Southern Illinois University
2-24 (0-15MVC)
Indiana State
13-13 (7-8MVC)
Women's Basketball falls 93-57 at Indiana State
02/25/2011 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 25, 2011
By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — The Southern Illinois women's basketball team was whistled for 33 fouls, sending Indiana State to the line 52 times in a 93-57 loss to the Sycamores Friday night at the Hulman Center.
Despite playing the Sycamores (13-13, 7-8 MVC) to a six-point game a month ago in Carbondale, the Salukis (2-24, 0-15 MVC) couldn't find any momentum against ISU on its home court. Foul troubles plagued Southern throughout the night and the Sycamores took advantage, netting 38 of their 52 free throws.
"I have never had a team come close to letting a team shoot 50 free throws. That is unheard of," said SIU coach Missy Tiber. "Our kids refuse to work hard to get themselves in a position to defend."
Southern held the Sycamores to 14 first-half points in Carbondale en route to the Salukis' biggest halftime lead of the season of 12 points. Friday, the Sycamores exploded for 48 points in the opening half as the Salukis found themselves down 26 at the break.
A big difference for the Sycamores in the turnaround was the play of 6-foot-4 center Shannon Thomas. Thomas, who scored a quiet 10 points in Carbondale, went off for 26 points to lead all scorers Friday. Southern's tallest defender, 6-foot-3 center CiCi Shannon, picked up her second foul just three minutes into the game, and the Salukis struggled to defend the ISU center the remainder of the half with Shannon on the bench.
"We don't have another kid on our team that can guard Shannon Thomas inside," said Tiber. "We can't guard her with a 5-10 or 5-11 player. She is just too big and too strong."
Southern's defensive struggles weren't isolated in the post. The Salukis were routinely caught out of position throughout the night resulting in fouls as players rushed to try to recover.
SIU couldn't find rhythm on the offensive end either. The Salukis often went long stretches without scoring as the Sycamores went on runs of 10-0, 11-0 and 10-0 during the first half along before finishing the half on a 7-0 run.
"We had every opportunity to make it a much closer game, but I can't count how many open layups we missed," Tiber said. "We had six or seven in the fist half."
ISU pushed the lead to 30 less than three minutes into the second half at 56-26. Southern battled back within 27, but never got any closer. The Salukis didn't allow the same scoreless runs they did in the first half, though, save an 8-0 run midway through the half.
Senior Katrina Swingler picked up the offensive slack for the Salukis through the first 10 minutes of the second half while sophomore guard Teri Oliver ruled the last 10 minutes. Swingler scored all of her nine point in the second half while Oliver scored 12 of her career best-tying 25 points down the stretch.
"Teri was working her tail off on both ends of the court," Tiber said. "Teri is a good player for this league. She can score in some different ways and she is starting to get more confident."
Sidney Goins also scored nine points for the Salukis while Swingler had 10 rebounds and Brooke LeMar had a career-best 10 assists. The Salukis play their last regular-season road game Sunday at Illinois State.
Notes:Teri Oliver tied a career best with 25 points … Brooke LeMar posted a career best 10 assists …. The Salukis losing streak reached a new school record of 16 games, including 15 straight in Missouri Valley Conference play … The 93 points was the most SIU has allowed since giving up 95 points to the Sycamores Jan. 3, 2008.
