Salukis Square Off with Eagles on Saturday
12/11/2015 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
| Morehead State (4-5) at Southern Illinois (4-4) | |
| Date | Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015 |
| Time | 3 p.m. CT |
| Location | Carbondale, Ill. / SIU Arena (9,000) |
| Game Notes | Southern Illinois  |
| Radio | Saluki All-Access |
| Watch | ESPN3 |
| Tickets | Buy Tickets |
| Live Stats | Gametracker |
| Media Guide | SIU Media Guide |
| Social Media | @SIU_WBasketball |
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois women's basketball returns home to the SIU Arena ready to host Morehead State on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. The game will air on ESPN3 and WVZA 105.1 FM. The Salukis (4-4) look to make it two in a row over the Eagles (4-5) Saturday.
AROUND THE GYM
It's that time of year to dawn your ugly holiday sweater and head to SIU Arena. Fans participating will have a chance to win prizes and be shown on the video board.
FASTBREAK FACTS
-The Salukis had a season-high nine more assists than turnovers (19-to-10) in the win at Murray State, the most since Feb. 6, 2015.
-SIU has had at least two players in double figures in every single game this season.
-Four scored in double digits in last season's win at Morehead State, led by Rishonda Napier's game-high 20 points and Dyana Pierre's double-double. All nine returners played in that game.
-Rishonda Napier scored the 900th point of her career in the win over SIUE. She averages 13.8 points per game.
-Three Salukis have double-figure season averages. Redshirt senior Dyana Pierre leads the team with 14.1 points per game, redshirt junior Rishonda Napier is averaging 13.8 and redshirt senior holds onto a 10.5 average.
-Redshirt senior Dyana Pierre leads the Valley in rebounds per game and blocks, ranking 12th and tied for 15th in the nation in those categories, respectively.
SERIES HISTORY
The Salukis and the Eagles have split their previous two all-time meetings, with Morehead State winning at Carbondale, 59-50 on Dec. 30, 2013, and Southern returning the favor the following year with a 75-66 win in Morehead, Kentucky. In the previous two meetings, the team with the higher shooting percentage has won. The Eagles shot 36.2% to the Salukis 29.8% in their win, while SIU shot at a 47.5% clip compared to Morehead State's 36.5% in its win at Morehead in 2014.
LAST TIME
SIU 75, Morehead State 66 After trailing by four at the half, The Salukis opened the second half on a 12-6 run to regain a lead they never relinquished. Southern had four score in double figures, led by Rishonda Napier's 20 points and Dyana Pierre's double-double (16 points, 13 rebounds). Azia Washington and Cartaesha Macklin scored 12 and 11 points, respectively.
SIU VERSUS THE OVC....
SIU plays its fifth OVC opponent of the season in Morehead State. The Salukis are 3-1 this season against OVC foes, and in 173 lifetime meetings against OVC member schools, Southern sports a .728 winning percentage (126-47). In the Cindy Stein era, the Salukis are 8-4 against OVC opponents and have won 8 of their last 9 meetings against the Ohio Valley, including a perfect 5-0 record last season.
RPI RANKINGS
According to Warrennolan.com, SIU's RPI currently ranks 166, while Morehead State comes in at 161.
THE STEIN EFFECT
Since Cindy Stein's arrival in Carbondale, the Salukis have taken better care of the basketball than previous SIU squads. In 2013-14, Stein's first season at the helm, the Salukis finished with more assists than turnovers in three games- which was as many times as SIU had accomplished that feat in the previous three seasons combined. The following season, the Salukis finished with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio 14 times, the most since the 2007-08 team that accomplished the task 12 times en route to a WNIT berth. This season, the Salukis have finished with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio four times in eight contests, and have done so in three-straight games. The last time that the Dawgs strung four-straight games with more assists than turnovers was the 2007-08 season, while the Salukis are 16-5 under Stein when recording more assists than turnovers.
