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Salukis to face Goldstar in exhibition opener Sunday

SIU's three returning starters lead the way

Amber Arnold ~ Daily Egyptian SIU senior guard Dana Pinkston jumps up for a pass, while senior forward Jodi Heiden puts up a block during practice Wednesday evening at the SIU Arena. The Salukis' first exhibition game of the season will be against St. Louis Goldstar at 2 p.m. Sunday at the arena.

Senior point guard Dana Pinkston cut across the baseline, came around a Katie Berwanger pick and proceeded to the three-point line during a practice drill Tuesday.

Pinkston hauled in the pass from sophomore Amy Hayden and fired up the three without hesitation, sinking the shot and hitting nothing but net.

After suffering a torn patella in her left knee during the offseason, Pinkston is back and looks to play a leading role in Sunday's 2 p.m. exhibition opener versus Goldstar at the SIU Arena.

The Salukis' returning leading scorer has had an up-and-down preseason due to the injury, but she is looking at Sunday as her chance to show the Saluki faithful that the knee, and her game, are better than ever.

"I've been limited on how much I can practice due to the knee injury," Pinkston said. "But I'm going to break out."

Partly because of the injury and competition from talented newcomers, the starting spot is not a guarantee for Pinkston.

SIU head coach Lori Opp said just one starting spot is solidified as of right now, and that belongs to senior Katie Berwanger.

In practice Tuesday, Berwanger was all over the place - grabbing rebounds, making the extra pass and running relentlessly up and down the floor.

The senior's effort has the coaches impressed and is setting the bar for the rest of the team as far as effort and desire is concerned.

"As far as work ethic alone, she's been a consistent leader because everyday she's going hard," Opp said. "I feel real good about Katie, and we challenge everybody else to step up to that level."

Sunday's exhibition will provide an opportunity for Opp to experiment with many different lineups and will surely be a big step toward creating a starting five and solidifying her rotation.

Opp just wants to see her team, with eight newcomers in the mix, play smart and together more than anything.

"I hope to see good team chemistry and to see us run some transition basketball and make smart decisions," Opp said. "Defensively I want to see us get out in the passing lanes and make it hard for the other team to run their offense."

Senior center Tiffany Crutcher had a much more simple answer.

"Hopefully we get a win. It doesn't matter how we get it, as long as we get it," Crutcher said. "I just want to see everything carry over from practice to the game like setting screens and moving without the ball and stuff like that."

Crutcher, one of three returning starters along with Pinkston and Berwanger, has been working on her agility and rebounding during early practices.

Opp has liked what she's seen but wants Crutcher to become more consistent in her scoring in the paint.

The Salukis defeated Goldstar each of the last three seasons, but facing the team full of ex-college stars will not be an easy task by any means.

"They'll play fundamental and they know how to score," Opp said. "It will be a challenge for us.