Southern Illinois University
2-19, 0-10MVC
Creighton
14-7, 8-2MVC
Women's Basketball falls 62-43 at Creighton
02/03/2011 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2011
by Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
OMAHA, Neb. -- The Southern Illinois women's basketball team's sluggish second-half start proved costly in a 62-43 loss to Creighton Thursday night at D.J. Sokol Arena.
Southern (2-19, 0-10 MVC) posted a 6-0 run in the final 33 seconds of the first half to overcome a 15-point deficit and pull within nine points at the break, but the Salukis couldn't carry the momentum into the second half. The Bluejays (14-7, 8-2 MVC) started the second half on a 10-0 run and never looked back.
"We just started terribly in the second half and before we knew it, it was out of hand," said SIU coach Missy Tiber.
Creighton hit three quick 3-pointers to start the game, and SIU was slow to find an answer as the Bluejays jumped out to a 13-2 lead early. Southern only managed one score in its fist 10 possessions with six turnovers and three missed shots.
SIU went four minutes without scoring before Katrina Swingler finally hit a free throw at the 14:25 mark. The Salukis didn't hit another field goal until Teri Oliver banked in a shot in the lane at the 13:15 mark to pull within 13-5.
Southern would eventually come as close as 15-8, holding the Bluejays scoreless through a three minute span, but Creighton responded with a 4-0 run to push the margin back to double figures with under 10 minutes remaining in the half.
SIU pulled back within 19-12 at the 6:41 mark, but went on a four-minute scoreless drought while the Bluejays went on a 8-0 run, eventually taking their biggest lead at 30-15 with under a minute to play.
Southern showed some determination to end the half, however, clawing its way back to a 30-21 deficit by halftime after a pair of free throws by Sidney Goins and back-to-back runouts off steals by Oliver and Goins.
"I was very happy going into the locker room," Tiber said. "I thought we put together a good little run and made some hustle plays."
Just as quickly as the Salukis made their run, the Bluejays stole the momentum back in the opening minute of the second half. Creighton guard DeNae Moore stole SIU's inbounds pass out of the break to set up an old fashioned 3-point play by Kelsey Woodard.
"Our turnover to start the second half just fueled that. We tried to make a sideline entry pass and we turn the ball over to a 3-point play, and there went our confidence," Tiber said. "If we can get a couple things going in our favor, we'll feed off that. But as soon as one thing goes bad, it goes bad, and that's what happened tonight."
Goins hit a pair of free throws three minutes in to end to the Bluejays' run to start the second half, but Southern wouldn't score its first field goal of the half until Charnise Mitchell's layup at the 15:50 mark. The Bluejays followed Mitchell's basket with another big run, out-scoring the Salukis 13-2 over the ensuing seven minutes to take its biggest lead of the night at 56-30 with eight minutes to play.
SIU finally got something going offensively in the second half with an 8-1 run sparked by a pair of Oliver 3-pointers to draw the deficit back under 20 points at 57-38 with just under five minutes to play. Southern couldn't manage to gain any more ground on the Bluejays lead in the final minutes, however, as Creighton cruised to its fourth straight win.
"All night, I was a little disappointed that we just looked tired for some reason," Tiber said. "It just looked like we were lacking energy."
Oliver led SIU with 18 points and seven rebounds while Swingler posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Salukis travel to Des Moines, Iowa Saturday to take on Drake.
"We are going to have to play harder than we did tonight against Drake," Tiber said. "If we can go over there and take care of the ball and play with some heart and passion, we might be alright."
