Southern Illinois University’s women’s basketball team will continue its homestand on Thursday, facing Murray State University at the Banterra Center in Carbondale. The game is scheduled for January 15 at 6 p.m.
The Salukis, currently holding a 4-11 overall record and 1-5 in conference play, are coming off a decisive win against Valparaiso, where they broke a four-game losing streak with a 97-59 victory. In that game, Jeniah Thompson led with a career-high 25 points and 14 rebounds, marking her fifth double-double of the season. Indya Green contributed 19 points, Kayla Cooper added 11, and Tkiyah Nelson scored 10 while also providing six assists. The team excelled at the free throw line, making 21 out of 32 attempts.
Historically, Southern Illinois has dominated the matchup against Murray State with a series lead of 41-10. However, Murray State has won the last five encounters between the teams. Their most recent meeting was on March 1, 2025, when Murray State secured an 87-64 win at home. The Racers’ last victory in Carbondale occurred on January 2, 2025. Southern Illinois last defeated Murray State in January 2023 and last won at home in this series in 2019.
Murray State enters the game with a strong record of 14-2 overall and is undefeated in conference play at 5-0. The Racers were ranked as runners-up in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll and are currently on a twelve-game winning streak. Their most recent win was a convincing performance against Drake with a score of 95-67. Thursday’s contest will be only their second conference road game this season.
Fans can follow live results at http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=642627 or watch the game on ESPN+. Audio coverage will be available through The Varsity Network.
“Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on Twitter at @SIU_WBasketball, on Instagram at @SIU_WBasketball, and on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiAthletics. Fans can also download the ‘Salukis’ Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.”
