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Salukis tip off season tonight at SEMO

SIU ready for busy week

Stephanie Mosir ~ Daily Egyptian SIU center Tiffany Crutcher goes up against National Women's Basketball Elite Nov 14.

Even though classes officially end for one week after today, there's no such thing as a Thanksgiving break for the SIU women's basketball team.

The Salukis will embark on a busy week of basketball that starts tonight at Southeast Missouri State, takes a rest stop at Middle Tennessee State Monday and ends in Long Island, N.Y., at the Long Island Classic Nov. 28-29.

Because the Dawgs will be leaving for the Big Apple on Wednesday, that means no Thanksgiving dinner in the comforts of home.

Most of the players' families will be traveling with the team to provide support and a taste of home for the holidays, so the Salukis will have their own family dinner. A group of about 45 will gather at a restaurant named Maroon's for a thanksgiving feast before beginning play the following day against Long Island in first-round action.

"Thanksgiving in New York," sophomore guard Amy Hayden said. "Sounds rough."

But the Salukis hope to gobble up a couple of victories before feasting on some Turkey in New York.

The action starts tonight in Cape Girardeau, Mo., where the Salukis face an Otahkian squad that was predicted to finish first in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Following a year in which Southeast advanced to the OVC championship game while finishing 19-11, its best since joining the Division I ranks 12 years ago, the Ohtahks have high expectations this season.

Second-year head coach B.J. Smith, from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, has brought nearly his entire junior college team that finished second in the nation in 2002 with him to SEMO. Thus the Dawgs will be facing a senior-dominated and very deep team.

In its first game of the season, SEMO traveled to Salt Lake City to face No. 19 Utah as part of the Women's National Invitation Tournament. The Otahkians took the Utes to the brink, falling 74-65 despite leading at the half. Ten of Southeast's players saw at least 15 minutes of action and were led by preseason all-OVC selection Kenja White, who finished with 11 points in the contest.

"I'm hoping we'll be able to throw a lot of different looks at them defensively to hopefully take them out of their game," SIU head coach Lori Opp said. "But they know what it's like to play at this level and it's going to be a tough game."

With the Salukis flying high after an easy exhibition victory over NWBL, the Dawgs feel good about their chances. SIU should be able to match SEMO's depth, not to mention it has history on its side.

The Salukis are 23-3 all-time versus the Otahkians and finished 3-0 versus OVC competition a year ago. And this season the Dawgs also have more confidence.

"The overall talent is a lot better and everybody's healthy," Crutcher said. "I definitely think we're going to be better than previous seasons."

Opp and the Dawgs are hoping they will be able to mix things up and take advantage of them with their up-tempo style of play. Although SIU has been focusing on the transition game, senior center Tiffany Crutcher has been the main benefactor thus far.

The senior center has led the Salukis in scoring in each of the first two exhibition games.

"We push the ball up the floor, Tiff gets into position and they're still trying to rotate with us," Hayden said. "It gives Tiff a great opportunity to do what she does."

The game should be a good indicator of where the Salukis stand in their progression heading into a busy Thanksgiving week.

While they won't be able to be at home for Thanksgiving, at least one of the Salukis is looking forward to spending the Thanksgiving holiday in New York.

"I cannot wait to go," said Crutcher, who will be making her first trip to the Empire State. "I've been wanting to go really bad, so it's going to be fun."