2018-19 Women's Basketball Roster
Kristen Nelson
- Position:
- Guard
- Height:
- 5-9
- Class:
- Junior
- High School:
- Harrison
- Hometown:
- Farmington Hills, Mich.
2019-20 (Senior Season)
Played in all 29 games with 26 starts … averaged 7.8 points, 3.3 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game in 29.1 minutes per game … finished the season ranked in the top-10 of the Missouri Valley Conference in assists/turnover ratio (3rd; 1.7), steals per game (7th; 1.7) and assists per game (10th; 3.3) … her 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio was the fourth-highest in a single-season in program history … scored in double figures in 10 games … tallied at least one steal in 26 of SIU’s 29 games, which included a streak of 24-straight games with at least one steal to end the 2019-20 season notched multiple takeaways in 16 games … dished out multiple assists in 24 of SIU’s 29 games and tallied five-plus assists in 10 games … grabbed five rebounds in four games … scored a season-high 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting in SIU’s win at Evansville (1/24) … scored 11 points and came away with a season-best four steals at Drake (2/7) … made her 100th career three-pointer at Drake (2/7) to become just the 10th Saluki to make triple-digit treys … is one of only four players in program history to make 100 career threes and dish out 250-plus career assists … earned All-Tournament honors for the second-straight season at the 2019 Compass Challenge after she averaged 11.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds in SIU’s wins over Western Illinois and Northern Illinois.
2018-19 (Junior Season)
MVC Player of the Week (Dec. 17)
Appeared in all 30 games for SIU, which included 16 starts … Averaged 8.1 points, 2.2 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 25.5 minutes per game … Finished second on the team in three-point field goal percentage (35.8%) … Scored in double figures in 10 games, which included a streak of five-straight games in which she reached double figures … Averaged 15.5 points on 57.9% (11-of-19) shooting, including 57.1% (8-of-14) from three-point range during SIU’s two wins in the Compass Challenge to earn All-Tournament Team honors … Shot 57.1% from three-point range in SIU’s wins over NIU/EIU, including 6-of-8 (75%) from downtown in Southern’s victory over Northern Illinois (12/7) … Of the 35 times in which a Saluki has made at least six three-pointers in a single game, Nelson’s eight attempts to net that many are tied for the fewest needed in program history … Her 75% shooting percentage was tied for the third-best in school history for a player that made at least six threes … Shot 80% (8-of-10) from the field in SIU’s win over Murray State (12/18), including a perfect 4-of-4 from three-point range … Her 4-for-4 shooting from behind the arc in the win over Murray State was the best by a Saluki since Dec. 28, 2009 … Was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 17 after she averaged 19 points on 66.7% shooting from the floor, including a perfect 7-for-7 from behind the arc, to go along with 2.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 rebounds … Poured in a career-high 24 points on a blistering 80% (8-of-10) from the field in Southern’s win over Murray State (12/18).
2017-18 (Sophomore Season)
Appeared in all 31 games, including 18 starts … Averaged 5.9 points, 2.6 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 21.8 minutes per game … Scored in double-figures in five games this season, including back-to-back with double-digit scoring outputs against Miami (12/20) and at Evansville (12/29) … scored a career-high 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting against Miami (12/20) … Snagged a career-best six rebounds at UAB (11/13) … Set career-highs in assists (8) and steals (4) in SIU’s season-opening win over UT Martin (11/10) … Recorded 3-plus assists in 15 games and dished out at least one assist in 28 of SIU’s 31 games.
2016-17 (Freshman Season)
Appeared in all 31 games for SIU, including six starts…Averaged 4.0 points and 1.5 assists in 14.4 minutes…Made her first collegiate start at UMKC (Dec. 19)…Finished third on the team in field goal percentage (51.9%)…Led the team with a 51.5% three-point field goal percentage...Had a streak of eight-straight made three-pointers from Dec. 9- Jan. 6..Scored a career-high 13 points in the win over Brescia (Nov. 29)…Scored at least one point in 24 of SIU’s 31 games…Played a career-high 24 minutes and tied a career-best with five assists in the win over Bradley (Jan. 27)…Later tied her career-best by playing 24 minutes in the win over Northern Iowa (Feb. 5)…Recorded at least one assist in 24 games, and dished out at least two helpers in 11 of SIU’s 31 games…Tied her season-best with three steals at Illinois State (Feb. 24)…Grabbed a season-best four rebounds vs. Evansville (Feb. 17).
High School
Recipient of the Buller Award, given to the Top Athlete at Harrison High School…Detroit News All-North Team selection…Ranked fourth on Oakland County’s Top-50 Players list…Harrison’s all-time leader in assists and scored over 1,000 career points…Led Harrison in scoring, steals and assists in both her junior and senior seasons.
Personal
Daughter of Shaun and Kim Nelson…Has two siblings, one brother and one sister…Management major.
