Friday, February 15
Carbondale, IL
6 p.m.
Southern Illinois University
11-11, 4-7MVC
62
vs
55
Bradley University
17-6, 7-5MVC
1
2
3
4
F
Bradley
5
11
18
21
55
Southern Illinois
10
16
16
20
62
Defense lifts Women's Basketball past Bradley, 62-55
02/15/2019 | 8:27:00 | Women's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois women's basketball team never trailed during a 62-55 win over Bradley on Friday, using a suffocating defense to hold the visitors to a season-low 28 percent shooting from the field.
Junior forward Nicole Martin led the Salukis (11-11, 4-7) with 18 points and 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season, while Makenzie Silvey added 14 points and made all four of her free throws in the fourth quarter to help preserve the win.
Southern set the tone early on the defensive end by forcing Bradley to miss 18 of its first 19 shots. The Salukis led, 26-16, at halftime and held the Braves (17-6, 7-5) to just 3-of-26 shooting in the first half. Bradley entered the game as the second-highest scoring team in the conference but was held to a season-low point total.
"We played really hard," said SIU head coach Cindy Stein. "We tried to really limit any good looks. They've got some great shooters. They're one of the best shooting teams in the league, so we tried to do everything we could to put some pressure on them."
Stein shook up the starting lineup, inserting guard Caitlin Link and forward Lauren Hartman into starting roles. It was Link's second start of the season and the first for Hartman, who responded with a season-high eight points and 12 rebounds.
"We just needed to do something different," Stein said. "Lauren's been getting better. Link always gives us great energy, she's very vocal, it's great having someone in the lineup who's always talking."
After converting only three field goals in the first half, Bradley made three-straight buckets to start the second half, cutting the deficit to 29-28 with 6:20 to go in the third quarter.
Brittney Patrick answered for the Salukis, draining 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to push the lead to 35-30. She entered the game having made just six 3-pointers on the season in conference play, but her clutch buckets were a key momentum reversal.
"I know that teams are going to play off me, that my 3-point percentages from last year were not good," said Patrick, who had 11 points and seven rebounds. "I've been in the gym pretty much every day working on my shot."
Even with the defense sagging off, Southern did most of its damage inside the paint, taking 30 two-point shots compared to 17 from behind the arc.
"(Bradley) packed it in, inviting the outside shot," Stein explained. "We talked to our team about, don't just settle for threes early, unless you're a really good 3-point shooter. We were going to have to move the ball a lot, get a little bit better looks, shot selection. "
The Salukis took control of the game early in the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run that featured a 3-pointer by Rachel Pudlowski, a layup by Kristen Nelson and a conventional three-point play by Abby Brockmeyer.
"We also thought bringing Abby (Brockmeyer) and Nellie (Kristen Nelson) off the bench that we'd get a little bit more scoring coming off the bench," Stein said. They have to get used to that role and I think they'll be a little more comfortable, they'll settle down. I think Abby tried to push a little too much, but that kid's a great player."
The Braves trailed by double digits most of the fourth quarter, and despite cutting it to 57-51 with 1:09 remaining, never seriously threatened the lead.
"It's nice to get back in the winning column," said Stein, whose team snapped a three-game losing streak. "It wasn't always pretty, but we found a way to win."
Junior forward Nicole Martin led the Salukis (11-11, 4-7) with 18 points and 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season, while Makenzie Silvey added 14 points and made all four of her free throws in the fourth quarter to help preserve the win.
Southern set the tone early on the defensive end by forcing Bradley to miss 18 of its first 19 shots. The Salukis led, 26-16, at halftime and held the Braves (17-6, 7-5) to just 3-of-26 shooting in the first half. Bradley entered the game as the second-highest scoring team in the conference but was held to a season-low point total.
"We played really hard," said SIU head coach Cindy Stein. "We tried to really limit any good looks. They've got some great shooters. They're one of the best shooting teams in the league, so we tried to do everything we could to put some pressure on them."
Stein shook up the starting lineup, inserting guard Caitlin Link and forward Lauren Hartman into starting roles. It was Link's second start of the season and the first for Hartman, who responded with a season-high eight points and 12 rebounds.
"We just needed to do something different," Stein said. "Lauren's been getting better. Link always gives us great energy, she's very vocal, it's great having someone in the lineup who's always talking."
After converting only three field goals in the first half, Bradley made three-straight buckets to start the second half, cutting the deficit to 29-28 with 6:20 to go in the third quarter.
Brittney Patrick answered for the Salukis, draining 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to push the lead to 35-30. She entered the game having made just six 3-pointers on the season in conference play, but her clutch buckets were a key momentum reversal.
"I know that teams are going to play off me, that my 3-point percentages from last year were not good," said Patrick, who had 11 points and seven rebounds. "I've been in the gym pretty much every day working on my shot."
Even with the defense sagging off, Southern did most of its damage inside the paint, taking 30 two-point shots compared to 17 from behind the arc.
"(Bradley) packed it in, inviting the outside shot," Stein explained. "We talked to our team about, don't just settle for threes early, unless you're a really good 3-point shooter. We were going to have to move the ball a lot, get a little bit better looks, shot selection. "
The Salukis took control of the game early in the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run that featured a 3-pointer by Rachel Pudlowski, a layup by Kristen Nelson and a conventional three-point play by Abby Brockmeyer.
"We also thought bringing Abby (Brockmeyer) and Nellie (Kristen Nelson) off the bench that we'd get a little bit more scoring coming off the bench," Stein said. They have to get used to that role and I think they'll be a little more comfortable, they'll settle down. I think Abby tried to push a little too much, but that kid's a great player."
The Braves trailed by double digits most of the fourth quarter, and despite cutting it to 57-51 with 1:09 remaining, never seriously threatened the lead.
"It's nice to get back in the winning column," said Stein, whose team snapped a three-game losing streak. "It wasn't always pretty, but we found a way to win."
Team Stats
BRAD
SIU
FG%
.281
.351
3FG%
.214
.353
FT%
.606
.533
RB
44
50
TO
14
18
STL
8
6
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballF/C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
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