The SIU women’s basketball team defeated Siena in the first round of the Preseason Women’s National Invitational Tournament consolation bracket 73-54 Friday night.

The Saints (0-3, 0-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) had a 30-27 halftime lead, but the Salukis (1-1, 0-0 Missouri Valley Conference) battled back.

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SIU outscored Siena 30-6, in the third quarter. 

Saluki coach Cindy Stein said her team’s defensive pressure was the key to its turnaround.

“It was probably hard for them to adjust to,” she said. “We weren’t that aggressive at all in the first half. They probably didn’t know what we were capable of.”

Siena corralled 12 first-half offensive rebounds to SIU’s four.

Saints sophomore guard Kollyns Scarbrough and Saluki junior guard Rishonda Napier led all scorers with seven first-half points.

Saluki senior forward Azia Washington led the third quarter comeback with eight points.

Washington, who is still recovering from offseason knee surgery, left the game in the third after pulling up with an apparent leg injury on a drive to the basket.

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Stein said Washington was kneed in the thigh on the play. Washington’s status for Saturday’s game remains to be known.

The Salukis out rebounded Siena 28-14 in the second half.

Senior guard Cartaesha Macklin said rebounding was part of Stein’s focus at halftime.

“She really just said, ‘Box out and play [defense],'” Macklin said. “That was our key in the second half.”

Scarbrough finished with a game-high 18 points and Washington led SIU with 12. 

Sophomore forward Emmanuella Edoka collected a game-high 10 rebounds for the Saints. Saluki senior center Dyana Pierre led her team with eight rebounds in her first start of the season. Pierre was suspended indefinitely before SIU’s first exhibition game for a violation of team rules. 

Junior point guard Rishonda Napier led SIU with five assists, the same number as Siena recorded as a team.

The Salukis play Tennessee State at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at SIU Arena.

The Lady Tigers defeated Alabama State 74-64 in the first game of the evening.

TSU junior guard I’mani Davis led all scorers with 20 points. Senior guard Brianna Lawrence recorded a double-double for the Lady Tigers with 13 rebounds and 10 points.

Junior guard Britney Wright led Alabama State with 17 points.

Siena and Alabama State play at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at SIU Arena.

Thomas Donley can be reached at [email protected] or at 618-536-3307