Saturday, December 6
Carbondale, Il.
2 p.m.
Southern Illinois University
2-6,0-0MVC
76
vs
71
SEMO
3-5,0-0OVC
1
2
3
4
F
Southeast Mo. St.
14
21
21
15
71
Southern Ill.
16
21
18
21
76
Photo by: Zuzanna Gaik
SIU Grits Out Thrilling 76-71 Win Over SEMO
12/06/2025 | 9:23:00 | Women's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. – On Saturday afternoon, Southern Illinois women's basketball (2-6, 0-0) welcomed SEMO (3-5, 0-0) to Banterra Center for the next chapter of the historic SIU-SEMO rivalry. In an exhilarating back-and-forth affair, a last minute 6-0 run helped the Salukis come out on top 76-71.
"We talked to our kids about leaving this game with their gas tank on 'E'," says head coach Kelly Bond-White. "That's what our focus was, was we had to sell out every possession. Every second that we were out there we had to make winning decisions and winning plays."
Inside the Box Score
How it Happened
First Quarter
Scoring was hard to come by early on, as the first basket, a SEMO three, did not come until the 8:35 mark. After almost two minutes of zero scoring, SEMO hit from beyond the arc again to make it 6-0. The Salukis finally got on the board at 5:57 thanks to a Mia Gaines layup.
SIU would go on to score another four points to tie the game at 6-6. A perfect free-throw line trip and three-pointer gave the Redhawks the lead back, 11-6, with under three-and-a-half minutes to play in the first. The Salukis went on another big scoring run, this one a 10-0 spree, to make it 16-11.
A last minute layup and free-throw make from SEMO set the score at 16-14 going into the first break.
Second Quarter
After some back-and-forth scoring to make it 20-18 in favor of the Salukis, four consecutive SIU points built a 24-18 lead for Southern. SEMO pulled back within two, 24-22, but a layup and free-throw make from Southern jumped their lead back out to five. The Redhawks did briefly equalize things at 27 all, but a Thompson threeball eight seconds later reestablished SIU's lead.
A 7-4 run in favor of SEMO tied the game again at 34-34 before a Redhawk make at the free-throw line gave SEMO a 35-34 lead. Three free-throw makes to end the half by the Salukis put them back in front, 37-35, heading into halftime.
Third Quarter
A pair of baskets out of the halftime break put SEMO on top, 39-37. Southern responded with a four-point run of their own to take a 41-39 lead before a successful free-throw line trip from SEMO tied things up at 41. Southern got a little momentum back with three-straight points, but the Redhawks scored three points of their to tie the game again.
After another tie at 46-46 , three free throws put SEMO up three, but SIU topped SEMO with four free throws of their own to take a 50-49 lead. Another pair of SEMO free throws put the Redhawks back in front before a layup from both teams broke the free throw streak.
A free-throw make from Karris Allen briefly tied the game at 53-53, but a layup and free throw from SEMO gave the Redhawks a 56-53 lead. In a fitting way, SIU closed the quarter with two more free throw makes to make it 56-55 in favor of SEMO heading into the final ten minutes of play.
Fourth Quarter
The Redhawks jumped out with a 5-0 run in the fourth and appeared to be pulling away before Cooper hit a three to stop the run. However, SEMO kept bumping their lead up with another four consecutive points. A Saluki free throw and Kraus threeball brought SIU back within two.
Southern went on a 6-2 run to grab a 68-66 lead, but with under 90 seconds to play, SEMO hit a three to take a one-point lead. Nelson then hit a clutch jumper with under a minute remaining to put SIU in front again, but a SEMO layup twenty seconds later gave a 71-70 advantage to the Redhawks.
SIU would take the lead from good with 20 seconds left on the clock off a Kraus layup. A SMEO shooting foul and technical foul on their head coach gave SIU four free throw attempts to end the game, and the Salukis knocked down every attempt to seal their 76-71 lead.
