Coming off a home loss versus UNI, the SIU Women’s Basketball team traveled to Indiana State University to face the Sycamores on Feb. 21. The Dawgs, who have dropped two in a row, looked to get back in the win column against the Missouri Valley Conference opponents on the road. After a hard-fought battle, the Sycamores walked away with an 81-73 victory.

The Salukis won the tipoff and scored swiftly on a turnaround jumper from forward Indya Green. SIU got the ball back, and guard Kayla Cooper dropped in a bucket and a free throw, giving the Dawgs an early advantage. A give-and-go play, cashed in by Green, gave the Salukis a 7-0 lead. 

The Sycamores battled back, and the game was knotted at 11-11 at the blink of an eye. Offensive rebounding by both teams made for a plethora of second-chance points.

Guard Alayna Kraus, averaging a team-leading 15 points per game, floated in her first field goal of the game. A buzzer-beating jump shot gave the Sycamores a 21-18 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

Another Green bucket kicked off the second quarter scoring. The Salukis tried to regain their lead from earlier, but were hindered by the gritty Sycamore defense. Both teams applied pressure, drew offensive fouls and knocked down shots to keep the contest close. Kraus and Green scored consecutive points, bringing the score to 35-36 in favor of the Sycamores at halftime. 

The second half was underway, and after more back-and-forth action, guard Jeniah Thompson knocked down her first bucket of the game. Guard Tkiyah Nelson stole the ball immediately, giving the Salukis a 41-40 lead. The Sycamores dominated the offensive glass, allowing them to force fouls and cash in second-chance points with ease.

Cooper was unstoppable from the field, putting up five consecutive points, knotting the game at 50-50. The Salukis started to limit the turnovers and secure defensive rebounds, giving them a golden opportunity to regain the lead. 

The Sycamores got into foul trouble and gave up 6 points from the charity stripe. Keeping consistent with the rest of the game, the score was tied at 56-56, going into the last quarter. 

The final quarter began, and the Sycamores caught fire and went on a 14-5 run. The Salukis had their backs against the wall, and Indiana State did not back down. Another turnaround jumper by Green stopped the run, but the Sycamores picked up right where they left off. 

Kraus started knocking down shots, bringing the Dawgs within 5 points. However, the SIU effort came too late, and the Salukis could not catch Indiana State. The clock wound down, and the Sycamores walked away with an 81-73 victory in front of their home crowd. 

With this loss, the Salukis are now 9-16 overall and 6-10 in conference games. The Sycamores hold a 9-18 record and are 5-12 in MVC games. The Salukis travel to Illinois State University on Thursday, Feb. 26, to play the Redbirds.

Sports Reporter Noah Petschke can be reached at [email protected]

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