PIERRE NAMED PRESEASON ALL-MVC
Senior center Dyana Pierre was again one of six honorees on the MVC's Preseason All-Conference team. Pierre is coming off a superb junior campaign in which she became only the third Saluki to earn First-Team All-MVC honors in back-to-back seasons since Valley play began in 1992-93. Pierre has led the conference in rebounds in each of her three seasons, and her 10.1 career rebounds per game currently ranks her third in MVC history. The senior center is 13 rebounds shy of becoming the second Saluki to ever amass both 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
SOUTHERN SIGNS 5 FOR 2016-17
Southern Illinois University women's basketball head coach Cindy Stein announced the addition of five student-athletes for the 2016-17 season. Caitlyn Claussen of Manhattan, Kan., Lauren Hartman of Tremont, Ill., Nicole Martin of Jefferson City, Mo., Kristen Nelson of Farmington Hills, Mich., and Brittney Patrick of Bolingbrook, Ill. are the newest members of the Saluki program, signing National Letters of Intent or letters of acceptance on signing day.
Caitlyn Claussen (Wamego High School)
Guard/Forward, 6-0
Claussen is a native of Manhattan, Kan., and was an All-League performer during a junior year in which she finished second on the team in scoring and rebounding while helping Wamego advance to the Kansas Class 4A title game. She is a two-time North Central Kansas League All-League selection, including a nod on the First-Team this past season and also has garnered back-to-back selections on the Manhattan Mercury Flinthills All-Area team. The Wamego High School product plays AAU for the Ohlde Elite in Morganville, Kan., having attended the PBR Super 64 2014 National Championships, as well as being chosen for the All American Games tournament.
Lauren Hartman (Tremont High School)
Center/Forward, 6-3
Hartman is a three-sport athlete at Tremont, earning All-Heart of Illinois Conference honors in volleyball, basketball and softball as a Turk. She averaged just under a double-double during her junior year, securing a spot on the All-Area team as well as the All-Heart of Illinois Conference First-Team. As a junior, Hartman helped lead Tremont to a 27-2 record, and its first regional championship since 1992. Hartman is a National Honors Society member as well.
Nicole Martin (Jefferson City High School)
Forward, 6-1
Martin is a three-sport athlete at Jefferson City, finishing fourth in the high jump at the state meet her junior year, while averaging 16 points and seven rebounds per game that year in basketball. She is a two-time All-Jefferson County Conference and All-Area honoree. She also earned a spot on the 2014-15 All-Central District team and played AAU for the Missouri Lady Warriors. Nicole has family ties to Southern, as her sister, Kezia, is a sprinter on the SIU track & field team.
Kristen Nelson (Harrison High School)
Guard, 5-9
Nelson has been one of Oakland County's top players for the past three years, and as a junior she averaged 14.4 points, five assists, four rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks. She has led her team in scoring, steals and assists in each of the past two seasons, and entering her senior campaign ranks first in school history in career assists, second all-time in both blocks and steals, and is seventh in scoring.
Brittney Patrick (Bolingbrook High School)
Guard, 5-6
Patrick was named the March 2015 Chicago Tribune Female Student-Athlete of the Month and led her team in scoring, assists, and steals this past season. Patrick is also a 2014-15 Illinois All-State Special Mention who has earned All-Conference and All-Area honors in each of the past two seasons. During her junior year, she helped the Lady Raiders win the 2015 IHSA Regional Championship.
MACKLIN CLIMBING UP THE RANKS
Cartaesha Macklin currently ranks fifth all-time in SIU history with 1,408 career points. She needs 131 points to pass Amy Rakers (1987-1991) for most all-time. Over a 22-game stretch she would need to average 5.9 points per game this season to pass Rakers. Macklin passed Molly McDowell (1999-03) for most free throws made in a career with her 368th make in the win over Murray State on Dec. 2.
