Southern Illinois University
3-8 (0-1MVC)
Illinois State
6-6 (1-0MVC)
Illinois State upends Women's Basketball 75-51
12/30/2011 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2011
By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
NORMAL, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois women's basketball team's cold shooting and 21 turnovers resulted in a 75-51 loss to Illinois State to open Missouri Valley Conference play Friday night at Redbird Arena.
Southern (3-8, 0-1 MVC) shot just 28.1 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from the free throw line in what was the Salukis' fourth-straight loss in their fourth-consecutive road game.
"Tonight, we just killed ourselves," said SIU head coach Missy Tiber. "You can't have 21 turnovers and shoot 50 percent from the free throw line and think you are going to win."
SIU opened the game strong, battling right with the Redbirds (6-6, 1-0 MVC), who have now won 17 consecutive MVC home games. The Salukis led 11-9 seven minutes in before ISU used a 9-0 run to take an 18-11 lead into the first media timeout.
Southern trailed as much as 11 before battling back to cut the margin to four at 24-20 with four minutes remaining in the half. The Redbirds dominated the remainder of the half, though, closing on a 10-1 run. ISU guard Jamie Russell scored 13 of her game-high 19 points in the first half with many of her scores coming in transition.
"I think our defense in the half court in the first half was good," Tiber said. "We gave up too many scoring opportunities off of turnovers in the first half. When you are giving run-outs to kids, you are not going to be able to guard that."
SIU couldn't stop the Redbird run in the second half as ISU scored the first six out of the break to take a 40-21 lead. Southern rallied to within 47-35 with 12:28 remaining, but that is as close as the Salukis could get.
"There were parts of the game in the second half where we broke down defensively, but overall I was pleased," Tiber said. "We held them below what they shoot from the field, and that is even with a lot of run-outs."
Cartaesha Macklin led SIU with 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists while Jordyn Courier added 12 points on four 3-pointers and Alexus Patterson chipped in a career-best 14 rebounds. SIU leading scorer Teri Oliver finished with 11 points despite playing with an injury to the thumb on her shooting hand.
"Teri is playing injured, and you could tell," Tiber said. "We are used to her doing everything and it was a struggle tonight for her. We need some other guards to step up and handle her minutes."
The Salukis resume MVC play against Indiana State Sunday in Terre Haute, Ind., to end a five-game road swing.
