Preview | Women's Basketball Looks for First Valley Win on Saturday against Belmont

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University women's basketball team (2-9 overall, 0-2 conference) will host Belmont on Saturday at 2 p.m. in its third Missouri Valley Conference game of the season.

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN

Mike Trude and Saluki Hall of Famer Jamaal Tatum will have the call on ESPN+ on Saturday.
Larry Larson will have the radio call on NewsRadio WJPF 107.9 FM.

GAME PROMOTION

Saturday's game is the "Seniors Day Out" game. Senior citizens are invited as the Salukis face the Bruins.
After the game, the team will be signing autographs for fans. There will also be a bounce house in the Charles Helleny Pavilion.

QUICK HITS

After a 93-69 loss to Murray State on Thursday, SIU is 0-2 to begin conference play and is 2-9 overall. Kayla Cooper scored a career-high 19 points in the loss, while Gift Uchenna posted her seventh double-double of the year (12 points and 12 rebounds).
Uchenna was named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week for the second time this season on Monday after scoring 21 points with 21 rebounds against Valpo, the second most rebounds by a Saluki in a single game in program history.
On Saturday, Southern will look to avoid starting 0-3 in MVC play for the first time since the 2011-12 season. SIU is also in the midst of a five-game losing streak where it has been out-scored by an average of 20.8 points-per-game (78.8 to 58.0).
The Salukis are 10th in the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring defense, allowing 72.4 points-per-game. Offensively, SIU is 12th, averaging 59.4 points-per-game.
Southern is sixth in the MVC in rebounding (36.5). In terms of offensive rebounding, SIU is second at 13.5 which also ranks 84th in the country.
SIU is fifth in the league in blocks-per-game (3.27). The Salukis have had at least three blocks in nine of 11 games this season.
Across the MVC, Southern is 12th in field-goal percentage (.357), 10th in three-point percentage (.290), and ninth in free throw percentage (.678).
SIU is 11th in the Valley with its 0-2 MVC record and 2-9 overall record. Southern is ahead of Indiana State, who is 2-11 overall.
Murray State is in first at 2-0 MVC, 8-3 overall, followed by Drake who is 2-0 MVC, 8-5 overall.

LEADING THE SALUKIS

Gift Uchenna is averaging a team-high 15.3 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks-per-game. Uchenna is the only player in the conference averaging a double-double, and the junior's seven double doubles are tied for 13th in the nation. The forward is second in the NCAA in rebounding and first in offensive rebounds-per-game (5.7).
Se'Quoia Allmond is second on the team in scoring, averaging 8.5 points-per-game. After not attempting a field goal in the first half against Murray State, Allmond finished the game with eight points on 3-of-3 shooting from the field. The veteran guard has scored double-digit points in four games, with a career-high 17 points coming against UAB on Dec. 22.
Kayla Cooper had a career-high 19 points against the Racers, to go along with four steals. Cooper now has 12 steals over her last three games and is fifth in the MVC in steals-per-game (2.2). The transfer from the University of Oklahoma has had at least three steals in four of her last six games.
Isabella Palmqvist has come off the bench in back-to-back games after starting the previous eight. Against Murray State, Palmqvist did not attempt a three-pointer for the first time this season. The freshman is the team-leader in three pointers made (14) and attempted (39).
Tkiyah Nelson is 10th in the Valley in steals-per-game (1.9) and has had a steal in three-straight games. Nelson has posted multiple steals in six games and offensively, the sophomore has two games in double figures with the last one coming on Dec. 2 vs. Central Methodist (11 points).
Tyranny Brown's 6.1 points-per-game are the sixth-most on the team, while her .789 free throw percentage is tied for a team-high. Brown has scored in double-figures in three games, but has been held to single digits in five-straight games.
Jeniah Thompson had a season-high eight points and two three pointers made against the Racers on Thursday. Thompson went 2-of-3 from deep after going a combined 1-for-10 in her first four games.

LOOKING AT BELMONT

Belmont is 6-7 overall and 1-1 in the MVC after losing to Missouri State, 57-55, on Thursday.
The Bruins have held both of its conference opponents to 61 points or less, and are the third-best scoring defense in the Valley, allowing 64.5 points-per-game.
Belmont's non-conference schedule included four ranked opponents: No. 13 Kansas State, No. 12 Ohio State, No. 14 Duke, and No. 15 Kentucky. It also faced Michigan and Mississippi State, who received votes.
Jailyn Banks leads the Bruins with 13.0 points-per-game on the year.

SERIES HISTORY

Southern Illinois is 0-6 all-time vs. Belmont and went 0-2 against the Bruins last season.
This will be the seventh meeting between Southern and Belmont.

FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on Twitter at @SIU_WBasketball, on Instagram at @SIU_WBasketball, and on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiAthletics. Fans can also download the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.

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