CARBONDALE (SIU ATHLETICS) -- The Southern Illinois University women's basketball team suffered a 53鈥�46 loss to Loyola Saturday inside Gentile Arena.
The Salukis (5-6, 2-4) trailed by as many as nine in the first half and were down seven, 40-33 with 7:23 to play in the fourth. Southern used an 8-1 run over the next two minutes and 30 seconds of play to tie the contest at 41-all. From there, SIU battled to keep it a one-possession game and had a chance with under a minute to play to tie the game but came up empty.聽
"We were never in a good offensive tempo," eighth-year head coach聽聽said. "We had a lot of kids that were playing faster than they are capable of. We also didn't screen very well and our spacing wasn't very good. They dug in on us and we didn't make very good decisions. Obviously we need to show up with a better game plan for tomorrow's game."
聽was the catalyst of Southern's comeback and had a career night in the loss. The senior from Raymond, Ill. scored all 15 of SIU's fourth quarter points and totaled a career-high 28 points on an efficient 12-of-20 shooting. When the Salukis needed a basket they found Brockmeyer, who accounted for 60-percent (28-of-46) of SIU's points and was two rebounds shy of her third double-double of the season. She got the Salukis to within three, 47-44, with 1:28 to play but that was as close as they could get.聽
"I never fault our effort," Stein said. "We've got gritty kids and we did a good job of scrapping, getting on the floor and getting the 50/50 balls. Our effort is always good but our execution has to be better. We can't get sped up to go faster than we can control. In the first half specifically we took crazy shots I've never seen us take before. We've got to be in control of those things. And some of that was Loyola's defense- they're a good defensive team."
The Salukis, who were on short rest after traveling to No. 25 Missouri State on Wednesday, played primarily seven players and had just five score in the contest.聽听补苍诲听聽each chipped in seven points while聽聽snagged a career-high eight rebounds.
The Ramblers benefitted from a slight 30-to-27 edge in the rebounding battle and shot 44.2-percent from the floor compared to SIU's 38.8-percent. Southern struggled from long distance, as it shot 23.1-percent (3-of-13) from three while Loyola made four of the six threes it attempted. The Salukis did capitalize on Loyola's mistakes, as 23 of SIU's 46 points came off of turnovers.
Southern is back in action tomorrow against Loyola. Game two of the series聽tips聽off at 3 p.m.
