Southern Illinois University
Memphis
Women's Basketball hosts Memphis on Sunday
12/10/2016 | 8:23:00 | Women's Basketball
Marks the 18th meeting between the two programs dating back to 1974.
| SIU Salukis (4-4) vs. Memphis Tigers (3-5) | |
| Date | Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016 |
| Time | 2 p.m. CT |
| Location | Carbondale, Ill. / SIU Arena |
| Game Notes | Southern Illinois |
| Game Notes | Memphis |
| Video | ESPN3 with Bryce Williams and Kelly Burke |
| Radio | Saluki All-Access |
| Live Stats | Sidearm Stats |
| Tickets | Buy Tickets |
| Media Guide | SIU Media Guide |
| Social Media | @SIU_WBasketball |
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois women's basketball team hosts the Memphis Tigers on Sunday, Dec. 11 inside the SIU Arena. The game is SIU Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day and the contest will be streamed live on ESPN3 and can be heard on WVZA 105.1 FM.
Series History
Memphis leads the all-time series, 12-5 in a matchup that dates back to 1974. Sunday's game marks the rubber match between the two sides, as they have split the first of two games since playing for the first time in 17 years in 2014. SIU won 82-75 over the Tigers two years ago, and the Tigers returned the favor with a 61-58 buzzer-beating victory at home last season. The series stretches back to the days when Memphis was known as Memphis State and has several interesting matchups, including one in the Women's NIT in 1983 (L, 77-69) and in Seattle for the Husky Classic in 1988 (W, 62-48).
Scouting the Tigers
The Memphis Tigers come to the SIU Arena sporting a 3-5 record, and have lost four of their last five games, with two of those losses coming against Power 5 conference opponents (Kansas, Arkansas). Junior Cheyenne Creighton leads the Tigers in scoring, averaging 13.4 points per contest. Taylor Williams (11.9pts/game) and Brea Elmore (10.0pts/game) also return from a team that lost to UT Martin in the first round of the WNIT a year ago.Â
Last TimeÂ
Memphis 61, SIU 58
Despite trimming an eight-point deficit and tying the contest late in the fourth quarter, the Southern Illinois women's basketball team fell to the Memphis Tigers, 61-58 in Memphis, Tenn. on Nov. 29, 2015. The Salukis were led by Rishonda Napier, who finished with a game-high 18 points, three rebounds, and a steal. Kylie Giebelhausen tallied 15 points, four assists and three boards, with 13 of her 15 points coming in the second half, including 3-of-4 shooting from behind the arc.
Current Salukis vs. the Tigers
Rishonda Napier will play for the third time in her career against the Tigers, and is averaging 16.5 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds in those two meetings. Kylie Giebelhausen is averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in two previous meetings with the Tigers, including five blocks against Memphis as a freshman.
SIU VERSUS THE AAC....
The Salukis are 8-13 all-time against American Athletic Conference schools, with wins coming against UCF, Cincinnati and Tulsa as well as Memphis.
Finding their stroke
The Salukis shot 57.1% (28-of-49) from the floor in the win over SEMO, including 58.3% (7-of-12) from three-point territory. It's the best Southern has shot from the field since shooting 60% in a 70-65 loss to Evansville on January 2, 2009.
Preseason Poll
SIU was picked to finish fourth in the MVC, marking the first time in 18 years (1996-97, 1997-98) that SIU has been picked in the top-half of the annual poll in back-to-back seasons.
Defending the Perimeter
The Salukis are currently ranked 1st in the conference, and 4th in the nation, in opponent's three-point field goal percentage. SIU is holding opponents to just 22.4% (28-of-125) shooting from beyond the arc.
Slight of Hand
SIU's 13 steals in the win over Brescia on Nov. 26 marks the first time Southern has cracked double-digits in steals since March 7, 2015 against Illinois State. The 13 steals were the most in a game during the Cindy Stein era, and the most since Southern nabbed 13 steals in a 52-41 loss to Evansville on Feb. 9, 2013.
Dishing Out Helpers
The Salukis dished out 29 assists on 37 field goals in the win over Brescia, tied for the second-most assists in a single game in program history. Eight different Salukis recorded an assist in the win, and Southern turned the ball over just six times. SIU ranks second in the conference, and 29th in the nation, in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.23).Â
Finding the Opener Shooter
Of the eight occurrences in which SIU has tallied 20 or more assists in back-to-back games, the 49 combined assists against SIUE and Brescia are the second-most. The 1990 squad recorded 58 assists in back-to-back contests, as Southern handed out a school record 30 assists against Western Illinois on Jan. 8, 1990 and followed with 28 against Northern Iowa on Jan. 11, 1990.
