Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Women's Basketball Travels to Illinois State on Thursday
02/24/2016 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
| Southern Illinois (17-9, 10-4 MVC) at Illinois State (6-19, 4-10 MVC) | |
| Date | Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. CT |
| Location | Normal, Ill. / Redbird Arena (10,000) |
| Game Notes | Southern Illinois |
| Video | ESPN3 |
| Radio | Saluki All-Access |
| Live Stats | Stat Broadcast |
| Media Guide | SIU Media Guide |
| Social Media | @SIU_WBasketball |
NORMAL, Ill. - The Southern Illinois women's basketball team opens up its final regular season road trip at Illinois State on Thursday, Feb. 25. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (CT) at the Redbird Arena in Normal, Ill. The Salukis are in search of their first season sweep of the Redbirds since the 2005-06 season, with the game airing on ESPN3 and WVZA 105.1 FM.
SERIES HISTORY
The Salukis and the Redbirds meet for the 106th time in a series that dates back to the 1961-62 season. Southern trails the all-time series, 45-60, but have won two of the last three, including a 76-71 win over Illinois State on Jan. 31. SIU notched its first home sweep of Indiana State and Illinois State since the 1996-97 season, and will be looking to sweep the season series for the first time since the 2005-06 season.
LAST TIME
SIU 76, ILLINOIS STATE 71
Senior forward Azia Washington recorded her first double-double of the season and was one of four Southern Illinois players in double-figures as the Salukis knocked off Illinois State, 76-71, on Jan. 31, 2016 inside the SIU Arena. Washington scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in 26 minutes, posting season-highs in all three.
RPI RANKINGS
According to Warrennolan.com, The Valley has four teams in the top-150 led by Missouri State (90) and followed by Northern Iowa (106), Drake (108), and SIU (135).
THE COMPANY YOU KEEP
Southern Illinois is one of five programs in the nation with three 1,000-point scorers (Rishonda Napier, Dyana Pierre, Cartaesha Macklin) on the roster. SIU joins the defending national champion UConn Huskies, 8th-ranked Oregon State Beavers, 23rd-ranked DePaul Blue Demons and the Northwestern Wildcats as the only programs to have three 1,000-point scorers.
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 12 times in 26 contests, and did so in four-straight games for the first time since the 2007-08 season. The Salukis are 24-5 under Stein when recording more assists than turnovers.
THE SALUKI SENIORS
Azia Washington, Dyana Pierre and Cartaesha Mackin together have totaled 3,877 career points, 2,390 rebounds, 616 assists, 210 blocks and 334 steals.
HISTORY IN THE MAKING
With her four points against Evansville, Cartaesha Macklin passed Amy Rakers (1987-1991) to become SIU's all-time leading scorer. Rakers record stood for 25 years. Macklin became SIU's all-time leader in minutes played earlier this season and became the program's all-time leader in games played (122) in the win over Evansville.
1,000 POINTS-500 REBOUNDS CLUB
With eight rebounds in the win over Morehead State, Cartaesha Macklin became the 16th Saluki to score over 1000 points and grab 500 or more rebounds. Macklin is just the fourth to join the club since the 2001 season, with Dyana Pierre being the most recent member. The Mayo, Fla., native is also the first Saluki to ever amass 1,500 points, 400 assists, and 500 rebounds in a career.
CATCHING FIRE
The Salukis had two of their best shooting performances of the season this past weekend. Southern knocked down 48.1% (26-of-54) of its attempts form the field in the win over Missouri State, and bested that effort on Sunday against Wichita State, shooting a season-high 51.7% (30-of-58) from the field, including a season-best 56.3% (9-of-16) from behind the 3-point line in the 80-66 win. The 51.7% shooting output was SIU's highest since Nov. 14, 2014.
BREAKING OUT THE BROOMS
Southern Illinois' home wins over Missouri State and Wichita State this weekend not only allowed SIU to equal its overall (17) and conference (10) win totals from a year ago, but it also snapped a couple of streaks. First, the victory over the Lady Bears broke a nine-game losing streak to Missouri State dating back to Jan. 19, 2012, while the win over Wichita State was the first for the Salukis since March 1, 2014. The home sweep of Missouri State/Wichita State was the first for SIU since the 2008-09 season.
SHE'S HEATING UP
Rishonda Napier tied a career-best with six 3-pointers in the 80-66 win over Wichita State on Sunday. Of the 29 instances of 6+ 3-pointers in a game in Saluki history, Napier now accounts for four of them, three of which have come this year. Napier is one of four Salukis to have made 6+ 3-pointers three or more times in a single-season, and is one of only three to have done so in four or more games in a career. The Burbank, Calif., native could very well finish her SIU career as the school's all-time leader, as she now needs 43 more 3-pointers in her career to pass Teri Oliver for most in school history, with her 69 3-pointers this season the ninth-most in a single-season in program history.
