Dec. 29, 2005
Normal, Ill. -
For the fourth straight season, Illinois State opens the 2005-06 Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball season at Redbird Arena, meeting Southern Illinois at 7:05 p.m. Friday.
The Redbirds, 5-4, are looking for their fourth win in five games in Redbird Arena. They started the 2005 Valley season, the `Birds upended Indiana State 82-73 in a game televised on FSN on New Year's Day.
Illinois State got a boost in its last game as junior Megan McCracken made her season debut with 25 points in a Dec. 22 loss at Illinois. McCracken set a Redbird record with seven three-point field goals in the contest while scoring a career high. She adds to an offense which averages 68.7 points and 7.0 three-point field goals per game, which ranks No. 30 in the nation, although the `Birds have lost starting center Nicolle Lewis and starting guard Ashley Sandstead for the season with knee injuries.
Despite a young lineup hit by injuries, the Redbirds have dramatically improved their defense. A year ago, the `Birds were 3-6 and allowing 77 points per game. This season, Illinois State is allowing just 65.4 points per game--lowest season average since the 1984-85 season.
Redbird coach Robin Pingeton is pleased that her team's defense is improved and thinks it began last season when ISU allowed just 58.7 points per game in winning the 2005 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
"Our players have a good understanding of what we're looking for defensively," said Pingeton. "Things don't usually carry forward from one season to the next, but I think the conference tournament last year proved to us that defense and rebounding wins championships."
It's an almost all-new Southern Illinois team as second-year coach Dana Eikenberg has nine newcomers on her 12-player squad. Four of those nine--starters Carlai Moore, Jayme Sweere, Erin Pauk and Katie Freeman--played for Eikenberg two years ago at UMKC. The fifth starter is sophomore Elyse Morris.
The Salukis, 4-5, already have won more games than they did last season when they were 3-24 overall and 1-17 in Valley play. SIU has only eight total league wins in the past four seasons, finishing last each year in the Valley. Pingeton knows this is a much better Saluki squad than its recent predecessors.
"Dana has done a tremendous job," said Pingeton. "They are a confident and hungry group that is more athletic. They are more versatile and explosive offensively. They attack the basket and create shots for each other."
The Redbirds continue their league schedule with a 2:05 p.m. Sunday game against Evansville at Redbird Arena.
