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Sweere leads Salukis into second round of WNIT
March 15, 2007 By Shalae Schulte
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois' Jayme Sweere recorded 23 points and 10 boards, her first career double-double, to help push the Salukis (21-10) into the second round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament with a 58-50 victory over Stephen F. Austin (21-12) in a messy contest Thursday night in SIU Arena. The teams combined for 46 turnovers as the second-best offense in the Southland Conference faced the best defensive team in the Missouri Valley Conference for the opportunity to keep their season alive. The Salukis drew first blood on a layup by Sweere up, 2-0, before SLC player of the year Charity Egenti answered with two straight jumpers to put the Ladyjacks up, 4-2. SIU would answer with a Dana Olsen jumper with 17:34 left in the half to tie the game. Next, SIU would go on a 14-7 run to put the Salukis up 18-11. Everytime the SFA would score, SIU would have an answer. The Salukis leading by as many as 11 twice, including a 34-23 advantage with 20 seconds left in the period. The Ladyjacks' Angelina Dennison made a layup with six second in the half to pull within nine, 34-25, heading into the locker rooms at the break. Southern Illinois led the entire second half, Sweere scoring 12-straight points to put SIU up 54-43 with just over six minutes to play in the game. Even though the Ladyjacks out-rebounded the Salukis by 11 (37-26), 20 of the boards were offensive, coming off of missed shots, SFA shooting just 41.1 percent (12-of-31). The Salukis hit 25-of-51 (49 percent) from the field, the best showing since the team shot 50 percent against Drake Jan. 20 in the arena. Jasmine Gibson recorded 18 points adding two boards, two steals and an assist for the Salukis. Dana Olsen added eight points, two steals and a board, while Carlai Moore chipped in six, to go with four rebounds and an assist.
Egenti led the Ladyjacks with a game-high 24 points and seven rebounds. Evelyn Edwards added 10 points, three rebounds, the only other SFA player in double figures. Southern Illinois will advance to the second round of the WNIT, facing Kansas State Saturday in Manhattan, Kan. A 7 p.m. tip-off is scheduled. |
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