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Salukis suffer four straight losses

The SIU women's basketball team touched the SIU Arena court for the first time this season after three straight losses on the road, but Tennessee Tech inflicted another defeat upon SIU.

Dana Eikenberg was less than pleased with her team's performance in her head-coaching debut at home after a 73-55 pummeling. Eikenberg said she came into the game expecting three things out of the Salukis - energy, effort and focus - but can't seem to find a full team willing to give that on a daily basis.

The loss to the Golden Eaglettes came after a demoralizing Thanksgiving break that produced the Salukis' first three losses of the season. Iowa, Northern Illinois and Wisconsin all trounced SIU.

Eikenberg said she was surprised at the lack of emotion from her team against TTU, particularly after the game against Iowa, where she was pleased with the Salukis.

"We really got up for Iowa," Eikenberg said. "But now, it's silent in the locker room. When you look at your bench and you aren't getting anything from them - not necessarily numbers, but support - it's really disheartening."

The Salukis lost to Iowa 66-50, and thus far the 16-point deficit they incurred Nov. 19 has been the smallest of the season.

Following Iowa, the Salukis fell to Northern Illinois, their second competitor in the Hawkeye Challenge. A day after Iowa, SIU battled the Huskies in the consolation game of the tournament, only to trudge away with a 61-43 loss.

Although bright spots for the Salukis were few during the two-day tournament, senior Danette Jones was named to the all-tournament team for her performance.

Jones scored 30 points in the two games, eight against Northern Illinois and 22 against Iowa, with half of them coming from three-pointers.

SIU then traveled to Madison, Wis., Nov. 22 to face its second Big Ten team in only four days, Iowa being the first.

If the first two games left a sour taste in the Salukis' mouths, the Badgers did nothing to help wash it away.

Out-rebounding the Salukis 51-17, Wisconsin ran away after a halftime lead of 41-29. Jones and senior guard Daphney Desamours each contributed 16 points, but their combined efforts couldn't stop the Wisconsin onslaught, which resulted in a 29-point gutting, 82-53.

Any thoughts of a rejuvenated Saluki team hitting the home court after Thanksgiving were quickly put to rest after the first half of Sunday's game against the Golden Eaglettes.

Although Jones started the Salukis off with a three-pointer - her first of six for the game - SIU could never seem to find a rhythm against TTU.

Shooting only 37 percent to TTU's 54.5 percent in the first half, the Salukis rarely saw the lead. Jones nailed a jump shot from just inside the three-point line, giving SIU a 26-25 lead with little more than three minutes left.

But TTU rallied after Jones' basket, notching an impressive 10-0 run against the Salukis as the first half dwindled down.

Fouls and turnovers troubled SIU to no end, with TTU scoring 10 points off free throws and helping the Salukis to cough the ball up 15 times.

Eikenberg paced up and down the sideline with an impassive look on her face throughout the first 20 minutes, even as she whipped off her coat. She wasn't very happy.

"For a disciplined team like Tennessee Tech, who doesn't do anything fancy, to dismantle us shows we aren't putting in the effort," Eikenberg said. "We seem to want to be the whipping boy."

Eikenberg said the positives of the day were Desamours and Jones. The pair combined for 37 of the Salukis' 55 points and only 2 turnovers.

While Jones owned the first half for SIU with 16 points and four threes, Desamours roared in the second.

Desamours scored all of her 12 points in the second half, giving her four straight games in double digits. She shot 5-of-12 and contributed a three-point shot of her own, but the Salukis were still unable to recover.

TTU improved in the second half with a field goal percentage of 60. Meanwhile, SIU dropped to 35.7 percent, shooting only 10-of-28.

More Saluki fouls led to TTU pulling away rapidly in the final 20 minutes, ending the game with an 18-point victory, 73-55.

Although Jones scored eight points in the second half, bringing her total up to 25, her prolific shooting did little to encourage her.

"I shot the ball well tonight, I guess," Jones said. "I'd feel better if we won the game."