Southern Illinois faces Loyola in MVC Tournament Quarterfinals on Friday
03/10/2016 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
| No. 4 Southern Illinois (19-11, 12-6 MVC) vs. No. 5 Loyola (14-15, 10-8 MVC) | |
| Date | Friday, Mar. 11, 2016 |
| Time | 2:30 p.m. CST |
| Location | Moline, Ill. / iWireless Center (9,200) |
| Game Notes | Southern Illinois |
| Video | ESPN3 |
| Radio | Saluki All-Access |
| Live Stats | Stat Broadcast |
| Tickets | Buy Tickets |
| Media Guide | SIU Media Guide |
| Social Media | @SIU_WBasketball |
MOLINE, Ill. -- The no. 4 seed Southern Illinois Salukis will face the no. 5 seed Loyola Ramblers in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball Tournament at the iWireless Center in Moline, Ill. on Friday. Win a win, Southern would advance to the conference semifinals for the first time since the 1996-97 season.
TEAM FACTS
No. 4 Southern Illinois Salukis (19-11, 10-8 MVC)
Head Coach: Cindy Stein • Third season • 323-255 career record (19th season) • 41-49 at SIU
No. 5 Loyola Ramblers (14-15, 10-8 MVC)
Head Coach: Sheryl Swoopes • Third season • 31-61 career record (third season) • 31-61 at Loyola
ON THE AIR
Radio: WHET 97.7 FM
Video: ESPN3
Audio Stream: CBS All-Access
Play-by-Play: Bryce Williams (fourth season)
SERIES HISTORY
The Salukis and the Ramblers will meet for the 11th time in a rivalry that dates back to 1982. Loyola took an edge in the all-time series with a season sweep of the Dawgs, now leading the series, 6-4.
MVC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
With the regular season at a close, the Salukis have earned the No. 4 seed for the MVC Tournament. This will mark the second-straight season in which the Salukis have been seeded in the top-five, and marks the first time since the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons that Southern has secured top-five seeds in back-to-back seasons. All-time, the Salukis are 16-22 in the conference tournament and last won it in 1989-90, defeating Illinois State, 71-54 behind Tournament MVP Amy Rakers. Southern's last win at the tournament came in 2013 vs. Evansville (83-75, OT).
Southern's last win in the MVC Tournament quarterfinals came in 1996-97, when a fifth-seeded Saluki squad defeated the no. 4 seed Indiana State, 59-58. Southern's last win in the tournament semifinals came in 1992-93, when the Salukis defeated Creighton, 71-69 in overtime. This marks Southern's second appearance as the no. 4 seed in the conference tourney, as they were the four seed in 1993-94 when they lost to Drake, 80-67. The no. 4 seed is the first top-4 finish for Southern since 2007.
LAST TIME
SIU 59, LOYOLA 83
The Salukis kept pace with the Loyola Ramblers during the opening quarter and were in striking distance at the half, but costly turnovers coupled with cold shooting beset Southern's offensive attack as Loyola defeated Southern Illinois, 83-59, on Feb. 5, 2016 inside Gentile Arena Cartaesha Macklin led Southern Illinois in scoring with 14 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists. Rishonda Napier added 13 points, a block and a steal, while Celina VanHyfte chipped in seven points and six boards in 19 minutes off the bench.
RPI RANKINGS
According to Warrennolan.com, The Valley has four teams in the top-150 led by Missouri State (91) and followed by Northern Iowa (95), Drake (98) and SIU (136).
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.
DRAINING THREES
SIU's 201 made three-pointers this season are the most in a single-season in program history. Rishonda Napier accounted for 75 of those 3-pointers, tied for the third-most in a single-season in program history. The redshirt junior has now made 196 3-pointers in her career, and needs 40 more to pass Teri Oliver (2009-12) for most in Saluki history.
REWRITING THE RECORD BOOKS
The Salukis averaged 69.0 points per game during the regular season, the highest mark in more than 20 years. It marks the 11th highest average in program history, with all 10 previous instances coming prior to the 1994-95 season. For just the eighth time in program history, and the first time since the 1995-96 season, SIU is averaging more than 40 rebounds per game. Southern's 42.2 rpg are second only to the 1994-95 team's 42.3 rpg for highest average in school history.
THREE EARN ALL-MVC
Southern Illinois women's basketball players Cartaesha Macklin, Dyana Pierre and Rishonda Napier all earned All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team honors, the league announced Wednesday.
For Macklin and Pierre it marks the third season that each have garnered all-conference laurels, while Napier was named to the All-MVC First-Team for the second consecutive season.
Macklin finished the regular season as the MVC's leader in free throw percentage (.898) in addition to ranking fifth in assists with an average of 3.5 per game. The Mayo, Fla., native led the Salukis in scoring in 11 games this season, and has scored in double-figures 22 times this season. She has scored in double-figures in 90 games during her career, and led SIU with an average of 1.3 steals per game and finished second in assists (3.5) and third in rebounding (5.1).
