Southern Illinois University
Northern Iowa
Women's Basketball opens conference road swing at Northern Iowa
01/05/2017 | 10:37:00 | Women's Basketball
The Salukis and the Panthers tip-off at 7 p.m.
| SIU Salukis (7-6, 1-1 MVC) vs. the Northern Iowa Panthers (9-4, 2-0 MVC) | |
| Dates | Jan. 6, 2017 |
| Times | 7 p.m. CST |
| Location | Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center |
| Game Notes | Southern Illinois |
| Game Notes | Northern Iowa |
| Video | ESPN3 |
| Radio | Salukis All-Access |
| Live Stats | Statbroadcast |
| Media Guide | SIU Media Guide |
| Social Media | @SIU_WBasketball |
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The Southern Illinois women's basketball team opens conference road play at Northern Iowa Friday at 7 p.m. The Salukis won at the McLeod Center for the first time since 2007 a year ago, when Southern defeated UNI, 65-60. SIU will try to win two in a row in Cedar Falls for the first time since 1996.
Series History
The Salukis and the Panthers will meet for the 69th time on Friday, with UNI holding a 36-32 advantage in the all-time series. Southern broke an eight game losing streak in Cedar Falls with a 65-60 win over UNI last season, but the Panthers rebounded to win the next two meetings between the two programs, which included a 67-43 win the MVC Tournament Semifinals. SIU last won back-to-back games at UNI in 1996, as the Salukis pulled out an 83-59 win over the Panthers in Cedar Falls on Jan. 20, 1996, and came back the following season to defeat UNI, 71-68 on Dec. 29, 1996. The Salukis have never won back-to-back games at the McLeod Center since the Panthers moved into the building prior to the 2006-07 season.
Scouting the Panthers
The Panthers come into Friday's contest with a 9-4 record, and winners of their last five games, including a 67-59 win over the 24th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats. UNI opened conference play with wins over Missouri State and Wichita State with Ellie Herzberg leading the team in scoring during MVC play. Herzberg is averaging 16.0 points in league play, and has made 5-of-6 from three point range. First-Team All-MVC selection Madison Weekly leads the team in scoring overall, as she comes into Friday's contest averaging 15.8 points and 4.2 assists per game. She struggled from three-point range to open conference play, as she has made just 1-of-11 attempts from downtown in UNI's two league games.
Former Assistant
UNI head coach Tanya Warren was an assistant on Cindy Stein's coaching staff at Missouri, as the two coached together from 2001-04. During that stretch, the Tigers made the postseason all three seasons, including a trip to the NCAA Tournament during the 2003-04 season.
Joining an exclusive club
Rishonda Napier needs just five points to become the fifth Saluki all-time to amass 1,500 career points, and just 13 points to pass Sue Faber (1979-83) for fourth on SIU's all-time scoring list. Napier has the 24th-most points of any active D1 player, and is currently averaging 13.2 points per game, the seventh-most in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Milestone Watch
Rishonda Napier made a pair of three-pointers against Indiana State on Sunday, giving her 234 for her career. She needs two three-pointers to break Teri Oliver's school record of 235, set in 2012. Napier has the 17th-most three-pointers made in MVC history and the most of any active player in the Valley. The Burbank, Calif. native can move up as high as 14th on the all-time list this weekend, needing just three to pass Julie Rittgers.
14. 236- Julie Rittgers, Drake 1991-95
15. 235- Teri Oliver, SIU 2009-12
235- Kiersten Miller, Drake 1994-98
17. 234- Rishonda Napier, SIU 2012-Pres.
A Dime Away from Seventh
Napier is currently second in the league in assists, averaging 4.9 a game. She currently has 355 for her career, with her next assist breaking a tie with Molly McDowell (1999-03) for seventh on SIU's all-time list. The Burbank, Calif. native needs just seven assists to crack the top-5, as Nikki Gilmore (1992-96) sits in fifth with 361 career assists.
Splash Sisters
Kylie Giebelhausen and Rishonda Napier are both 35% three-point shooters for their career, and are currently first and third, respectively, in the league three-point field goals made and three-field goals made per game. Giebelhausen has made a league-best 32 three-pointers, and is averaging 2.46 per game on 40.5% shooting. The East Peoria, Ill. native almost has the triple crown of MVC three-point shooting, as she also leads the Valley in three-point field goal percentage. Napier, on the other hand, has made 28 threes and averages 2.15 three-pointers per contest.
Only one with three
The Salukis are the only team in the Missouri Valley Conference with three players ranked in the top-15 for three-point field goal percentage. Kylie Giebelhausen leads the team, and the conference, shooting at a 40.5% clip, while Carlie Corrigan is ranked sixth (37.7%) and Rishonda Napier is 14th (32.2%). As a team, the Salukis lead the MVC with a 36.2% three-point field goal percentage.
Holding their own against the 3-ball
The Salukis held the Loyola Ramblers without a three-pointer on Dec. 30, as the Ramblers were 0-for-9 from three-point range. It marks the first time since Nov. 13, 2012 that Southern has held an opponent without a 3-ball, when the Salukis held Central Arkansas to 0-for-12 from three. It also marked the first time that SIU held a conference opponent without a three-pointer since Jan. 19, 2012 against Missouri State, when the Salukis held the Bears to 0-for-11 from downtown. SIU is currently seventh in the nation in defending the 3-ball, holding opponents to 24.8% shooting from beyond the arc.
Defending the Perimeter
The Salukis are currently ranked 1st in the conference, and 8th in the nation, in opponent's three-point field goal percentage. SIU is holding opponents to just 24.8% shooting from beyond the arc.
Not too many Freebies
SIU attempted just three free throws in the win over Loyola on Dec. 30, their fewest in a game since Jan. 19, 2013 against the Illinois State Redbirds. The Salukis only went to the line three times in that game as well.
