SIU Women’s Basketball opened up the season on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at home against the Flyers from Lewis University. Looking to improve from a shaky 2024 season, the Salukis came out searching for a 1-0 start to gain momentum moving forward.

The Flyers won the tipoff and had first possession, but failed to score on their first few looks. Carmen Morales, the center for SIU, laid one up and in for the first points of the game and of the season. The Flyers found their footing on offense and locked down on defense, fueling a dominant 8-0 drive, giving Lewis an early lead. The Salukis stumbled for the rest of the first quarter, scoring the rest of their points on free throws, and found themselves in an early 8-point hole heading into the second quarter.

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The second quarter was underway, and the Salukis took control. Alayna Kraus got the scoring started with an and-1 basket, pumping up the packed Banterra Center crowd. The excitement did not stop there as the Dawgs went on a 13-0 run, giving them the lead. Kraus’s 8-point quarter and the unstoppable SIU defense gave the Salukis a comfortable 32-23 lead going into halftime.  

SIU looked to continue its momentum starting the second half, and appeared to be successful when Kayla Cooper nailed a 3-pointer to get the ball rolling. The Flyers and Salukis exchanged buckets for a few minutes, making it difficult to extend the lead; however, the cohesive Saluki offense was on display as all five starters notched at least 2 points in the quarter. The defense tallied 4 steals, which led to numerous fast-breaks for SIU. The Salukis finished the quarter with a 48-36 lead, and an SIU victory was on the horizon. 

The fourth quarter began, and SIU looked to hold the lead. Guard Jeniah Thompson was nearly perfect from the field in the fourth and scored 7 of her 12 total points in a matter of minutes. The Salukis capitalized on fouls and turnovers from the Flyers and added to their lead on the most efficient shooting in a quarter of the game (57.1%). The buzzer sounded, and the crowd loudly celebrated a 69-53 SIU victory. 

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With this win, SIU possesses a 1-0 overall record, and Lewis falls to 0-1. The Salukis will be back in action on the road against Purdue-Fort Wayne on Nov. 15, 2025. 

Sports reporter Noah Petschke can be reached at [email protected].

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