Southern Illinois University
Drake
Women's Basketball hosts Northern Iowa for White Out Game
02/04/2017 | 5:11:00 | Women's Basketball
White shirts will be given away, while supplies last.
The Salukis host the second-place UNI Panthers on Sunday, Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. inside the SIU Arena. Fans are encouraged to wear white and white t-shirts will be given away prior to the game, while supplies last.
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Promotions
Whiteout:Â It's time to blanket the SIU Arena in white! Fans are encouraged to dawn their white Saluki apparel and bring in a blizzard of fans. White t-shirts will be give out for free while supplies last.
Series History
The Salukis and the Panthers will meet for the 70th time on Sunday, with UNI holding a 37-32 advantage in the all-time series. UNI has now won three-straight against SIU, after Southern won at Northern Iowa to open the season series a year ago. SIU holds a 17-15 record against the Panthers at home, having last defeated UNI at the SIU Arena on Feb. 8, 2015. In that game, Dyana Pierre tallied 26 points and 21 rebounds while Rishonda Napier added 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
Scouting the Panthers
The Panthers come into Sunday's contest with a 15-5 record, and winners of 12 of their last 13 games. After a double overtime loss to the Drake Bulldogs on Jan. 27, UNI bounced back to defeat Evansville, 62-36. Madison Weekly leads the team in scoring, as she comes into Sunday's contest averaging 15.4 points per game. She scored a game-high 24 points in UNI's win over SIU earlier this season, and averages 16.9 points per game in nine career meetings against the Salukis.
Current Salukis vs. the Panthers
Rishonda Napier is averaging 11.9 points per game in nine career meetings against the Panthers, and is the only Saluki who averages double figures against UNI. Napier and Kylie Giebelhausen are a combined 12-of-53 (.226) from three-point range against the Panthers while UNI has held Southern to fewer than 50 points in back-to-back 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.
Climbing up the list
Rishonda Napier made four three-pointers against Drake, and now has 260 career treys. With two more three-pointers she can pass Kelsey Woodard and Jacqui Kalin for sole possession of eighth on the MVC's all-time list. Dayna Finch (Creighton, 2001-04) holds the all-time record with 294 made three-pointers.
6. Â Â Â 263- Kelsey Luna (Indiana St., 2006-10)
7.   262- Jaleshia Roberson (Missouri St., 2008-12)
8.   261- Kelsey Woodard (Creighton, 2007-11)
   261- Jacqui Kalin (UNI, 2007-10, 2012-13)
10.   260- Rishonda Napier (SIU, 2012-pres.)
1,600 club
Napier became just the second Saluki to reach 1,600 career points with her first basket on Friday, and now has 1,617. She joins conference-foes Lizzy Wendell (2,305 pts) and Sara Dickey (1,948 pts) as the only current players in the Valley to have done so.
Straw that stirs the drink
Rishonda Napier needs just 12 more assists to become the third Saluki with 400-plus career assists. She should get a boost on her home floor, as the Burbank, Calif. native comes into the weekend series dishing out more than two assists more per game at home, as she averages 5.9 assists per game at the SIU Arena, and 3.7 per game on the road. The two-time All-MVC selection is averaging 4.7 assists per contest this season, second to only Caitlin Ingle in the Valley.
If Napier's average holds, it would be the ninth-highest in a single-season in school history, and the most since Stephany Neptune averaged 5.0 assists per game during the 2009-10 season.
Hitting Milestones
Kylie Giebelhausen made her 161th career three-pointer against Drake on Friday, and she needs to make just one more from downtown to crack the top-3 in school history. The East Peoria, Ill. native hit another milestone on Sunday, as she dished out her 200th career assist. She's one of only 21 Salukis to dish out 200-plus helpers in a career, and she can crack SIU's top-20 with five more assists this season. She also needs just two blocks to become the fourth player in school history to block 100-plus shots.
Defending the Perimeter
The Salukis continue to make it difficult for opponent's to shoot the 3-ball. SIU is holding opponents to just 27.2 percent from three-point range. It is not only tops in the Missouri Valley Conference but also ranks 20th in the nation.
