The Salukis kept a close contest for the second game in a row under interim- coach, Adrianne Harlow, but the team fell short 79-72 in its matchup with Missouri State.

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Missouri State (10-9, 2-5), got a fast start against SIU (4-14, 1-6) as the Lady Bears went on a 12-3 run after the first five minutes of the first half. The Salukis answered with its own 10-0 run thanks to freshman point guard Rishonda Napier who didn’t stop there as she sank a 3-point shot to bring the lead within one point (31-30) with five seconds left in the half.

manytimes. Idon’tcarewhoyouare.” The Salukis brought the lead down to five points with a minute left but couldn’t close the gap in time. SIU is now tied with Bradley for the worst record against Missouri Valley Conference opponents

this season. This is the second consecutive game

the Salukis have trailed by more than 10 points to start a game, and both games resultied in losses.

“We just have to come out better. Those 10-12 point cushions that the other teams start off with really come

that problem.” The Lady Bears had three players

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“The mood in the locker room was at an all-time high,” freshman forward Jameeka Bouie said. “At halftime we all thought that we had this game. We definitely had the momentum going into the second half. We just didn’t execute.”

The Bouie and Napier freshman tandem combined for 35 of the Saluki’s 72 points on the night.

Napier started the second half with a shot from beyond the arc, which gave the Salukis their first lead since early in the first half. SIU kept it close for most of the half, but Saluki foul trouble and Missouri State’s offensive rebounding helped the Lady Bears extend the lead to 12 points with 4:12 left in the game.

“They barely made their first shots,”

— Jameeka Bouie Freshmen Forward

in double-digit scoring on the night, including junior guard Karly Buer, who led all scorers with her season- high 25 points.

SIU had four players in double- digit scoring. Freshman forward/ center Dyana Pierre was one point away from her second-consecutive double-double.

The Salukis will look to end their five-game losing streak Thursday against Northern Iowa.