Starting Five - Storylines for the SIU Game
1) The No. 17/24 Missouri State Lady Bears (20-3, 10-1 MVC) will play five of their final seven regular season games at home, beginning with a 3 p.m. Saturday game against Southern Illinois (13-9, 5-6), which handed the Lady Bears their lone MVC loss on Jan. 17. MSU is 44-6 overall since Dec. 20, 2018, ranking fifth nationally in total wins since that date. That is the second-best 50-game stretch in school history after MSU went 46-4 from Jan. 12, 1991-March 28, 1992 on the way to the Final Four.
2) Missouri State has shot 40 percent or better 20 times and scored at least 68 points in 21 games this season. Through Feb. 11, MSU ranks 16th nationally in scoring offense (77.9), 6th in 3-point percentage (.389), 22nd in field goal percentage (.451) and 27th in foul shooting (.759). MSU's scoring average ranks third-best in school history behind the Final Four clubs of 1992 and 2001.
3) MSU has won the rebounding battle in 20 of 23 games this season and owns a plus-8.7 margin on the glass this year, on pace for second in school history. The Lady Bears lead the nation in defensive rebounding rate at .771, and rank 16th in rebound margin.
4) The Lady Bears are off to their best 23-game start since the 2003-04 team opened 21-2, and best home start at 10-0 since that same club finished 17-0 in Springfield. Missouri State's 10 wins prior to MVC play were the most in school history.
5) Missouri State's 10-game home win streak is one shy of the JQH Arena record set during the 2011-12 season, and the 11th time in program history that the Lady Bears have won at least 10 consecutive home games. This season, MSU is averaging 81.7 points at The Q, allowing 60.2, and owns a plus-11.4 rebound margin.
Series History
Missouri State is 54-29 all-time against Southern Illinois with a 31-11 record in Springfield that includes all 11 meetings at JQH Arena and 12 in a row at home dating to the final year at Hammons Student Center. The Lady Bears have won 14 of the last 17 in the series since 2012.
Scouting Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois is 13-9 overall, 5-6 in MVC play and rated 85th in the latest RPI. Makenzie Silvey averages 16.4 points per game with 50 3-pointers, preseason all-MVC pick Nicole Martin adds 12.5 points and 5.4 rebounds, and Abby Brockmeyer grabs a team-high 7.2 boards with 9.5 points. As a team, the Salukis score 70.7 points per game and allow 64.0, shooting 43.9 percent overall, 34.6 percent on 3-pointers and .626 at the foul line with a plus-0.5 rebound margin.
First Meeting This Season
SIU's Gabby Walker hit a layup with 1.3 seconds remaining to hand the Salukis a 70-68 victory on Jan. 17 in Carbondale, ending MSU's school-record 13-game MVC road win streak.
   The Lady Bears never led after 23-22, struggling to a six-point second quarter and trailing 62-54 with 4:23 on the clock.
Alexa Willard scored 27 points, and
Jasmine Franklin had 11 points and 10 boards, tying the game with 4.0 seconds left after SIU led 67-63 with 23.3 remaining.
   Missouri State shot 47.3 percent overall but just 1-for-11 from 3-point range and 15-for-23 at the foul line. Franklin had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
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