Southern Illinois University (SIU) had an eventful week in athletics with notable performances across several sports. The men’s basketball team played two conference games, ending the week with a 1-1 record. They suffered a 74-64 defeat against Murray State, despite Ali Dibba scoring 21 points and Kennard Davis Jr. contributing 20 points and seven rebounds. However, they bounced back with an 89-85 victory over UIC, where Dibba again led the scoring with 26 points.
The women’s basketball team faced challenges at home, losing both of their games to UNI and Drake. Against UNI, Gift Uchenna recorded a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Isabella Palmqvist scored a career-high of 20 points in the game against Drake.
In track and field, SIU participated in the Fighting Illini Challenge. Notable performances included Leah Thames and Layla Watson taking top spots in the women’s 400-meter event on day one. Finja Lorsbach set a personal best to win the women’s 60-meter hurdles on day two.
The swim and dive teams did not compete but earned recognition for past performances. Henrique Pacheco Januario was named Men’s Swimmer of the Week by the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), while Olivia Herron received Women’s Swimmer of the Week honors. Freshmen Rodrigo Ramos Chávez and Liseska Gallegos Gutierrez were also acknowledged as Freshman of the Week for their achievements.
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