Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Murray State
Women's Basketball to host Murray State for home opener
11/16/2016 | 10:27:00 | Women's Basketball
Salukis take on the Racers on Thursday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m.
CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Southern Illinois women's basketball team hosts the Murray State Racers for its home opener Thursday, Nov. 16. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. with the game being streamed live on ESPN3 and can be heard on WVZA 105.1 FM.
It will mark the 45th time the two schools have met, since 1968, but its a rivalry renewed, as it is just the eighth time the two teams have tangled since 2005. SIU has controlled the series, with a 39-5 series lead and wins in 21 of its last 22 games against Murray State.
Six Salukis played a year ago in the win over the Racers, with five figuring to play significant minutes Thursday. Rishonda Napier, Kylie Giebelhausen, Kim Nebo, Carlie Corrigan, Olivia Bowling, and Celina VanHyfte all played in SIU's 70-57 win at Murray State on Dec. 2, 2015. Giebelhausen led the way with eight points and six rebounds, while Corrigan had five points and three boards off the bench.
Ke'Suhunan James returns for the Racers, as she had 19 points and seven rebounds at home against the Salukis last season. SIU made the 2015-16 All-OVC selection work for every basket tough, as she went 7-of-18 from the field, and the Salukis held her to just 1-of-5 from beyond the arc. This season, James scored 25 points in 29 minutes against Division III-foe Eureka College on Nov. 11, and then went for 14 points and nine rebounds in the Racers win over Alabama A&M three days later.
The Salukis are next in action on Sunday, Nov. 20, when they travel to Big 10 country to take on the Purdue Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Ind. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. CST.
SERIES HISTORY
SIU leads the all-time series against Murray State, 39-5, dating back to the 1968-69 season. The Salukis have won 20 of the past 21 meetings dating back to 1989. Southern is 13-3 all-time at Murray State, with the last win by the Salukis at Murray State coming on Dec. 18, 2010.
BOUNCING BACK
SIU is 22-11 in games following a season-opening loss, and did so for the first time in nine years last season in a 73-54 win over Siena in the Preseason WNIT behind 21 points and nine rebounds from then senior Dyana Pierre.
SPEAKING OF PIERRE
Pierre is currently playing in the highest tier of professional women's basketball in Finland, as her Äänekosken Huima (pronounced A-no-co-skin Who-eh-ma) are 4-5 in nine games. She's averaging the 20th-most points (12.67 points/game) in the league through nine games, and is currently eighth in the league in rebounding (9.7 rebounds/game).
HOME OPENERS
Since 1975-76 SIU is 19-22 in home openers, having won back-to-back home openers for the first time since the 1996-97 & 1997-98 seasons. SIU's opponent in its1996-97 home opener was also Murray State, who the Salukis defeated 95-63.
SIU VERSUS THE OVC
The Salukis play four OVC schools this season, and in 173 lifetime meetings against OVC schools, the Salukis sport a .728 winning percentage (126-47).
SHOOT THE J!
Head coach Cindy Stein has shown a willingness to give her open shooters the green light to try from the outside, with the Salukis taking 21 first-half three-pointers in the season opener at Oklahoma. That's the most in a first half since at least 2000. SIU, which set school records in three-pointers made and three-pointers attempted in a single season last year, attempted 30 three-pointers in the loss at No. 16 Oklahoma. That marked the most three-pointers attempted in a game since Dec. 12, 2015.
SCHOOL 3-POINT RECORD IN JEOPARDY
Speaking of the 3-ball, Rishonda Napier continues to inch closer to becoming SIU's all-time leader in three-pointers made. Napier has made 208 in her career, and is just 28 from breaking Teri Oliver's school record of 235, set in 2012.
BLOCK PARTY
Kylie Giebelhausen recorded a block in Sunday's loss at Oklahoma, giving her 78 for her career. That ranks her ninth on SIU's all-time career blocks list, and she needs just two more blocks to move into seventh. In doing so, she will pass a pair of Saluki legends in Amy Rakers (1987-91) and Char Warring (1980-84).
