The Southern Illinois Salukis women’s basketball team ended their season on Mar. 12 after an 81-69 loss to Indiana State in the first round of the Credit Union 1 Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament.
The game marked the conclusion of a challenging season for Southern Illinois, who finished with a record of 10-20 overall and 7-13 in conference play. The Salukis struggled to contain Indiana State’s offense, which surpassed the 80-point mark and secured the win.
Head coach Kelly Bond-White said, “This has been the most enjoyable season that I’ve had as a head coach. Because I haven’t had to put out fires. I haven’t had things going on with this group. They have stayed together, and when you have a team who leads from within, quality of life for the coaches is better. We made a jump, and there is even a bigger jump to still make.” Alayna Kraus led Southern Illinois with 25 points, while Jeniah Thompson contributed a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. However, bench production was limited, with non-starters adding only 11 points.
The matchup saw both teams trading leads early before Indiana State pulled ahead late in the first quarter and maintained their advantage through halftime. Despite several runs by Southern Illinois—including narrowing the gap to just two points in the third quarter—Indiana State responded each time and extended their lead in the final period.
The Southern Illinois Salukis women’s basketball team competes at the NCAA Division I level according to the official website. The program maintains membership in the Missouri Valley Conference and hosts home games at Banterra Center in Carbondale, Illinois according to official information.
Looking ahead, Bond-White said there is room for further improvement next season as her team continues its development within NCAA Division I competition according to program details.
