Southern Illinois University
7-10,4-8MVC
Indiana State University
4-11,1-9MVC
Salukis earn wire-to-wire win over Sycamores
02/19/2021 | 8:46:00 | Women's Basketball
SIU has now won seven-straight at the Hulman Center.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Three Salukis scored in double figures to help the Southern Illinois University women's basketball team run away from the Indiana State Sycamores, 84-69, Friday evening inside the Hulman Center.
The Salukis were locked in both offensively and defensively from the jump, as they got out to an 11-point advantage at the end of the first quarter and doubled their lead at the half. Indiana State got to within 14 on several occasions in the third quarter but Southern again stretched its lead back to 25 with 3:28 left to play. The Sycamores closed the contest with 10-straight points to soften the blow, but the damage was done.
"A win is a win," eighth-year head coach Cindy Stein said. "We haven't been in a situation before this season where we've had such a large lead at the half. We probably didn't play as well as we would've liked in the second half, and that's what we talked about after the game. We have to make sure we play a complete game tomorrow."
It was a wire-to-wire victory for the Salukis, who won their seventh-straight game at the Hulman Center. Southern set season-bests in points (84), field goal percentage (54.8%), three-point field goal percentage (41.7%) and three-pointers made (10) in the win. SIU also recorded 24 assists on 34 field goals, won the rebounding battle decisively, 38-to-26, and dished out a season-high 24 assists while turning the ball over just nine times.
"Our ball movement definitely helped open things up for Makenzie," Stein said. "Gabby was a benefactor of our ball movement as well, as was Payton."
Makenzie Silvey was an efficient 11-of-18 from the field, which included 4-of-7 from behind the arc for a game-high 26 points. The two-time All-MVC selection also added six boards, six assists and steal in 29 minutes of work. Gabby Walker added 17 points, seven boards and four assists while Payton McCallister tallied 14 points, six assists and four rebounds.
Rachel Pudlowski chipped in nine points, seven boards, three assists and a block while Caitlin Link added seven points, seven boards and four assists.
SIU's defense set the tone early, as Southern held Indiana State to just 30.8-percent (4-of-13) shooting in the first stanza and to just 31-percent shooting (9-of-29) in the first half.
Southern stretched its lead to 25 (43-18) on a Gabby Walker layup with two minutes to play in the first half and the Salukis never relinquished their double-digit cushion.
In a sign of the times, both teams played nine players each. The Sycamores were without a pair of starters, Marie Hunter and Hattie Westerfield, while the Salukis were without the services of Abby Brockmeyer for the fifth-straight game.
"Indiana State has a couple of starters out, as do we," Stein said. "They are going through what we went through when we played at Loyola, and no one felt sorry for us. So we have to take advantage of it when we can."
The two teams will mix it up again tomorrow. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. ET.
