The arena is drenched in pink today at the Vadalabene Center as the Cougars are participating in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s effort to raise awareness for breast cancer. Nearly everyone in the arena has donned the free pink t-shirt given away tonight. Even the Cougars are wearing them as warm-ups, along with pink shorts and headbands.
Tip-off is in 15 minutes, when the Cougars will take on D-II Oakland City. The Mighty Oaks are 7-13 this season.
Pink ties, balloons, shorts, socks, headbands, uniforms and polos are everywhere. Even Cory the Cougar is strutting around in a pink uniform. The American Cancer Society is here, as are campus organizations, to join up and raise awareness today.
Good attendance here today at the VC from students and alumni alike.
Starting lineup for SIUE – Duncan, Bey, Meade, Herrod and Berry.
Cougars not shooting well, but the five rebounds have given them a bunch of second chances. Just 2-2 here so far at the VC.
This game is in slow-motion compared to the game against Eastern right now. Cougars are getting open shots, and it looks like it’s surprising them because they look tentative.
Ten combined turnovers in five and a half minutes. Both teams are not executing well.
Both teams shooting 28 percent from the floor, but Cougars are dominating the boards 13-2. It’s 9-5 SIUE.
Cougars speeding up the pace of the game, now it’s looking like the Eastern game. Bey is really pushing the ball up the floor, it hasn’t been overwhelmingly successful but it’s better than the first five minutes. This is the style SIUE likes to play.
13-7 halfway through the first, time flies when there are no TV timeouts. Still poor shooting from each squad, 25 percent for both teams.
Just realized the refs have pink whistles. It’s everywhere.
I don’t know if SIUE is playing at Oakland City’s level, but it seems like they are adjusting to the other team. Although, the Cougars have had several lay-ups rim out and this game should have a wider margin than 13-8. Only scorers for SIUE are Duncan (6), Kenner (3), and Berry (4).
Bey has three steals already – she has had at least five steals in her last four games.
Cougars are passing the ball better, but they still are having a hard time hitting their shots – they’re 9-32 from the field. Melia Duncan is keeping that as respectable as that can be – she’s 5-10 for 11 points so far.
Kenner hits her second three, putting the Cougars up by 11. Its 26-15 right now.
SIUE starting to pull away as they start hitting their layups. Although, it does help when you win the battle of the boards 31-14.
Kenner has developed into a really good three point option for SIUE. She’s 3 of 5 from behind the arc so far and looks to be a really good shooting guard next year.
AT HALFTIME: This game is a good indicator of the Cougars transition to D-I being the right idea. They started out incredibly slow and out of sync, and they’ve steadily improved. Despite not playing at a level where they have and where they should, they are up by 19. The Cougars have out-rebounded 32-16, caused 18 turnovers and started to take control of the game.
SIUE had eight fast break points, thanks to Ashley Bey. She has played as more of a point guard this game – she has looked for the open player rather than the shot today.
Five minutes into the second half, Cougars still up by 14, Oakland City is playing a bit better. They’re just getting out-hustled by the Cougars though.
Cougars are passing the ball much better, Bey is leading the way with eight assists. Oakland City has drained all three of their three-point shots, and it has kept them within 14. 52-38 SIUE with 11:23 left in the second.
Margin still about the same – SIUE leading by 16. Raven Berry has really stepped up here, she has 19 points today.
As small as SIUE has looked against some D-I teams this season, that is how Oakland City looks compared to the Cougars. Berry is just controlling the paint on offense and defense.
Bey threads the needle with pass through two defenders to give Berry an easy lay-up. Then she turns around with a steal and two of her own. She has been a tremendous player here for SIUE.
72-54 SIUE with three minutes left to play. Everyone on SIUE has played at least 10 minutes today.
Kenner nails two straight three-pointers. She has 21 points, all from seven threes.
Time winds down as SIUE picks up a 82-55 victory.
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