NAPIER EARNS 2ND MVC PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD
The Burbank, Calif., native averaged 26.5 points, 4.5 assists, 2.0 rebounds in two Southern Illinois wins, shooting 19-for-39 (48.7%) from the field and 9-for-14 (64.3%) from the 3-point range. Napier posted one of the top individual shooting performances in recent Saluki history on Sunday, as she made a career-high 11-of-20 attempts from the field, including 6-of-8 from beyond the arc to tie her career-high with 30 points in SIU's 80-66 win over Wichita State. The 5-foot-5 redshirt junior scored 24 of her 30 points in the second half, connecting on all six of her second half 3-point attempts. In Friday's win over Missouri State, Napier tallied 23 points on 9-of-20 shooting, to go along with six assists and three rebounds. It marked just the third time in the Valley this season a player has reached the 30-point mark.
PROTECTING THE BALL
The Salukis turned the ball over just five times in the win over Evansville on Feb. 14, including just twice in the first half. It marks the fewest turnovers for SIU in a half, and a game, since the 2007-08 season, when Southern tied the 1983 school record for fewest turnovers in a single game. SIU recorded just four giveaways in a 75-74 win over Creighton on Jan. 20, 2008 and had just two turnovers in each half of that contest.
MACKLIN'S STREAK AT 24
Cartaesha Macklin has made 24 straight free throws dating back to SIU's Jan. 31 win over Illinois State. Molly McDowell made 26 straight during the 2002-03 season, the longest such streak in SIU's available history. The longest streaks in Valley history are as follows.
CONSECUTIVE FREE THROWS MADE YEAR
1. 53 - Katie Miller, UNI 2000
2. 44 - Kelsey Luna, Indiana State 2009-10
44 - Kim Wypiszynski, UNI 2009-10
44 - Mallory Ladd, Evansville 2012-13
5. 40 - Sam Schuett, Creighton 2009-10
6. 39 - Jacqui Kalin, UNI 2010-11
7. 37 - Casey Garrison, Missouri State 2011
8. 36 - Jessica Diamond, Wichita State 2012-13
9. 33 - Kourtney Mennen, Indiana State 2003
33 - Genny Mueller, Bradley 2003
33 - Kourtney Mennen, Indiana State 2000
12. 31 - Lisa Davies, Missouri State 1998
31 - Nicolle Lewis, Illinois State 2008-09
14. 30 - Karly Buer, Missouri State 2011-12
30 - Catie O'Leary, Bradley 2012-13
DISTRIBUTION CHAIN
In Southern's win over Evansville on Feb. 14, the Salukis tied a season-best with 19 assists. It marks the fourth time this season that SIU has fallen one assist shy of an even 20. SIU's +14 assist-to-turnover ratio was its best of the season, and the highest since Feb. 6, 2015 when Southern also posted a +14 in an 81-76 win over Drake.
FOR THREE
Southern is first in the Valley in 3-point field goal percentage at 34.3%, and has now hit 182 3-pointers this season, the second-most in a single-season in program history. The Salukis need eight 3-pointers in their remaining four games to break the school record. SIU's seven 3's per game average is well ahead of the previous school record of 6.3, also set during the 2011-12 season.
PIERRE ALL-TIME LEADING REBOUNDER
Sue Faber has some company. The 1983 SIU graduate, who scored 1,507 points and snagged 1,014 career rebounds has sat alone atop 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 Dyana Pierre became the second Saluki to score 1,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds with her 14 boards in the win over Morehead State, and with her seven boards in the victory over SEMO became Southern's all-time leading rebounder.
The redshirt senior forward is third all-time in Valley history. Pierre became just the sixth in Valley history, and the first since 2008, 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 is also one of just nine active players in the 1,000 point/1,000 rebound club, along with:
Jillian Alleyne, Oregon
Joy Adams, Iona
Alisia Jenkins, South Florida
Ruvanna Campbell, Ill.-Chicago
Erika Livermore, Fairleigh Dickinson
Breanna Stewart, UConn
Brittney Martin, Oklahoma State
Brittany Starling, USC Upstate
HAWKINS TO REDSHIRT
Head coach Cindy Stein announced that freshman Tiajaney Hawkins will require surgery on her injured shoulder, an injury she suffered against Memphis on Nov. 29, and will medically redshirt for the remainder of this season. Hawkins appeared in five games this season, averaging three points and one rebound.
