Posted: Feb 04, 2014

SLIAC Game of the Week - Feb. 4

The SLIAC Game of the Week is a weekly feature that highlights a key match-up in the conference this week. This week's SLIAC Game of the Week is the Spalding University and Eureka College women's basketball game on Saturday, February 8th in Eureka, Ill.

At a Glance
Saturday's meeting between Spalding and Eureka puts the winner in the driver's seat for hosting the 2014 SLIAC Women's Basketball Tournament. Spalding is currently in first-place in the standings with a 9-1 conference record while Eureka sits in second with a 9-2 mark.

Spalding University
Spalding begins the week with a 9-7 overall record and have won eight consecutive games. The Golden Eagles are averaging 64.5 points per game this season, seventh in the league. However in conference play they have stepped up their scoring output to 68.4 points per game, fourth best. The Golden Eagles have been successful at hitting the boards this year averaging 41.2 rebounds per game and the best rebounding margin in the conference.

Spalding features the duo of Jessica Guy and Kerstin Hayes. Guy, a junior forward, leads the team in both scoring and rebounding at 14.1 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. She is the inside force for the Golden Eagles and is shooting 53-percent from the field. Hayes meanwhile gives Spalding the outside touch, averaging 13.5 points per game and shooting 33-percent from three-point range. Hayes is also stout on defense, leading the team with 1.9 steals per game.

Eureka College
Eureka starts the week with a 13-5 record. They had a six game winning streak snapped last weekend, falling 62-51 to Greenville. The Red Devils are averaging 69.7 points per game, second most in the SLIAC. Eureka is one of the league's top defensive teams, holding opponents to the second lowest field goal percentage.

Eureka is headlined by Caty Eeten and Kelsey Shoemake, two of the top four scorers in the SLIAC. Eeten leads the team at 19.5 points per game while Shoemake is averaging 15.9 points per game and leads the team, and conference, at 10.7 rebounds per game. Eeten, who became the all-time leading scorer by a SLIAC women's basketball player earlier this season, is shooting 46-percent from the field this year and leads the conference in points with 351. Shoemake is second in the conference in shooting percentage, at 52-percent, and is also fourth in blocked shots with 30.

Game Notes

Eureka leads the all-time series against Spalding 5-3 including winning the last meeting 60-37.
Eureka's 13 overall wins this season are tied for the most by a SLIAC member this season (Iowa Wesleyan is 13-3).
Spalding had a perfect month of January, going 8-0.
Eureka is 8-1 at home this season, their only loss was to Millikin in the second game of the season.
Spalding's Jessica Guy is 2nd in the SLIAC in offensive rebounds during conference play with 3.6 per game.
Eureka's pair of Caty Eeten and Kelsey Shoemake have combined to win five of this year's Player of the Week awards.