Cougars Begins Four-Game Road Trip

         The SIUE women's basketball team will travel to Emporia, Kan., for the Candlewood Suites Classic, where it will play neutral site games against West Texas A&M and Southeastern Oklahoma on Friday and Saturday.
         It will be the last tune-up before Great Lakes Conference play begins Nov. 29 at Saint Joseph's.
         Friday's game will be the first of the season for West Texas, who finished 20-10 last season and are led by returning junior forward Celeste Stevenson. Stevenson led the squad in points and rebounds last year.
         "We are going to need to focus on our defense," Coach Wendy Hedberg said. "We need to pick it up a notch and get in their face and not be afraid of being beat."
         Southeastern Oklahoma, who opens its season Tuesday against Washburn, will play tournament host Emporia State on Friday before facing the Cougars. Last year, Southeastern Oklahoma finished the season 10-15 and just missed advancing to the Lone Star Conference Tournament.
         SIUE is coming off an 88-76, season-opening victory over Illinois-Springfield at the Vadalabene Center. A balanced scoring attack that included five players scoring in double figures paced the Cougars to the victory. Tanya Guell (Plymouth, Wis.) scored all her game-high 21 points in the second half.
         "When she got the ball, Tanya was able to convert," Hedberg said. "That is what we will look for from her. Hopefully it will boost her confidence."
         Amber Wisdom (Geneseo) was just two rebounds shy of a triple-double, as she poured in 15 points and tied a career-high with 10 assists. "Amber had an all-around good game."
                  -siue cougars-