Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Salukis travel to Northern Iowa Thursday
01/30/2013 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 30, 2013
By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois women's basketball team looks to end a five-game losing streak Thursday as the Salukis travel to Northern Iowa.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Thursday, Jan. 31
Time: 7 p.m. CST
Location: Cedar Falls, Iowa
Site: McLeod Center (6,750)
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 (4-14, 1-6 MVC)
Interim Coach: Adrianne Harlow, First Year (0-2 overall, 0-2 at SIU)
Northern Iowa (8-11, 3-4 MVC)
Head Coach: Tanya Warren, Sixth Year (95-85 overall and at UNI)
SIU VS. NORTHERN IOWA
Southern leads its all-time series with UNI 30-28, but the Salukis have dropped the last six in the series. The Panthers enter the matchup at 8-11 and 3-4 in the MVC after dropping a pair of games on the road last week at Creighton and Drake. UNI has the MVC's leading scorer in sixth-year senior Jaqui Kalin. The 2011 MVC Player of the Year averages 18.1 points per game. Behind Kalin, the Panthers balance their scoring with six players averaging between 4.8 and 7.9 points per game. Kalin is tied with Amber Kirschbaum for the team's lead in rebounding at 5.7 per game and she also leads the team with an average of 3.3 assists per game. The matchup will feature the two worst rebounding teams in the league. UNI surrenders a 4.8 rebound per game advantage while SIU gives up an average of 4.9 against its opponents.
LAST TIME THEY MET
The Panthers swept the Salukis last season, winning 70-66 in Carbondale and 73-52 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. SIU came back from at 10-point halftime deficit to tie the game with under two minutes to play at SIU Arena, but the Panthers held on for the six-point win. Cartaesha Macklin finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Alexus Patterson had career-bests of 18 points and 16 rebounds. Katelin Oney poured in 33 points to lead the Panthers. In the return trip, UNI dominated on its home court as the Salukis struggled to a 30.4 percent shooting clip. Macklin had 14 points and six rebounds to lead SIU while Teri Oliver chipped in 12 points and nine boards. Amber Kirschbaum had 23 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Panthers.
LEADING THE SALUKIS
Sophomore guard Cartaesha Macklin leads SIU and ranks eighth in the MVC with an average of 13.8 points per game while freshman guard Rishonda Napier is second on the team at 11.6 points per game. Freshman center Dyana Pierre leads the MVC in rebounding at 9.1 per game and ranks second in the league at 1.3 blocks per game. Macklin leads the Salukis and ranks second in the Valley with an average of 3.9 assists per game.
REBOUNDING WOES DOOM SALUKIS IN LOSS TO MISSOURI STATE
The Salukis surrendered 24 offensive rebounds to the Lady Bears and MSU took advantage with 17 second-chance points in a 79-72 win over SIU Sunday in Carbondale. Rishonda Napier had her second-consecutive 20-point game with 20 points to go along with a career-best tying seven assists. Also for SIU, Jameeka Bouie scored 15, Cartaesha Macklin had 12 and Alexus Patterson added 11 points while Dyana Pierre had nine points and 12 rebounds.
NAPIER NAMED MVC NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
Freshman guard Rishonda Napier was named the MVC's newcomer of the week after averaging 21.5 points, 4.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds for the Salukis last week. She went 6-for-9 from 3-point range and scored a career-best 23 points against league-leader Wichita State before scoring 20 points and tying a career best with seven assists against Missouri State. She is the second MVC newcomer of the week for SIU this season along with Azia Washington (Dec. 31).
PIERRE BACK ON THE GLASS
Redshirt-freshman center Dyana Pierre was back to her non-conference rebounding form last week with a pair of double-digit rebounding games against Wichita State and Missouri State. The Port St. Lucie, Fla., native had 15 boards against the Shockers and 12 against the Lady Bears. Until last week, Pierre hadn't pulled down double-digit boards since ending a streak of five-consecutive double-digit games with 16 against Marshall on December 8. She is back into a tie for the league lead at 9.1 rebounds per game.
TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF?
Saturday's game against Missouri State marked the first time in 2012-13 the Salukis haven't had more turnovers than assists. Southern finished with an even 15 assists and 15 turnovers against the Lady Bears. The Salukis' 15 turnovers tied a season low.
NAPIER FOR THREE
Freshman guard Rishonda Napier's six 3-pointers against Wichita State last week is tied for fifth-most in a game in SIU history. Napier hit treys on three consecutive possessions in the second half for a 9-0 run that brought SIU within six points of the league-leading Shockers.