1,000 POINTS-500 REBOUNDS CLUB
With 6 rebounds, Cartaesha Macklin can become the 16th Saluki to score over 1000 points and grab 500 or more rebounds. Macklin would become just the fourth to join the club since the 2001 season, with Dyana Pierre being the most recent member and would also become the first Saluki to ever amass 1,400 points, 400 assists, and 500 rebounds in a career.
PIERRE EYES SCHOOL RECORDS
Sue Faber could have some company this year. The 1983 SIU graduate, who scored 1,507 points and snagged 1,014 career rebounds has sat alone atop the the all-time list as the top rebounder in Southern's history, as well as the lone member of the 1,000-point, 1,000-rebound club. Senior forward/center Dyana Pierre needs 13 rebounds to join Faber in that illustrious club, and needs 28 rebounds to pass Faber to become Southern's all-time leading rebounder. The redshirt senior forward needs 12 rebounds to move into second all-time on the rebounding list. Pierre would become the sixth in Valley history to amass 1,000 pts/1,000 rebounds, joining:
Jennifer Kackza (Wichita State)
Alex Cook (UNI)
Angela Buckner (Wichita State)
Jill Martin (Drake)
Wanda Ford (Drake)
PIERRE FILLS UP STAT SHEET IN OT WIN
Preseason All-MVC forward Dyana Pierre scored 27 points, tied a career-high with 21 rebounds and blocked two shots in a career-best 43 minutes to lead the Salukis to a 79-70 overtime win over Tennessee St. University on Nov. 21. She also established a new career-best at the charity stripe, making 9-of-15 attempts to set new career highs in both categories. With her nine made free throws, Pierre moved into 10th all-time in Salukis history with 223. Pierre's 20-20 game marks just the sixth time in available SIU history that a women's basketball player has recorded 20-plus points and 20-plus rebounds in a single contest, and the second time Pierre has done so in her career.
The redshirt senior from Port St. Lucie, Fla. also established a new WNIT record for rebounds in a game, surpassing Courtney Paris's previous record of 20 rebounds set on Nov. 13, 2005 against Southern Methodist University.
PIERRE PASSES THE PILL
Dyana Pierre tallied four assists in the win over Murray State- the most for her since she tallied a career-high five against Missouri State during the 2012-13 season. It's just the sixth time in her career that she has tallied three or more assists in a contest.
MACKLIN'S DROPPIN DIMES
The redshirt senior became the first Saluki since Mercedes Griffin did so in 2014 to record back-to-back 5-plus assist games, when she notched seven in the win over Murray State and followed with six in the victory against SIUE. Macklin was the last Saluki to record back-to-back 6+ assist games, having posted seven assists against Drake on March 7, 2013 and another seven against Creighton two days later on March 9, 2013.
ASSIST TO TURNOVER RATIO
Southern notched a 1.9 assist to turnover ratio in the win over Murray State on Dec. 2- the highest for the Salukis since they posted a +15 in a 81-76 win over Drake on February 6, 2015.
RESERVES SEEING THE FLOOR
Junior Kim Nebo and sophomore Celina VanHyfte have both seen an increase in playing time this season with Nebo starting three contests and VanHyfte tallying four starts. In Nebo's previous 47 career games she tallied five or more rebounds in four contests- in the eight games this season she's grabbed five our morerebounds three times, including six in 13 minutes during the win over SIU-Edwardsville on Dec. 4. VanHyfte has played 15 or more minutes in seven of the Salukis' eight games this season, having only played 15 plus minutes in one game during her freshman campaign. The Annawan High School product established a new career-high with 11 points in the win over SIUE on Dec. 4, and grabbed a career-best nine rebounds in the victory against Murray State.
JOINING THE CLUB
Senior forward/center Azia Washington became the 32nd Saluki to score 800 career points on Dec. 2, and only the 18th member of the 800-point/500-rebound club while Rishonda Napier scored her 900th career point in the win over SIUE on Dec. 4 to become the 26th Saluki to score 900-plus career points.
