The Southern Illinois women’s basketball team renews its regional rivalry with the St. Louis Billikens Thursday night at Chaifetz Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in the first meeting between the two schools since 2010.

All-time vs. the Billikens

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• Thursday’s contest will mark the 20th all-time meeting between the Salukis and the Billikens and the first since 2010.
• The Salukis lead the all-time series, 12-8. Series dates back to 1970.
• Southern is 5-5 all-time at St. Louis with its last win on SLU’s home court coming on Dec. 29, 2003- a 68-65 win in which Dana Pinkston poured in 22 points while Katie Berwanger added 16 points and eight boards.
• The Billikens have won four of the last five meetings between the two schools, including the most recent matchup- a 66-39 win in Carbondale on Dec. 2, 2010.
• Thursday’s matchup will be the first time in either SIU head coach Cindy Stein and/or SLU head coach Lisa Stone’s tenures that St. Louis and SIU have tangled.

All-time vs. the Atlantic 10

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• The Salukis are 12-8 all-time vs. Atlantic 10 foes, as the only A-10 program that Southern has faced is St. Louis.

Coach Stein vs. the A-10

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• Head coach Cindy Stein is 9-0 lifetime against Atlantic 10 teams with a 6-0 all-time record vs. St. Louis. All 9 wins came while at Mizzou.
• Stein also boasts a 2-0 record against Duquesne and a win over Davidson.

Scouting the Billikens

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• The Billikens are 2-4 on the season and snapped a four game skid with a 67-65 win over Virginia on Nov. 25.
• Through six games, Saint Louis leads the A-10 in three-point field goal percentage (35.4%).
• Jordyn Frantz leads the Billikens in scoring, and ranks ninth in the A-10, at 13.5 points per game. 63% of her points come from three-point range. Frantz had a game-high 18 points in the win over the Cavaliers.
• Ciaja Harbinson was named A-10 Rookie of the Week for the second time this season after she averaged 13.3 points, 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals in SLU’s three games last week.
• Opponents are averaging 9.3 offensive rebounds per game vs. the Billikens – which is the 17th-most nationally given up.

Nice to see you again

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• Saint Louis assistant coach Kat Martin was on Cindy Stein‘s coaching staff for four years from 2013-17.
• The Salukis posted back-to-back WBI appearances during Martin’s time on staff and she helped coach nine All-MVC selections.

First win over American East Conference Foe

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• The Salukis led from start to finish in a 72-50 win over the Hartford Hawks at the South Point Shootout on Black Friday.
• It was SIU’s first win in Las Vegas since 1990, and Southern’s first-ever victory over an American East Conference foe.
• It also marked the first coaching win for head coach Cindy Stein over a AEC foe, and she has now recorded at least one victory over schools from 29 of the 32 DI conferences.

This Day in Saluki WBB History

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• On Nov. 29, 1985- the Salukis toppled No. 16 San Diego State, 76-55 inside Davies Gym.
• Southern had four score in double-figures, led by 23 points from Petra Jackson. Jackson also added 10 boards and five assists.
• SIU shot 46.3% from the field in the win and held the Aztecs to 38.2% from the floor.
• It was a wire-to-wire win for the Salukis, who led by as many as 23 to knock off the 16th-ranked Aztecs.
• It was the second of now seven Saluki victories over ranked opponents.

Strong Start

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• Brittney Patrick has started all six games at point guard for the Salukis and is averaging the most minutes (31.0/game) on the team.
• The Bolingbrook, Ill. native currently leads the league in assists per game (5.0).
• She is also second in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.31) and total assists (30).
• She also tied her career-bests in rebounds (5) and defensive rebounds (2) against Arizona State.

Cleaning Glass

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• The Salukis snagged 26 offensive rebounds against Western Kentucky – their most in a game since Jan. 26, 2014 vs. Evansville.
• Nicole Martin (7) and Lauren Hartman (4) both either set or tied career-bests in the category.
• Southern grabbed a season-high 47 rebounds and won the rebounding battle by 15 boards (47-to-32).
• The Salukis followed by dominating the glass against Hartford, out-rebounding the Hawks, 44-to-27.
• SIU’s +17 rebound margin was its best of the season and the highest since posting a +20 margin in a 73-57 win over Loyola on Dec. 30, 2016.

The more the merrier

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• Southern has had at least three scorers reach double figures in five of six games this season and have had four tally double-digit points in four of six games this season.

Ball Movement is Key

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• The Salukis had three players dish out five or more assists in a game for the second time this season, as Brittney Patrick (6), Abby Brockmeyer (5) and Payton McCallister (5) all did so against Hartford.
• Southern also had three players record five or more assists against UT Martin – which was the first time it had happened since 1989.

Making them count

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• Nicole Martin is shooting at a 58.5% clip to open the season- which leads the MVC.
• All of Martin’s 38 field goals are from inside the arc.
• Martin recorded her third career double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds against Western Kentucky.
• Martin’s streak of 13-straight games scoring in double figures came to an end in the loss to Arizona State.

Double-Double Machine

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• Abby Brockmeyer recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 17 points, 10 rebounds and a career-best five assists in the win over Hartford.
• She is the first player in program history to open a season with three-straight double-doubles.
• It was Brockmeyer’s ninth career double-double and her four double-doubles this season rank her first in the MVC and ninth nationally.

Protecting the Rim

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• The Salukis are currently second in the league in blocks (20).
• SIU has only once led the league in blocks – doing so during the 1988-89 season.
• SIU’s eight blocks vs. Marshall were a season-high.