Up Next
SIU has a healthy break now, as they are not in action again until December 18 when they travel to Bradley at 6 p.m. for the first Missouri Valley Conference game of the season.
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.
"We talked to our kids about leaving this game with their gas tank on 'E'," says head coach Kelly Bond-White. "That's what our focus was, was we had to sell out every possession. Every second that we were out there we had to make winning decisions and winning plays."
Inside the Box Score
- Alayna Kraus dropped a team-high 18 points, 13 of which came in the second half.
- Kayla Cooper, Jeniah Thompson, and Tkiyah Nelson all joined Kraus in double-digit points with 16, 12, and 10. Thompson had a double-double as well with her 11 rebounds.
- Southern took care of business at the charity stripe, converting on 24 of their 30 free-throw attempts.
How it Happened
First Quarter
Scoring was hard to come by early on, as the first basket, a SEMO three, did not come until the 8:35 mark. After almost two minutes of zero scoring, SEMO hit from beyond the arc again to make it 6-0. The Salukis finally got on the board at 5:57 thanks to a Mia Gaines layup.
SIU would go on to score another four points to tie the game at 6-6. A perfect free-throw line trip and three-pointer gave the Redhawks the lead back, 11-6, with under three-and-a-half minutes to play in the first. The Salukis went on another big scoring run, this one a 10-0 spree, to make it 16-11.
A last minute layup and free-throw make from SEMO set the score at 16-14 going into the first break.
Second Quarter
After some back-and-forth scoring to make it 20-18 in favor of the Salukis, four consecutive SIU points built a 24-18 lead for Southern. SEMO pulled back within two, 24-22, but a layup and free-throw make from Southern jumped their lead back out to five. The Redhawks did briefly equalize things at 27 all, but a Thompson threeball eight seconds later reestablished SIU's lead.
A 7-4 run in favor of SEMO tied the game again at 34-34 before a Redhawk make at the free-throw line gave SEMO a 35-34 lead. Three free-throw makes to end the half by the Salukis put them back in front, 37-35, heading into halftime.
Third Quarter
A pair of baskets out of the halftime break put SEMO on top, 39-37. Southern responded with a four-point run of their own to take a 41-39 lead before a successful free-throw line trip from SEMO tied things up at 41. Southern got a little momentum back with three-straight points, but the Redhawks scored three points of their to tie the game again.
After another tie at 46-46 , three free throws put SEMO up three, but SIU topped SEMO with four free throws of their own to take a 50-49 lead. Another pair of SEMO free throws put the Redhawks back in front before a layup from both teams broke the free throw streak.
A free-throw make from Karris Allen briefly tied the game at 53-53, but a layup and free throw from SEMO gave the Redhawks a 56-53 lead. In a fitting way, SIU closed the quarter with two more free throw makes to make it 56-55 in favor of SEMO heading into the final ten minutes of play.
Fourth Quarter
The Redhawks jumped out with a 5-0 run in the fourth and appeared to be pulling away before Cooper hit a three to stop the run. However, SEMO kept bumping their lead up with another four consecutive points. A Saluki free throw and Kraus threeball brought SIU back within two.
Southern went on a 6-2 run to grab a 68-66 lead, but with under 90 seconds to play, SEMO hit a three to take a one-point lead. Nelson then hit a clutch jumper with under a minute remaining to put SIU in front again, but a SEMO layup twenty seconds later gave a 71-70 advantage to the Redhawks.
SIU would take the lead from good with 20 seconds left on the clock off a Kraus layup. A SMEO shooting foul and technical foul on their head coach gave SIU four free throw attempts to end the game, and the Salukis knocked down every attempt to seal their 76-71 lead.
Up Next
SIU has a healthy break now, as they are not in action again until December 18 when they travel to Bradley at 6 p.m. for the first Missouri Valley Conference game of the season.
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.
Team Stats
SEMO
SIU
FG%
.426
.338
3FG%
.278
.308
FT%
.741
.800
RB
44
42
TO
19
11
STL
3
10
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
10
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
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