EDWARDSVILLE, ILL -- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville capitalized on a 19-2 second-half run to overpower Oakland City 72-51 in women's college basketball on Tuesday.
         SIUE improved to 4-0 on the season and next face Greenville in a 7 p.m. matchup on Thursday at the Vadalabene Center.
         Whitney Sykes, who led SIUE in scoring with 13 points, recorded 10 of her points in the first 10 minutes of the game. Alisa Carillo was the only other Cougar in double figures with 10 points.
         Oakland City, 0-4, put up a fight in the first half. After falling behind the Cougars 18-7 in the first 10 minutes of the game, the Oaks hustled for an 11-0 run to tie the score 18-18. SIUE took another first-half lead of seven points before Oakland City rallied to take its only lead of the ballgame on a three-point play from Molly Maack. Amy Austin's two free throws with two seconds left in the half sent the two teams to the locker room tied 32-32.
         SIUE dominated in the second half using balanced scoring and tough defense. Oakland City shot 6 of 28 in the second half for 21.4 percent and struggled from the free throw line all game, hitting just 8 of 18 from the charity stripe.
         In the second half, SIUE pulled away during a 10 minute-stretch midway through the period. Up by just four points at 39-35, five different players recorded baskets in a 19-2 run that left SIUE dominating 60-39 with 6:38 to play. Tanya Guell scored seven of her nine points during the run.
                  -siue cougars-