Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
14-9, 10-2MVC
Bradley
8-15, 4-8MVC
Women's Basketball comes from behind to take down Bradley, 55-50
02/09/2007 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 9, 2007
By Shalae Schulte
www.siusalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois women's basketball team shot 61 percent from the field in the second half for a come from behind victory over Bradley Friday night in SIU Arena, 55-50.
Southern was down by as many as 14 in the first period with under six minutes to play in the half. SIU's bench was key towards the end of the first half to pull the Salukis within eight, 28-20, heading into the locker room.
SIU charged back with the help of the best home crowd of the conference season to take the lead for good with just under three minutes in the game.
"We had to dig down a little bit. Bradley came ready to play," Saluki head coach Dana Eikenberg said. "I think the three kids off the bench, Erin Pauk, Kaci Bailey, and Courtney Grant gave us a great life. And we've said all along that it's going to take ten players to accomplish our goals and to be the team that we feel we can be."
The Salukis boosted their season record to 14-9 overall and 10-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference, garnering the most wins for the SIU women's basketball program since the 1996-97 season when Southern went 14-14 on the season. The 10 league victories are the most since 1995-96.
The Braves fall to 8-15 on the season and 4-8 in the league.
Forwards Dana Olsen and Carlai Moore led the way for the Salukis with 14 and 12 points respectively. Each chipped in six boards, an assist and a steal, while Moore added a block.
Jayme Sweere also added six rebounds along with eight points, three assists, a block and a steal.
Pauk came off the bench to contribute four points, four boards and three assists. Grant, a junior walk-on, was 2-for-2 from the field with four points.
The Braves were led by Jen Brown with a game-high 17, Ashley Chelleen finished with nine boards, six points.
"It matters to these kids," Eikenberg added. "The fact that there was 1,100 fans in the stands matters to these kids. They want to represent Southern Illinois, they want to represent Women's basketball. There not just here to go through the motions."
The Salukis will host Northern Iowa Sunday for a 2:05 p.m. tip-off in SIU Arena.
