Southern Illinois University
7-8 (1-3MVC)
Drake
11-4 (4-0MVC)
Salukis fall at Drake, 75-59
01/08/2017 | 10:16:00 | Women's Basketball
Rishonda Napier broke the school record for career three-pointers in the loss.
ES MOINES, Iowa -- The Saluki women's basketball team played a solid first half against the Drake Bulldogs, but the Salukis were unable to keep pace, as Drake defeated SIU, 75-59, Sunday night at the Knapp Center.
Southern (7-8, 1-3 MVC) battled back from an eight-point deficit early in the first quarter to briefly take a 16-12 lead at the 3:34 mark on a 3-ball by Kylie Giebelhausen. SIU kept up with Drake's uptempo offense for much of the first half, as the Salukis trailed by just three, 38-35, at the break.
But the Bulldogs (11-4, 4-0 MVC), who came into Sunday's matchup averaging the ninth-most points per game (82.9/game) in the nation, didn't stay down for long, as they got out and running offensively in the second half just as Southern's offense began to sputter.
"We did some good things in the first half," fourth-year head coach Cindy Stein said. "I thought we got away from our game plan in the second half because they went on a run. When they went on that run, we didn't answer, and we have to be able to face those challenges and stop those types of runs."
Drake outscored the visitors, 22-7 in the third period, as the Bulldogs built an 18-point advantage by making nine of their 14 attempts from the field while SIU connected on just three of its 14 attempts in the frame.
The law of averages caught up to the Salukis in the second half, as Southern made just 1-of-8 from beyond the arc. SIU was able to stay within striking distance for most of the first half thanks, in part, to shooting 52.9% (9-of-17) from three-point range. Southern's nine first half three-pointers were its most in a half since Jan. 5, 2013, which was also against Drake.
"We shot the three well, at times," Stein said. "We got away from ourselves a little bit where I want us to be a little bit more patient on the offensive end, especially when you miss a couple. But gosh (the 3-ball) gets you back into it quick when you hit them."
The Salukis made 10 total three-pointers in the contest, giving them their fourth game this season in which they have hit 10 or more. It is the most such occurrences in a single season in program history.
Southern was led by Carlie Corrigan, who scored 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, which included 4-of-6 from 3-point range. Kylie Giebelhausen and Rishonda Napier each chipped in 12 points, while Nicole Martin finished with a team-best seven rebounds.
Napier made a pair of three-pointers in the first half of Sunday's game, as she broke Teri Oliver's school record of 235 career three-pointers. Napier now has 237 for her career, which is the 14th-most in Missouri Valley Conference history.
The Salukis return home on Friday, Jan. 13, when they host the Wichita State Shockers for their annual "Black Out Cancer" game. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.
