Salukis travel to Mizzou Sunday
12/14/2012 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 14, 2012
By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois women's basketball team embarks on a three-game road swing starting Sunday at Missouri.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, Dec. 16
Time: 2 p.m. CST
Location: Columbia, Mo.
Site: Mizzou Arena (15,061)
Radio: WVZA 105.1 FM
Play-by-play by Bryce Williams
Color commentary by Johnny Sole
Saluki All Access (live audio)
Saluki Women's Basketball Twitter
TEAM FACTS
Southern Illinois Salukis (1-7, 0-0 MVC)
Head Coach: Missy Tiber, Fourth Year (183-151 overall, 16-81 at SIU)
Missouri Tigers (8-2, 0-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Robin Pingeton, Third Year (369-194 overall, 34-38 at Mizzou)
SIU VS. MISSOURI
SIU trails its all-time series with Mizzou 7-5 and the Tigers have won the last four meetings between the two schools. Mizzou enters the matchup on a four-game winning streak with all four wins coming at Mizzou Arena. The Tigers have played seven of their first 10 games at home, and host the Salukis in the fifth of a seven-game home stand. Three players lead Mizzou in scoring as Morgan Eye averages 13.5 points per game and Sydney Crafton and Bri Kulas both average 13.0 points per game. Kulas is the team's leading rebounder at 6.1 per game and Lianna Doty leads the Tigers with an average of 5.1 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Mizzou is coached by Robin Pingeton, who coached seven seasons at Illinois State prior to taking over the Tigers in 2010.
LAST TIME THEY MET
The Salukis last faced off against Mizzou in front of a record SIU Arena crowd of 3,367 to open the 2006-07 season. SIU came back from a nine-point halftime deficit to take a 55-50 second-half lead, but Mizzou powered back for a 71-60 win. Carlai Moore had 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to lead SIU while Jasmine Gibson added 12 points and Dana Olsen had 11 points.
LEADING THE SALUKIS
Cartaesha Macklin leads SIU in scoring through its first eight games with an average of 13.9 points per game while sophomore Rishonda Napier is second on the team at 10.6 points per game. Dyana Pierre leads the Salukis with an average of 11.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game while Napier averages 2.8 assists per game.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
SIU embarks on its longest road swing of the season starting against Missouri. The Salukis play three consecutive road games over the next three weeks and won't be back at SIU Arena again until opening Missouri Valley Conference play January 3 against Creighton.
SALUKIS CAN'T CONTROL GLASS IN LOSS TO THUNDERING HERD
Marshall pulled down 20 offensive rebounds and scored 21 second-chance points in a 70-66 win over the Salukis December 8 at SIU Arena. Rishonda Naper led SIU with a career-high 20 points while Cartaesha Macklin added 15 points and Dyana Pierre posted her third double-double of the season with 14 points and 16 rebounds.
PIERRE HITS THE GLASS
Redshirt-freshman center Dyana Pierre is tied for 19th in the nation through last week's games with an average of 11.0 rebounds per game. Pierre has had double-digit rebounds in SIU's last five games, averaging 14.4 boards per game over that span. She is the first Saluki since Stephany Neptune (2009-10) to have three games of 15-plus rebounds.
