead by halftime.
The Panthers never trailed in the game, but Southern kept the margin within six points throughout much of the opening frame. The Salukis had early success pumping the ball into the post, but couldn't find similar success from the perimeter.
"For about 15 minutes, we played really well," said SIU head coach Missy Tiber. "We had chances to take the lead but we didn't shoot the ball well from the perimeter. We need to make some of those outside shots."
SIU's season-long turnover problems resurfaced in the final five minutes of the half, as UNI took advantage of some runouts following Saluki miscues. The Panthers ended the opening frame on a 12-0 run to take a 34-16 lead into the locker room.
"I told the girls in the locker room the most frustrating thing was how close we were, and how we were playing them really solid," Tiber said. "Turnovers were the demise in the first half."
In addition to turnovers, SIU also struggled with foul trouble in the first half. Southern was whistled 12 times as four Salukis had two fouls and sophomore Sidney Goins had three by halftime. UNI went to the free throw line 14 times in the opening half, making 11, while SIU went 3-for-4.
Katrina Swingler hit a pair of free throws out of the intermission to help Southern pull within 34-17, but the Panthers promptly went on an 11-0 run over the ensuing three minutes to go up 45-18.
The Salukis didn't score a field goal in the second half until Brooke LeMar's layup at the 15:37 mark. SIU didn't get many open looks throughout the half because of the continuing turnover epidemic. Southern finished with 31 turnovers, marking the third consecutive game with at least 30.
Whereas the Salukis had success early getting the ball inside, they couldn't hold onto the ball long enough to do so in the second half thanks largely to UNI's ball pressure.
"Our guards were unable to handle the ball on the perimeter and get the ball inside when we wanted to," Tiber said. "They were pressuring us and switching every screen on the guards and that took us out of what we wanted to do as far as trying to get the ball inside more."
UNI struggled from the field early in the game, shooting just 30.3 percent in the first half, but drastically improved to 55.6 percent in the second half. Four Panthers scored in double figures, led by Katelin Oney's 16 points.
"They've got two great players in Jacqui Kalin and Lizzie Boeck, but they also have a lot of other very good players that come along with them," Tiber said. "They have a lot of scoring threats. We just don't have as many and we don't get as many shots because we turn the ball over all the time."
Katrina Swingler led SIU with 14 points and eight rebounds while Raquel Miller and Sidney Goins added six points apiece. The Salukis will be back in Carbondale Thursday, Jan. 27, to take on Illinois State.
"When we do things right and take care of the ball, we can compete," Tiber said. "Somehow, we just have to find a way to take care of the ball for 40 minutes instead of just 15."
