The SIUE women's basketball has a 1-3 overall record, 0-1 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play so far this season. That mark is deceiving as the Cougars lost two games by a total of seven points and dropped a 13-point halftime lead in the conference opener to Lewis.
         In the loss to the Flyers, the Cougars shot 50 percent from the field in the first half only to follow that up with an 18-percent performance in the second half.
         "We put the best 20 minutes of basketball together this year," said SIUE coach Wendy Hedberg. "Then we came out and couldn't find the basket in the second half."
         Hedberg knows that her team can regain some confidence by playing five games in the next nine days.
         "I don't think it is a time to panic, said Hedberg. "Don't count us out yet."
         Four of the next five games will come at home for SIUE.
         "We have to win games at home," said Hedberg. "We count on winning those games."
         Sophomore Julianne McMillen (Pana) is leading the team in scoring at 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Freshman Whitney Sykes (Pontoon Beach) has made a team-leading 11 three-pointers.
         Junior Lindy Carey (Ft. Wayne, Ind.) is averaging 11.8 points, four rebounds, and 4.8 assists per contest for SIUE.
         "Everybody knows she (Carey) is a very offensive player," said Hedberg. "She is really good at doing the smaller things."
         Another junior, Tanya Guell (Plymouth, Wis.), is second on the team in scoring with 12 points per game.
         The Cougars have connected on 34 of 85 (40 percent) three-pointers this season.
         SIUE travels to Oakland City on Tuesday night for a contest at 6. They return home for GLVC games against Missouri-St. Louis on Thursday and Southern Indiana on Saturday.
                  -siue cougars-