Back-to-Back 20+ Assist games
Southern recorded 20+ assists in back-to-back contests this year, finishing with 20 in the loss to SIUE and coming back with 29 in the win over Brescia on Nov. 26. You have to go all the way back to the 2000-01 season to find the last time that SIU recorded 20+ assists in multiple games during the same season, and all the way back to the 1998-99 season when current Director of Basketball Operations Julie Beck was Southern's head coach to find the last time SIU accomplished the feat in back-to-back games. SIU recorded 21 assists vs. Murray State on Nov. 20, 1998, and followed with 20 assists at Memphis on Nov. 23, 1998.
Dropping Dimes Part Two
Of the 53 times in which the Salukis have tallied 20 or more assists in a single game since 1989, this marks just the eighth time that Southern has dished out 20-plus assists in back-to-back games. Southern's longest streak of 20-plus assist games is three-straight, which it has done twice, last doing so during the 1993-94 season.
Finding the Open Looks
SIU is averaging 6.85 three-pointers per game in the early goings of the 2016-17 season, well above the school record of 6.667 threes per game set a year ago. SIU's attempts per game are also up, with Southern shooting 23 three-pointers per contest through seven games, or one and a half three-point attempts more per game than the 2011-12 season, when the Salukis averaged a school record 21.5 three-point attempts per game.
Power 5 Conference win
The Salukis picked up a 64-61 win at Purdue, a win that snapped several long streaks. The win at Purdue marked SIU's first win in West Lafayette, Ind. since 1980, and the Salukis first win over a Big Ten school since 1993. 1993 also marked the last time SIU beat a school from a Power 5 conference, as Southern defeated Arizona State, 73-57 on Dec. 20, 1993.
Napier making the freebies
Rishonda Napier is a perfect 22-for-22 from the charity stripe this season, and is one of seven players in NCAA DI who have yet to miss a free throw.Â
Corrigan's senior leadership
Carlie Corrigan tied a career-high with six defensive rebounds in the win over SEMO on Dec. 9. It equaled her previous best, which she set on Jan. 10, 2014 against Drake. The Plainfield, Ill. native also had four assists in the win, marking the fourth time in Southern's first eight games that she has had 4-plus assists in a game. She had only tallied 4-or more assists once prior to this season.
Giebelhausen from long distance
Kylie Giebelhausen tied a career-best by making five three-pointers in the win over SEMO, marking the fifth time in her career the junior guard has made five in a game. She is one of only six Salukis all-time to have made at least 130 three-pointers in a career.
Setting New Career-Highs
Giebelhausen also set a career-high in points, finishing with 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting, including 5-of-6 from long distance. Her nine made field goals were also a new career-best. The East Peoria, Ill. native played all but one minute in the win, marking the third time this season she has played at least 39 minutes.
Bowling Getting More Burn
Olivia Bowling set a career-high in minutes (24) and assists (4) in the win over SEMO on Dec. 9, marking the third time this season Bowling has played 20 or more minutes. The New Haven, Ky., native is averaging 16.5 minutes per game this season as one of the first off the bench for the Salukis.
Nebo's fourth double-double
Kim Nebo tallied her fourth double-double of the season in the win over the Redhawks on Dec. 9, scoring 17 points and adding 11 rebounds. It marked the fourth double-double of the Katy, Texas native's career. The junior forward/center is eighth in the MVC in scoring (12.9/game), fifth in rebounding (7.8/game) and second in field goal percentage (.608).Â
24th in scoring amongst active NCAA DI
Rishonda Napier needs 16 points to pass Dyana Pierre for sixth on Southern's all-time scoring list, as she has 1,410 career points after scoring 20 points on an efficient 6-of-10 from the floor in the win over SEMO. The returning All-MVC First Team selection has the 24th-most points of any active NCAA DI player. Only Lizzy Wendell (Drake; 2,035) and Sara Dickey (Evansville; 1,782) have more career points in the Valley.Â
12th in 3-balls made amongst active NCAA DI
Napier is second on SIU's all-time list with 217 three-pointers made, needing 19 more during her senior season to pass Teri Oliver for most in program history. Her 217 three-pointers are the 12th-most amongst active DI players, and the most of any active player in the Valley.
Napier's Helping Hand
Napier dished out five assists in the win over SEMO, giving her 325 for her career. She passed Dana Fitzpatrick (1985-89) for 9th on Southern's all-time list, and is now tied with Anita Scott (1989-93) for eighth.
