Southern Illinois University
4-25,2-18MVC
Illinois State
20-11,14-6MVC
Recap | Salukis Fall against Illinois State, 99-86; Finish as 12th Seed for MVC Tournament
03/08/2025 | 6:35:00 | Women's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Despite scoring a season-high in points, the Southern Illinois University women's basketball team (4-25 overall, 2-18 conference) suffered a 99-86 loss on Saturday against Illinois State.
With the loss, the Salukis finish the regular season as the No. 12 seed for next week's Missouri Valley Conference tournament. Southern Illinois will have a rematch against No. 5 seed Illinois State next Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in Evansville, Ind.
Southern also honored Tyranny Brown, Jeniah Thompson, and Se'Quoia Allmond on Saturday for Senior Day.
SIU shot 57.1% from the field, 47.1% (8-of-17) from three-point range, and 85.7% (6-of-7) at the free throw line in the loss. On the other side, Illinois State was 58.5% from the field, 53.3% (8-of-15) from deep, and 71.4% (15-of-21) at the charity stripe.
The Redbirds won the rebounding battle, 30-29, and had just eight turnovers compared to the Salukis' 12.
After scoring 16 points in each of the opening two quarters, Southern had its best offensive half of the season in the second half on Saturday. The Salukis scored a total of 54 points in the final 20 minutes, including 25 points in the third and 29 points in the fourth.
The Salukis shot 64.7% from the field and were a perfect 3-for-3 from deep in the third quarter, where they out-scored the Redbirds, 25-24.
Southern Illinois stayed hot offensively in the fourth, out-scoring Illinois State, 29-23, on a nearly flawless 85.7% (12-of-14) field-goal percentage.
The strong second half wasn't enough, however, as the Salukis fell, 99-86.
Kayla Cooper had a career-high 23 points in the loss, while four other Salukis scored in double figures. Tkiyah Nelson had 17 points, Gift Uchenna had 12 (and 11 rebounds), Alice Curman had 11, and Isabella Palmqvist had 10.
Next Thursday's first-round match up will be the third meeting this season between the fifth-seeded Redbirds and the Salukis, with Illinois State leading the series, 2-0, on the year.
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