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 Redshirt-freshman center Dyana Pierre |
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Feb. 13, 2013
By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois women’s basketball team hosts Illinois State Thursday evening in a game that will be televised regionally on Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Thursday, Feb. 14
Time: 7:05 p.m. CST
Location: Carbondale, Ill.
Site: SIU Arena (8,339)
TV: Comcast SportsNet Chicago
Play-by-play by R.C. McBride
Color commentary by Jill Hutchison
Radio: WVZA 105.1 FM
Play-by-play by Bryce Williams
Color commentary by Johnny Sole
Saluki All Access (live audio/video)
Saluki Women’s Basketball Twitter
TEAM FACTS
Southern Illinois Salukis (4-17, 1-9 MVC)
Interim Coach: Adrianne Harlow, First Year (0-5 overall, 0-5 at SIU)
Illinois State Redbirds (15-8, 7-4 MVC)
Head Coach: Stephanie Glance, Third Year (58-32 overall and at ISU)
SIU VS. ILLINOIS STATE
Southern trails its all-time series with Illinois State 55-44. The Redbirds have won 10 straight in the series with the last Saluki win coming March 6, 2008 in Normal, Ill. The Redbirds enter the matchup at 15-8 overall and 7-4 in the MVC, coming off a pair of wins over Drake and Creighton last weekend in Normal. ISU is led by the trio of guards Jamie Russell and Candace Sykes and forward Janae Smith. Russell leads the team in scoring at 14.5 points per game while Smith is close behind at 14.1 per game and Sykes averages 13.0 per game. Smith leads the MVC in rebounding at 8.5 per game while Russell is second in the Valley with an average of 2.6 steals per game.
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SALUKIS ON VALENTINE’S DAY
Thursday’s game will mark SIU’s first Valentine’s Day game since the 2008-09 season. SIU is 7-7 when playing on Valentine’s Day since the 1974-75 season, but has lost its last six matchups on February 14. The last Saluki win on Valentine’s Day came in 1987.
LEADING THE SALUKIS
Sophomore guard Cartaesha Macklin leads SIU and ranks eighth in the MVC with an average of 13.8 points per game while freshman guard Rishonda Napier is second on the team at 11.6 points per game. Freshman center Dyana Pierre ranks third in the MVC in rebounding with a team-leading 8.2 per game, and ranks second in the Valley with an average of 1.1 blocks per game. Macklin leads the Salukis and ranks third in the Valley with an average of 3.9 assists per game.
EVANSVILLE OUTLASTS SALUKIS
Southern played its finest defensive game of the season, but couldn’t find the offense to match in a 52-41 loss to Evansville Saturday at SIU Arena. The Purple Aces’ 52 points were a season-low for a Saluki opponent and SIU recorded a season-high 13 steals in the game. Unfortunately, Southern also matched a season low in scoring against the Aces. The difference in the game proved to be the second half when UE out-scored the Salukis 33-22 after the two teams went into halftime tied 19-19. The Aces shot 42.5 percent from the field in the second half while SIU shot 32.7 percent. Also, UE made 10 more free throws than the Salukis. Cartaesha Macklin led SIU with 15 points, six rebounds, four assists and a career-high seven steals while Jordyn Courier added 10 points and Azia Washington chipped in eight rebounds. Mallory Ladd led UE with 16 points and 12 rebounds while Kat Taylor had 14 points and Samantha Heck added 11 points and 11 rebounds.
MACKLIN STEALS THE SHOW
Cartaesha Macklin’s career-high seven steals Saturday against Evansville marked the most by a Southern Illinois player in six years. The last SIU player to record seven steals was Jayme Sweere against Bradley on Jan. 11, 2007.
SALUKIS VS. THE STATE
Southern played three non-conference games against in-state opponents (Chicago State, Loyola-Chicago and SIU Edwardsville). Along with its conference matchups against Bradley and Illinois State, the Salukis will play seven total games in Illinois this year. SIU is 229-140 all-time against other Illinois schools, including 2-3 this season.
