MVC poll predicts slide for SIU women’s basketball, Racers debut at #4

(KFVS) - The Southern Illinois University women’s basketball team finished at the top of the Missouri Valley Conference in 2022, but if the preseason poll is to be believed the team will have a tougher time in the 2022-23 season.

The Salukis are picked to finish 7th in the MVC this year, according to the MVC Preseason Poll released on Tuesday, October 18.

“What an incredible opportunity,” SIU head coach Kelly Bond-White said. “I told our young people yesterday the goal is to keep moving forward one step at a time. We’ve had some days where we’ve stayed on the same step, but what we have to do is continually move forward and resist a back peddle.”

The Salukis finished 21-10 last year with a 15-3 record against the rest of the MVC, but SIU was defeated in the semifinals of the conference tournament.

Meanwhile, MVC newcomer Murray State University is expected to finish 4th in the 2022-23 season.

The Racers received 397 points in the preseason poll, including two first place votes.

Murray State finished third in the team’s final season in the Ohio Valley Conference last year, and advanced to the semifinals of the OVC tournament.

Murray State Junior Katelyn Young earned preseason honors as a member of the six-person MVC Women’s Basketball Preseason Team.

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