Women's Basketball hosts Loyola for home opener
11/15/2011 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 15, 2011
By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois women's basketball hosts Loyola-Chicago Thursday for its home opener.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Thursday, Nov. 17
Time: 7:05 p.m. CST
Location: Carbondale, Ill.
Site: SIU Arena (8,339)
Radio: 810 WDDD-AM
Play-by-play by Patrick Erickson
Color commentary by Johnny Sole
Game Notes
Live Stats
Game Central audio/video (subscription)
TEAM FACTS
Southern Illinois Salukis (0-1)
Head Coach: Missy Tiber, Third Year (174-123 overall, 7-53 at SIU)
Loyola Ramblers (2-0)
Head Coach: Eric Simpson (29-34 overall and at Loyola)
SIU VS. LOYOLA-CHICAGO
The Salukis are 2-0 all-time against the Ramblers, although the two teams have not faced off since the 1983-84 season. Loyola comes to Carbondale off a pair of wins against two in-state schools the Salukis will face later in the season. The Ramblers defeated Chicago State 77-34 last Friday before topping Northern Illinois 73-42 Sunday. Loyola has four players averaging double figures in scoring, led by junior guard Patrice King's 17.0 per game. Behind King, freshman forward Simone Law and sophomore guard/forward Troy Hambrick both average 15.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while junior guard Monica Albano figures for 10.5 points and 6.0 assists per game through two contests.
OLIVER HAS CAREER NIGHT, BUT SALUKIS CAN'T STOP AUSTIN PEAY
SIU closed a 10-point gap with under five minutes to play, but couldn't complete the comeback in a 76-70 season-opening loss at Austin Peay. Teri Oliver poured in a career-high 32 points, including three key late-game 3-pointers, but the effort couldn't lift the Salukis to their first season opening win in three years. Behind Oliver, Ariel Haynes scored 10 points and pulled down six rebounds with two steals in her Saluki debut while Brooke LeMar added nine points, six rebounds and six assists.
SALUKIS IN HOME OPENERS
SIU is 19-18 in home openers since the 1974-75 season.
SALUKIS CARE
SIU's games this week against Loyola-Chicago and Chicago State will coincide with Southern Illinois Athletics' "Salukis Care" promotion. Fans that bring a canned good to either game will be admitted for $1. All the canned goods collected will go to a southern Illinois area food pantry.
FROM CHI-TOWN TO C-DALE
Loyola is one of three Chicago-area schools the Salukis will face this year. Southern will also face Chicago State Sunday in Carbondale before making a trip to the windy city Dec. 22 to take on DePaul. SIU has four players on its roster from the Chicagoland area, including freshmen Ariel Haynes, Jaleesa Armstrong and Mercedes Griffin along with sophomore CiCi Shannon.
SALUKIS STAY IN-STATE
SIU's 2011-12 schedule features matchups against seven different in-state schools. That is the most Illinois teams the Salukis have faced since the 1983-84 season. Southern is 226-131 all-time against other schools in the state of Illinois.
STARTING WITH A CLEAN SLATE
Southern Illinois looks to close the books on a few inglorious records as the Salukis embark on the 2011-12 season. Southern's 2010-11 record of 2-28 broke school and Missouri Valley Conference records for losses in a season, and the Salukis became just the second team in MVC history to go winless in Valley play. Dating back to last season, the Salukis have lost 21 straight, which is a school and MVC record SIU looks to end against Loyola.
OLIVER FOR THREE
Teri Oliver moved up in the SIU record book after going 5-for-12 from the three-point line in the Salukis season opener at Austin Peay. Oliver became SIU's career leader in 3-pointers attempted with 374 through Friday's game. Her 150 career 3-pointers made put her three shy of tying Danette Jones (2001-05) for third all-time at SIU.