Nebo Rebounds in Bunches
Kim Nebo tied her career-high with 15 rebounds in the win over the Redbirds on Jan. 29. It marked the third time in her career that the Katy, Texas product has recorded 15-plus assists, and the 84th time in Saluki history that a player has grabbed 15+ rebounds. She is now tied with Stephany Neptune (2009-10), Azia Washington (2012-2016), Mary Berghuis (1985-88) and Connie Price (1981-84) for the seventh-most 15-plus rebound games in school history.
# of 15+ rebound games in SIU history
1.   Dyana Pierre (2011-2016)   25
2.   Amy Rakers (1988-91)   10
3.   Bonnie Foley (1976-79)   6
4.   Charr Warring (1981-84)   4
   Sue Faber (1978-83)
   Kelly Firth (1990-93)
7.   Kim Nebo (2013-pres.)   3
   Stephany Neptune (2009-10)
   Azia Washington (2012-2016)
   Mary Berghuis ((1985-88)
   Connie Price (1981-84)
12.   Leola Greer (1980-81)   2
   Christel Jefferson (1993-96)
   Katie Berwanger (2000-04)
16.   Lauren Hartman (2016-pres.)    1
   Alexus Patterson (2012-13)
   Jasmine Gibson (2006-09)
   Jayme Sweere (2005-08)
   Theia Hudson (1995-98)
   Cathy Kampwerth (1986-89)
   Bridgett Bonds (1985-88)
   Jeri Hoffman (1976-79)
   Robin Deterding (1977-78)
   Alondray Rogers (1980-81)
Double-Doubles
Nebo recorded her eighth career double-double in the loss to Drake on Friday, as she sccored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. It marked the first time that the Salukis have lost when the Katy, Texas native records a double-double.
Napier scores 20
Rishonda Napier scored 20 points in the win over Illinois State, and has now scored 20-plus points in four games this season, and 26 times in her illustrious career.
Leading the break
Olivia Bowling has appeared in all 21 of SIU's games off the bench, and is seventh on the team in minutes played. She tied a career-best with three defensive rebounds and added three assists in just seven minutes in the win over Illinois State and has now recorded three or more assists in three games this season after doing so just once as a freshman.
Playing Grown Up Minutes
Kristen Nelson played a career-high 24 minutes in the win over Bradley, and dished out five assists, which tied her career-best. Nicole Martin, who started for the third-straight game against Illinois State, played a career-high 29 minutes and scored eight points to go along with six rebounds. The Jefferson Ciry, Mo. native has now grabbed five or more rebounds in five-straight contests, and in ten of her past 11 games.Â
Holding their own
The Salukis held the Illinois State Redbirds to just 20 first half points. It was the fewest points allowed to a DI opponent in a half this season. SIU gave up just 17 second half points to Brescia University, a NAIA opponent on Nov. 26.Â
Absorbing Contact
Kim Nebo went 7-for-11 from the free throw line in the win over the Redbirds, setting career-bests in both categories. It is also the most free throws made and attempted by a Saluki this season.
Protecting the Rim
Kim Nebo recorded a pair of blocks in both of Southern's wins over the weekend, and has now done so in three-straight games for the first time in her career.
No. 600
SIU head coach Cindy Stein coached her 600th career game at Bradley, the most of any active Valley coach. Missouri State's Kellie Harper is second, having coached 413 career games. Stein's 334 career wins are also the most of any active Valley coach.
Uncharted Territory
The Salukis have made 10-plus three-pointers in seven games, including a streak of four-straight games with 10 or more. Both are school records, as SIU's seven games this season with 10-plus three-pointers is more than the previous four seasons combined. Southern has made an average of 7.8 three-pointers per game this season, well above the school record of 6.67 set last year.Â
During head coach Cindy Stein's 20 seasons as a head coach, her teams, on average, shoot 473.3 three-pointers, making nearly 151.6 per season. Interestingly enough, the 2015-16 Salukis made (220) and attempted (663) the most three-pointers of any Stein helmed team. The 2016-17 squad is on-pace to crush both totals, as they are 163-of-462 (.352) from downtown through 21 games.
