University of Missouri
Tulsa
Tigers Outlast Tulsa to Claim Unilever Championship
12/6/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 6, 2003
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Behind 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists from tournament MVP Evan Unrau (Fort Collins, Colo. / Rocky Mountain HS), the Missouri women's basketball team defeated Tulsa, 88-68, Saturday night in the title game of the Unilever Tiger Tournament. It is the 18th time in the 26-year history of the tournament that the trophy has remained in Columbia.
Senior guard Tracy Lozier (Leawood, Kan. / Blue Valley North HS) was 8-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-9 shooting from the 3-point line, in blasting her previous season-high of 11 points set Friday night vs. Alcorn State with 20 against the Golden Hurricane (3-1). Lozier's previous career-high of 19 points came in a breakout game last December at Northern Iowa.
Senior forward Stretch James (Columbus, Ohio / Tyler [Texas] JC) recorded her first double-double of the season for the Tigers (5-1) with 18 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, while also collecting three steals to pace the Tigers. This marks James' sixth career double-double in a Missouri uniform.
Sophomore guard LaToya Bond (Urbana, Ill. / Urbana HS) tied with Unrau for the team lead in assists with five, giving her 13 assists in the two tournament games. Her 11 points also made her the fourth Tiger in double figures on the evening.
Joining Unrau on the Unilever All-Tournament Team were Lozier, Tulsa's Sarah Lundberg and Candace Brewer, UAB's Brittany Smith and Shirley Gooch from Alcorn State. UAB earned the consolation title with a 59-49 win over Alcorn State in the night's first game.
"I was very proud of a lot of things we did tonight, in claiming back the championship of our own tournament," said Head Coach Cindy Stein. "It feels good to finally have it back in our hands."
The Tigers outshot the Golden Hurricane 48.5 percent to 36.5 percent from the field, marking the third straight game Mizzou has eclipsed the 45-percent plateau. MU's 50 percent from beyond the arc is a first on the year. Missouri also outrebounded Tulsa 45-28, which is the fifth time in six games this season the Tigers have held a rebounding edge over their opponent.
The 191 points Missouri scored in its two tournament games this weekend are its highest two-game point total since the 1999 Unilever Tiger Tournament. Mizzou opened that weekend with a 111-31 win over Centenary, then followed with an 86-76 victory over Western Kentucky.
Mizzou's next game is an in-state showdown with Southwest Missouri State at the Hearnes Center this Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m. For ticket information, call 1-800-CAT-PAWS (573-884-PAWS in Mid-Missouri). As a reminder, holders of the KMIZ-ZOU Spirit Pass, as well as the student All-Sports Pass, get into all women's basketball games free. The first 1,000 fans to arrive at the Hearnes Center will receive a complimentary team photo card.
