23-24 Women's Basketball

Oh my God. Can we please hit a freaking bucket. 8 of 26.

And they're not bad shots. Nothing is falling.

Halftime

Southern 20

Refbirds 38

Shot 19% for the half. Redbirds shot 43%

I knew we were going up against a pissed off Redbird team. But Jesus we could have a least shown up. 

After 3

Southern 32

ISU-R 62

Shooting 19% only 11 made baskets. Randle a non-factor with 4 fouls. 

Final. 

Ass-whooping

SIU 43

REDBIRDS 76

No one in double figures. Shot 18.7%. Williams didn't come out of the locker room in the 2nd half. Good news we only had 7 turnovers. 

GAME 15 – Saturday 1/13 2pm

Renaissance Coliseum, Peoria, IL

SIU 6-8(1-3 MVC) at Bradley 4-11(0-4 MVC)

Media: Streaming Audio - Varsity Sports Network

or Radio WJPF 107.9 (Larry Larson)

Video Streaming: ESPN+

WarrenNolan.com Prediction:

Line: Salukis -10   O/U: 136

NET/RPI/SOS

Bradley 309/326/236

SIU: 183/229/155

Quick Look At Bradley And The Series: The Braves have had some more difficulties this season. Their second year coach – Kate Popovec-Goss was suspended for the non-conference season. Bradley has been mum on the circumstances regarding her suspension. Since Bradley is a private institution, I doubt you could get a FOIA on the reason why. Must have been kinda awkward for her husband who is on the coaching staff. This is the 86^th meeting between us. We hold a 56-29 advantage and have won the last four in the series rather easily.     

The Braves Dramatis Personae: Bradley’s top player is not a starter. 5-4 Freshman guard Halli Poock comes off the bench and is their only double-digit scorer at 12.7ppg and leading distributor at 3.1 assists per game. Alex Rouse, 5-8 Junior guard, is their next leading scorer at 9.8ppg. Their top rebounder is 6-0 Senior forward Isis Fitch at 5.4 rebounds per game. The Braves did have another scorer in Kaylen Nelson a 5-10 Junior forward who averaged 16ppg before a season ending injury in their third game.

Tale Of The Tape:

BU                         SIU

61.5       PPG        65.8

74.3        PA          68.6

.407       FG%       .384

.441      FG%D     .440

.346      3Pt %      .300

.329     3Pt%D     .286

.664        FT          .684

34.1      REB         36.2

38.4     REB D      37.4

13.3     Assists     13.5

17.6       T/O        17.1

11.7       T/O        20.6

            Forced   

9.7       Pts Off     16.7

             T/O

4.9        Steals     11.3

2.2        Blocks     2.9

The Braves, as their record indicates, are poor in most statistical categories. Their offensive efficiency is ranked 214^th at 91.1 points per 100 possessions. Their defensive efficiency is ranked 351^st at 111.4 points allowed per 100 possessions. Their pace of play is 282^nd. But their effective FG% is 174^th. Ours is 263^rd. Which leads me to......

What’s Up With Us? All I’m going to say here is 18.7% That’s what we shot against the Redbirds. Which has to be some kind of futility record. The media guide doesn't have those records listed this year and I don't have an old one. Its not as if ISU played stifling defense. They didn’t. We got off 75 shots and for the most part they were good looks. Nothing went down. Which has also been a recurring theme. In Valley only game stats we are dead last in FG% shooting 29% as a team. We should beat this Bradley team, size wise we’re nearly the same and they lack post depth just like us.

GO DAWGS!!!

And more anemic shooting. 4-16. Fortunately Bradley isn't much better. 

After 1

SIU 9

Bradley 13

Halftime

Southern 23

Bradley 22

Absolutely scintillating contest. (Yes, sarcasm)  

Wow. Just noticed we only had 2 fouls in the 1st half. 

After 3

SIU 37

BRADLEY 38

If we blow this one....

Oh my GAWD!

Final

SIU 56

BU 58

Randle with 25 & 9 and a crucial late turnover. Love with 13. 

Bradley had been blown out giving up 90 in each of its last three games. This loss is just bad. 

Sorry, didn’t have time for a full preview here….

GAME 16 – Friday 1/19

Banterra Center 6pm

Indiana State 5-10 (1-4 MVC) at SIU 6-9 (1-4 MVC)

Media: Streaming Audio - Varsity Sports Network

or Radio WJPF 107.9 (Larry Larson)

Video Streaming: ESPN+ (Dominic Hoscher/Mike Trude)

WarrenNolan.com Prediction:

Line: SIU -10   O/U: 134

The Trees At A Glance: ISU-B comes to Carbondale losers of their last four. But – Last weekend in Terre Haute, they managed to slow down the high-powered Murray State Racers (4th nationally in ppg) holding them to 16 points under their average losing 75-63. Then on Sunday, they had a one point lead on Valley co-leading Belmont (tied with Murray) with under a minute to play and lost 61-56. The Sycamores are third in The Valley in defense, fourth in three-point defense. The Trees are 3-5 on the road.

Their leading scorer, Chelsea Cain, only averages 10.9 points per game.

I don’t know how we are a 10 point favorite considering we lost at Bradley and how ISU played at home against the Valley co-leaders. Maybe because The Sycs lost to a Division II school at home? The way things have been going lately - I will be surprised if we win this game. Here’s hoping!

GO DAWGS!!!

Sycamores without thier coach tonight. 

No Shemera Williams again. 

Good Lord. I don't know if I have ever seen a team miss so many shots over so many games as we have.  Getting good looks, just not going in.

After 1 quarter.

Southern 11

Trees 23

23% shooting. 

It's bad enough that we can't shoot....the refs have it in for us as well. Lol!

Halftime

SIU 22

ISU-B 38

Correction: we have more rebounds than points. 24 rebounds to 22 points. We're shooting a sizzling 25%

Don't know what's up with the SIU end of the court but we've had at least 5 slip and falls down here. Looks like the men's game.