TRIPLES GALORE
The Salukis made a season-high 13 3-pointers in their win over Evansville on Jan. 16, marking the third game this season that SIU has made 10 or more 3-pointers in a game. The 2015-16 season marks just the second time in the last 10 seasons, and third time in the last 20, that a SIU squad has made 10-plus 3's on three separate occasions, last accomplishing the feat during the 2009-10 season. No Saluki squad has ever made 10 3-pointers in four or more contests, and have only once (1994-95 season) made 10-plus in back-to-back games.
ACTIVE AROUND THE RIM
The Salukis out-rebounded Morehead State, 63-to-45 in the win on Dec. 12. SIU finished one off the school-record, and it marks the eighth-most rebounds in a single game in Valley history. The +18 rebounding margin was the largest for SIU since the Salukis posted a +20 in a 76-71 overtime win over Murray State on Dec. 19, 2009.
15 of SIU's 17 wins this season have come in games in which Southern wins the rebounding battle, with the Salukis out-rebounding their opponent in a total of 21 of their 26 contests this season. The Dawgs are averaging 42.42 boards per contest, the 31st most per game in the NCAA, and have three players averaging five rebounds or more per game: Dyana Pierre (11.6), Cartaesha Macklin (5.2) and Kim Nebo (5.7).
The Salukis are currently 15th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (16.0) and 52nd in total rebounds (1,103) while Illinois State comes into Thursday's showdown averaging 35.92 rebounds per tilt.
CONTROLLING THE GLASS
The Salukis are 5-1 this season when grabbing 20+ offensive rebounds and 3-0 when corralling 20+ offensive and 30+ defensive boards.
NAPIER MAKING HISTORY
The redshirt junior from Burbank, Calif. joined an exclusive club in the win over Drake on Jan. 1. Napier became the 24th Saluki, and third on the active roster, to reach the 1,000-point plateau. Napier is now one of 10 active Valley student-athletes with 1,000 career points, joining teammates Cartaesha Macklin and Dyana Pierre, as well as Lizzy Wendell (Drake), Kenzie Williams (Missouri State), Sara Dickey (Evansville), Madison Weekly (UNI), Tyonna Snow (Missouri State), Taylor Johnson (Loyola) and Taylor Manuel (Loyola). Napier needs just one steal to reach 100 and become the 28th Saluki to surpass the century mark. Dyana Pierre has an outside chance of becoming the 29th, needing six steals to do so.
GIEBELHAUSEN ONE OF EIGHT
Kylie Giebelhausen is one of eight Salukis all-time to tally at least 400 points, 200 rebounds, 100 assists and 50 blocks.
THE ONLY ONE
Dyana Pierre is the only Saluki in history to record 1,000 points/1,000 rebounds/100 assists and 100 blocks.
FEWEST FOULS
Southern leads the Valley, and is 20th in the nation in fewest personal fouls per game- averaging just 14.5 fouls per game. The Salukis were whistled for just nine fouls in the win over Evansville on Feb. 14. That ties the mark for the fewest SIU has been called for this season, and marks the fourth time in the Cindy Stein era the Salukis have been called for single-digit fouls, last accomplishing the feat against Drake on Jan. 6, 2015.
MACKLIN AT THE STRIPE
Cartaesha Macklin leads the Valley and the nation in free throw percentage, currently shooting at a 92.9% (79-of-85) clip. She made 17 consecutive free throws before missing on her first attempt against Illinois State, and has made 24 in a row dating back to her misses against the Redbirds. The Mayo, Fla., native 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 and is 10th on the Valley's all-time list.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Dyana Pierre notched her seventh-straight double-double in the loss to Missouri State on Jan. 24, scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 boards. The seven-game streak is the longest such streak for the redshirt senior from Port St. Lucie, Fla., in her career. Pierre's 12 double-doubles this season are the most in the Valley and are the sixth-most in the nation, while her 49 career double-doubles rank second in MVC history. Pierre is currently averaging 12.9 points and 11.6 rebounds per game, and could become the first in the Valley since Wichita State's Antoinette Wells did so during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons to average a double-double in back-to-back seasons.
PIERRE RANKED NATIONALLY
Dyana Pierre leads the Valley in rebounds (244), rebounds per game (11.6) and offensive rebounds per game (5.0), and is currently first in the nation in offensive rebounds and 10th in rebounds per game.
SECOND HALF SCORING
The Salukis scored 53 points in the second half of their 80-66 win over Wichita State on Feb. 21. Thats the most they've scored in a half this season.
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.
