Senior forward Amber Sorenson hit 7-9 3-pointers, including 5-6 after halftime to power the Panthers (19-9, 14-3 MVC) past the Salukis (19-10, 12-5 MVC).
"That was probably the difference in the game," junior point guard Rishonda Napier said. "We were scoring twos, and they were scoring threes. That's just simple math, there. We didn't defend the 3-point line like we needed to, and they made us pay for it."
As a team, SIU made one of seven threes in the game.
"They were letting us drive," senior guard Cartaesha Macklin said. "They were just really face-guarding the threes.