TOUGH TO STOP
Rishonda Napier has only been held scoreless once in her career- in a 77-64 loss to Indiana State her freshman year.
GIEBELHAUSEN THE DISTRIBUTOR
Kylie Giebelhausen tied a season-high with four assists in the win over Murray State on Dec 2. It marks the 10th time in her career, and fourth time in eight games this season, that she's totaled four assists or more in a single contest. She currently is seven assists away from 100 for her career- which would make her the 49th Saluki to pass the 100 assists plateau. In addition to those seven assists, if the sophomore from East Peoria, Ill. scores 18 points she will become the 42nd Saluki, and fifth on the active roster, to total 300 points/150 boards/100 assists.
CORRIGAN PROVIDES BENCH DEPTH
Carlie Corrigan sits just five rebounds from 100, and 36 points from 200 for her career. She would become the 92nd Saluki to amass 200 points/100 rebounds. Corrigan, who has been the Salukis' sixth-man this season and is a team captain, has played 20 or more minutes in six of SIU's eight games.
THE REEMERGENCE OF CARTAESHA
After coming off the bench for the first time in 100 games in the loss to Memphis, Macklin started both contests last week and averaged 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.0 steals to lead SIU to back-to-back wins. The redshirt senior from Mayo, Fla. shot 11-for-22 (50%) from the field, 7-of-12 (58%) from three, and 5-of-6 (83%) from the charity stripe. She opened the week with a game-high 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, including 5-of-6 from three, and added seven assists, four rebounds, one block and one steal in the 70-57 win over Murray State on Dec. 2. She followed that up with 10 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and a steal in the 71-57 victory over SIUE on Dec. 4.
NAPIER CHASING HISTORY
The redshirt junior from Bolingbrook, Calif. can join an exclusive club this season. She sits just 77 points shy of 1,000, 5 assists from 200 and 21 steals from 100. If and when she does that, she will become the 10th Saluki, joining teammate Cartaesha Macklin, to score 1,000 points, snag 200 rebounds, dish out 200 assists and tally 100 steals. Dyana Pierre has an outside chance of joining Napier and Macklin in that club, needing 14 assists and 24 steals to do so.
MACKLIN CLEANING THE GLASS
54 times in her storied career, including four times this season, Cartaesha Macklin has grabbed five or more rebounds in a single game, including six boards in the loss to Illinois on Dec. 8. The Salukis are 2-2 this season when Macklin grabs 5+ rebounds.
BOWLING PUNCHING THE CLOCK
Freshman Olivia Bowling established a new career-high in minutes played (8) at Illinois, snagging her first career offensive rebound and dishing out her first collegiate assist. She played as many minutes against Illinois as she had in her previous three appearances combined.
PUTTING IN THE TIME
Three Salukis rank in the top-10 in the Valley in minutes played. Rishonda Napier leads the way in fifth-place in the MVC with an average of 34.9 minutes per contest, while Kylie Giebelhausen (6th/34.6) and Dyana Pierre (10th/31.4) are also on the list.
SALUKI RADIO NETWORK
The flagship station for Saluki women's basketball is WVZA 105.1 FM. Bryce Williams is in his fourth season as the full-time radio broadcaster for Saluki women's basketball. All audio from Saluki basketball games are available on SIUSalukis.com.
FOLLOW US
The official Twitter and Instagram of Saluki women's basketball is @SIU_WBasketball. This account features team news as well as live in-game updates. Fans can also follow Saluki Athletics @SIUSalukis for news on all SIU sports.
SALUKI NEWS ONLINE
SIUSalukis.com is the official website for SIU Athletics. It is the best source for up-to-date information on the Saluki women's basketball team. Rosters, box scores, cumulative statistics, pre-game notes and other materials are available on the site. You will need Adobe Acrobat to read PDF files.
