Lady Falcons continue to climb

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Two of the Southeastern Illinois College women's basketball team's best defensive efforts came against its rivals from Southwestern Illinois College.

A third time could help push the Lady Falcons into the title game of the Region 24 Tournament.

SIC walloped Wabash Valley 81-66 on Tuesday night as Courtney Smith put in a game-high 23 points in the victory. Southeastern Illinois now treks down Route 13 to Carterville where it will face the Blue Storm at 6 p.m. on the campus of John A. Logan College.

The Lady Falcons swept the season series, protecting their home court with a 53-47 win on Jan. 18. Head coach Rod Wallace then took the team on a road trip to SWIC and returned home with a 53-46 come-from-behind victory.

The head coach said he believes his team has developed a winning mindset down the stretch.

"That's half the battle if you can get the kids to step on to the floor and play their hardest," Wallace said after Tuesday's win.

After posting a 1-11 record during its non-conference season, Southeastern Illinois responded with an 11-5 mark in conference play, which landed the team the No. 2 seed in the regional championship tournament.

SIC's defensive efforts during the team's current six-game winning streak have been nothing short of tenacious. Lady Falcons opponents are only averaging 62.5 points per game. At the offensive end, Southeastern Illinois is averaging 80.1 points per contest during the same stretch.

Southwestern Illinois lost three consecutive games going into the Region 24 Tournament, but saw its streak come to an end with a 62-55 upset win against Rend Lake College.

The game between top-seeded Lincoln Trail and upset-minded Kaskaskia, which was originally scheduled to be played in the 6 p.m. time slot, will be tip off at 8 p.m.