Feb. 4, 2007
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -
Sophomore Kristi Cirone scored a team-high 22 points and added five assists, but Southern Illinois shot 58 percent from the field (32-55), as the Salukis defeated the Illinois State basketball team, 79-66, Sunday at Redbird Arena. The loss was the second in a row for the Redbirds in Missouri Valley Conference play and drops ISU into a tie for first place with the Salukis in the conference standings with a 9-2 record.
Southern Illinois (13-9, 9-2 MVC) received an outstanding performance from senior Carlai Moore, who scored 22 points on 11-for-15 shooting, while also grabbing six rebounds. Moore led four other Salukis who scored in double-figures, including Dana Olsen (15), Debbie Burris (13), Jasmine Gibson (13) and Jayme Sweere (11).
The Redbirds (16-6, 9-2 MVC) struggled from the floor all afternoon, shooting 39 percent (24-for-62) and committing 15 turnovers that led to 23 SIU points.
Two other Redbirds scored in double figures, as junior Tiffany Hudson chipped in 11 points off the bench and junior Lashawn Johnson contributed 10 points. Senior Megan McCracken set a new career-high with 11 rebounds to lead ISU.
The Salukis started strong out of the gate taking an early 13-2 lead over the Redbirds with 13:20 left in the first half. ISU began the game 1-for-9 from the field with six turnovers.
Southern Illinois continued its solid play in the half, pushing its lead to 14 points at 27-13, on a Gibson lay-up off a steal with 8:44 remaining.
SIU built its lead to a half-high 15 points, 37-22, on a Moore jumper at the 2:50 mark before sophomore Brea Banks and Cirone each hit a three-point shots to help ISU close the gap to 40-28 at halftime. Illinois State struggled from the floor throughout the entire first half shooting 10-of-27, while committing 12 turnovers that led to 18 Saluki points.
The opening eight-plus minutes of the second half saw more hot shooting from the Salukis, as they hit on 9-of-12 from the floor to extend their lead back up to 15 points, 59-44, with 11:55 left to play.
Illinois State cut the lead to less than 10 points for the first time in the half after Hudson (six points) and Johnson (two points) put together an 8-0 run to close the gap to 61-56 with 6:18 remaining. Moore responded with back-to-back jumpers and Sweere hit a shot as the shot clock expired to push the Saluki lead back up to 11, 67-56, with 2:45 left on the game clock.
The Redbird basketball team will hit the road for a two-game trip beginning Sat., Feb. 10, at Missouri State. Tip-off between the `Birds and the Bears is scheduled for 2:05 p.m.
