Daily Egyptian Reporter 14

The SIUC women’s basketball team enters tonight’s contest against Murray State University at the end of a difficult road trip, so the Salukis must treat the Racers with extra care, despite dominating the team in recent years.

The Salukis returned to Carbondale late Monday night from Puerto Rico, and coach Cindy Scott has seen signs of fatigue.

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I think they are very tired. I’m tired. I think we’re all tired, Scott said. We had to get up at 8 a.m., which was 6 a.m. our time, and we got here about 10 last night. So it was one bad trip back.

The Salukis have won the last 11 matchups in the series with Murray State, including a 93-65 spanking at SIU Arena to open the 1996 season. Heading into the fourth of the team’s five-game road trip, SIUC hopes to even its record against the winless Racers.

But the return of four Murray State starters and seven letter winners from a year ago gives Scott a reason to be concerned.

I think Murray is looking for a little revenge because we beat them here bad last year, Scott said. I’m sure they want a little payback for that one.

Junior guards Sarah Higgins and Bobbi Coltharp anchor the 0-3 Racer squad. Higgins leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 15.5 points and 5.8 rebound per game. Coltharp is the second option, dropping in 14.8 points a contest.

SIUC senior guard Beth Hasheider and junior O’Desha Proctor have not performed well offensively so far this season and will be looked upon to counter Coltharp and Higgins. The two combined to shoot 10-for-30 from the field in Puerto Rico, but each recorded two steals in the win over the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez.

Proctor said she has been suffering from early season jitters after missing the first two games of the season against Northwestern University and an exhibition game with Sports Tours. Proctor’s reason for missing the two games has been undisclosed.

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I think I have been in too much of hurry to do things, and I was rushing my shot, she said. I just have to go out and try to contain (Higgins and Coltharp) on defense because I know my offense will come.

Offensively, the Salukis have relied heavily on inside scoring early in the season. Senior center Theia Hudson, the Missouri Valley Conference’s fourth-leading scorer, leads the way at 17.8 points per game. Sophomore forward Melaniece Bardley and freshman Maria Niebrugge chip in with 9.0 and 7.4 points respectively for the Salukis.

But Scott does not seem to be concerned about the team’s lack of perimeter scoring because of the team’s solid play in the paint.

I’d like to see us shoot the ball better, Scott said. But Theia Hudson has been a mainstay, and I hope Melaniece can get her game going like we think she is capable of because she is very talented.

The Salukis’ road contest against the Racers of Murray State University will begin at 7 tonight in Murray, Ky.