Wanted:two solid halves of offense.

SIUC was left searching for a solution to its shooting problem after a weak offensive showing in the second half led the Salukis to a 66-54 loss to Tennessee Tech Monday night. The team’s second road loss dropped SIUC to 1-2 so far this season.

SIUC struggled at the start of the first half, trailing the Golden Eaglettes 12-7 with just over 12 minutes left, but managed to tie it up on a two-point basket by Kasia McClendon, who led SIUC with nine points, with 9:33 left on the clock.

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The Saluki defense fought hard, holding Tennessee Tech’s leading scorer, Terrance Oglesby, to four points in the first 20 minutes of play.

SIUC did not let up on the Golden Eaglettes, and the lead changed hands seven times in the first half. A three-point basket by Leslie VanWinkle put Tennessee Tech ahead 24-23, and the Golden Eaglettes led 26-23 at the half.

SIUC came out of the locker room unable to respond to Tennessee Tech’s offensive surge.

LaQuanda Chavours, who scored two points for the Salukis, fouled Sheri Lewis, who hit two free throws to build the Golden Eaglettes’ lead to five, 28-23. A barrage of shots from the perimeter, combined with 70 percent free throw shooting helped stretch Tennessee’s lead to 18 points , 52-34, with nine minutes left in regulation.

Tennessee Tech averaged around 50 percent from the line going into the contest.

The hole proved too deep for the Salukis to climb out of, with SIUC shooting 41.4 percent from the field in the second half and 35.6 percent for the game. The squad shot 61.5 percent from the free throw line in the contest compared to 80 percent for the Golden Eaglettes.

SIUC women’s basketball head coach Cindy Scott said her squad’s poor shooting was the deciding factor in the loss.

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Let’s just say they shot the ball better than us, she said. They put the ball in the hole when they needed to.

Scott also said the team needs to work on offensive rebounding in order to increase opportunities to score. SIUC had 14 offensive boards in the contest.

We were really getting one shot at the basket, she said. We really need to have some offensive rebounds.

The team is planning on using the experience to prepare for its tough upcoming schedule, Scott said.

We just have to get through this and learn from it, she said.

The Salukis face the University of Illinois in their regular-season home opener on Dec. 9. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.