Cougars Bounce USI 73-70

Box Score

January 26, 2008

         EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Amber Shelton scored the decisive bucket with 12 seconds left Saturday as Southern Illinois University Edwardsville upended Southern Indiana 73-70 in women's college basketball.
           Shelton was one of four players in double figures for the Cougars. Elyse Morris provided a season high in scoring for the second straight game with 17 points. Amy Austin and Whitney Sykes each turned in a 15-point effort. Austin's scoring also was a season best.
           SIUE, now 13-4 overall and 6-3 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, didn't flinch when falling behind 9-0 at the start of the game. Coach Wendy Hedberg and her Cougars erased that deficit by halftime and had taken a 41-37 lead.
           Amie Newhart and VaNita Smart provided the spark for the Screaming Eagles, now 7-10 and 2-7. Newhart posted 15 points while Smart added 14.
           SIUE had a comfortable 10-point lead with nearly six minutes left and saw it evaporate over the next three minutes. A jumper by Newhart with 3:03 left put the Screaming Eagles up by one at 68-67.
           Shelton put SIUE ahead for good 69-68 just 30 seconds later. After a pair of free throws by Amy Austin put the Cougars up by three, USI countered with two points in the lane from Jessica Grimaldo. Shelton's jumper with 12 seconds left provided the final tally.
           USI outshot the Cougars from the field and from three-point range in number made and percentage. It was some excellent free throw shooting that launched the Cougars to victory. SIUE made 23 of 25 shots, including six perfect attempts from both Shelton and Austin.
           Jessie Stapleton provided the muscle on the boards with a team-high seven rebounds. SIUE outrebounded Southern Indiana 33-30.
           SIUE now returns to the Vadalabene Center Thursday to take on Missouri S&T (formerly Missouri-Rolla) in a 5:30 p.m. game. SIUE, which holds a three-game winning streak, will get its first opportunity to see the red-hot Miners, who holds the GLVC's best winning streak at nine games.
                    -siue-

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Players Mentioned

#10 Amy Austin: G; 5' 6"; Senior

#12 Jessie Stapleton: F; 5' 9"; Junior

#15 Elyse Morris: G; 5' 9"; Senior

#24 Amber Shelton: F; 5' 11"; Senior

#33 Whitney Sykes: G; 5' 5"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#10 Amy Austin
: 5' 6"; Senior
: G

#12 Jessie Stapleton
: 5' 9"; Junior
: F

#15 Elyse Morris
: 5' 9"; Senior
: G

#24 Amber Shelton
: 5' 11"; Senior
: F

#33 Whitney Sykes
: 5' 5"; Senior
: G