Sycamores upend Salukis 72-57

By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind.— The Southern Illinois women’s basketball team couldn’t keep Indiana State off the glass in a 72-57 loss to the Sycamores Thursday night at the Hulman Center.

ISU (11-5, 3-2 MVC) scored 20 second-chance points off 23 offensive rebounds as the Salukis (4-11, 1-3) dropped their second consecutive Missouri Valley Conference road game.

SIU played solid defense throughout the game, holding the Sycamores to 38.7 percent shooting from the field, but couldn’t capitalize on the glass.

“I’m just really discouraged that we can not get defensive rebounds right now,” said SIU head coach Missy Tiber. “We guarded pretty well. We just didn’t go pursue the basketball when they missed shots.”

SIU freshman forward Jameeka Bouie.

The Saluki defense was especially effective through the first 11 minutes of the game. Southern’s 2-3 zone gave ISU problems early, resulting in transition opportunities for sophomore Cartaesha Macklin.

Macklin scored SIU’s first eight points of the game, helping the Salukis to a 13-10 lead at the 12-minute mark before eventually taking its biggest lead of the game at 20-16 on a 3-pointer by junior Jordyn Courierat the 9:15 mark.

Southern’s rebounding struggles began shortly thereafter as the Sycamores dominated the final nine minutes of the half. ISU closed the first half on a 23-5 run to take a 39-25 lead into the break. The Sycamores out-rebounded SIU 27-12 in the first half with 16 offensive rebounds in the opening frame.

SIU also fell into foul trouble in the first half as Courier and Azia Washington both picked up three fouls andAlexus Patterson had two. The Sycamores shot 16 first-half free throws to SIU’s three.

“We didn’t allow them to get a lot of easy shots in the first 12 minutes of the first half. They were missing shots. We just were not getting the rebound,” Tiber said. “We had some transition opportunities that we just didn’t convert on. Plays like that could maybe change the game for us.”

SIU couldn’t make any headway out of the break as ISU pushed the lead as high as 24 ad the midway point of the second half. The Salukis found their way to the free throw line more, but shot just 52.9 percent (9-for-17) for the game. SIU also struggled against ISU’s ball-hawking defense as the Sycamores scored 20 points of 19 Saluki turnovers.

“Nineteen turnovers is too many. They were crazy turnovers too,” Tiber said. “We were throwing the ball all over the place and I’m not sure why.”

SIU ended the game on an 11-4 run, but the effort was too little, too late. Macklin finished with a game-high 17 points to go along with five assists while Jameeka Bouie added 12 points and Courier added nine. Dyana Pierre and Washington each had eight boards for the Salukis.

“We’re not getting enough out of our guards on the defensive end. They are not rebounding, they are not guarding,” Tiber said. “Our bigs can’t do it all.”

SIU ends a three-game MVC road swing Saturday at Illinois State. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. CST in a game that will be televised regionally on Comcast SportsNet Chicago