Pierre becomes just the third in Valley history to lead the league in rebounding in all four seasons, finishing the regular season with an average of 11.4 rebounds per game. Pierre joins Wanda Ford and Angela Buckner as the only three to ever accomplish that feat, and with her 12.6 points per game average becomes 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. The redshirt senior from Port St. Lucie, Fla., led the Salukis in blocks (1.3 per game), offensive rebounds (116) and defensive rebounds (168) despite missing five games, and garnered All-Defensive team honors for the second consecutive season. Pierre is just the second Saluki to ever repeat on the All-Defensive team, joining Kasia McClendon.
Napier was SIU's leading scorer with an average of 15.1 points per game, which ranked eighth in the MVC. The Burbank, Calif., native was SIU's leading 3-point shooter with 75 treys during the regular season, tied for the third-most in a single-season in program history. She also finished first on the team, and fourth in the MVC, in assists (3.7), and she was also first on the team in 3-point field goal percentage (.366).
It marks the first time since the 1994-95 season that SIU has had three earn All-MVC honors in the same season and the first time in program history that the Salukis have had three earn First-Team All-MVC honors.
THREE EARN MVC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE HONORS
Rishonda Napier, Kim Nebo and Kylie Gieblhausen were recognized as Missouri Valley Conference Scholar Athletes.
Napier earned First Team Scholar-Athlete honors after posting a cumulative 3.51 GPA while majoring in economics.
Nebo was also named to the First Team Scholar-Athlete squad. Nebo has a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA and is majoring in biological sciences and pre-pharmacy.
Giebelhausen was named to the Honorable Mention Scholar Athlete team and owns a 3.52 cumulative GPA with a double major in exercise science and pre-physical therapy.
It marks the first time in program history that SIU has two first team selections, and the first time since the 2005-06 season that Southern is represented on the MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team. The three total honorees are the most for Southern since the 2008-09 season.
Nebo and Giebelhausen are the 20th and 21st different Salukis to earn MVC Scholar-Athlete recognition while Napier is the eighth Saluki to earn multiple MVC Scholar-Athlete honors.
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 13 times in 30 contests, and did so in four-straight games for the first time since the 2007-08 season. The Salukis are 24-6 under Stein when recording more assists than turnovers.
THE SALUKI SENIORS
Azia Washington, Dyana Pierre, Blair Stephenson and Cartaesha Macklin have combined to score 4,063 career points, grab 2,507 rebounds, dish out 661 assists, block 216 shots and snag 344 steals.
20-WIN SEASON IN SIGHT
With one more win, Southern will clinch the program's first 20-win season since 2007. It would also mark the 10th time in school history the Salukis have reached the 20-win plateau, with SIU racking up eight of those 20-win seasons during a 15-year stretch (1978-93) under legendary head coach Cindy Scott.
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.
SIX IN A ROW
The Salukis won six-straight games before the loss to UNI, and have won eight of their last 10. The six-game winning streak equals the longest of the Cindy Stein era, as Southern won six-straight from Jan. 30 to Feb. 15, 2015.
DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Dyana Pierre leads the MVC with 14 double-doubles this season and 51 for her career, the sixth-most among active players in the nation and the second most in Valley history. Pierre is currently averaging 12.6 points and 11.4 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.
SHE'S HEATING UP
Rishonda Napier tied a career-best with six 3-pointers in the 80-66 win over Wichita State on Feb. 21. 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 39 more 3-pointers in her career to pass Teri Oliver for most in school history, with her 75 3-pointers this season the third-most in a single-season in program history.
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.
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.
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. 16 of SIU's 19 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 23 of their 30 contests this season. The Salukis are currently 14th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (16.0) and 41st in total rebounds (1,266).
LIGHTING UP THE SCOREBOARD
The Salukis broke a 31-year old school record with 102 points in the win over Morehead State on Dec. 12. The previous record was 101, set on March 5, 1984. It's just the fourth time that Southern has cracked the century mark, and the second time during the Cindy Stein era. The +33 point margin of victory was the largest for SIU since a +33 win over Wichita State on March 3, 2007. The Salukis also had seven score in double figures- the first time that has happened dating back to the 1978-79 season.
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 11 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), Jen Keitel (UNI), Tyonna Snow (Missouri State), Taylor Johnson (Loyola) and Taylor Manuel (Loyola).
With her two steals in the win over Illinois St., Napier became the 28th Saluki to surpass the century mark for steals in a career.
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 32nd in the nation in fewest personal fouls per game- averaging just 14.9 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 on Jan. 1, 2016 against Drake.
MACKLIN AT THE STRIPE
Cartaesha Macklin leads the Valley and is third in the nation in free throw percentage, currently shooting at a 89.8% (88-of-98) clip. She made 17 consecutive free throws before missing on her first attempt against Illinois State, and followed by making 24 in a row prior to missing three against Indiana State. 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.
PIERRE RANKED NATIONALLY
Dyana Pierre leads the Valley in rebounds (284), rebounds per game (11.4) and offensive rebounds per game (5.0), and is currently fifth in the nation in offensive rebounds and 10th in rebounds per game.
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.
