University of Missouri
Evansville
Savant Goes For Career High as Tigers Outlast Evansville
11/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 30, 2004
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri women's basketball team shot 58.3 percent from the field - its most accurate game in the last five years - and cashed in 26 points off of 19 Evansville turnovers en route to defeating the Purple Aces, 82-66, Tuesday night at Mizzou Arena.
The Tigers (3-2) jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the game's first six minutes on the strength of five points each from sophomore F Carlynn Savant (Euliss, Texas / Trinity) and junior C Christelle N'Garsanet (Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire / Illinois Central College). Mizzou held the Purple Aces to just 1-of-15 shooting from the field over that stretch.
After a 3-point field goal from freshman G Kassie Drew (Anna, Ill. / Anna-Jonesboro) put Mizzou ahead by 13 at the 11:55 mark of the first half, Evansville went on a 6-0 spurt to cut the lead to 21-14. The Tigers answered with back-to-back 3-pointers from senior C Megan Roney (Independence, Mo. / Truman) to push the lead back to a baker's dozen with just over nine minutes to go before the half.
At the 5:32 mark of the first half, Mizzou took off on an 11-0 scoring run that spanned 3:03 and pushed their lead to 38-18. During the run, the Tigers held Evansville (2-1) scoreless and forced four Purple Aces' turnovers.
The Tigers took a 41-25 lead into the half, paced by Savant's 14 points - which had already surpassed her career high set on Saturday vs. Providence - and seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Blair Hardiek (Effingham, Ill. / Effingham) chipped in four assists in the opening half. As a team, Mizzou shot 51.7 percent (15-of-29) from the field and scored 17 points off of 13 Evansville turnovers.
Evansville opened the second half with an 8-1 run to pull within nine, but the Tigers responded with a 12-3 run of their own to increase their edge to 18, at 54-36. Junior guard LaToya Bond (Urbana, Ill. / Urbana) scored five of her 13 points during the streak.
The Purple Aces stormed to within three with just over five minutes remaining by holding the Tigers scoreless for nearly four minutes, but a 13-0 Mizzou run put the Tigers up 80-64 with under a minute to play. Mizzou ended the game on a 15-2 run over the last 4:37 of regulation.
"I'm pleased with this team today," Head Coach Cindy Stein said. "They showed what they're capable of doing, and showed a fire and intensity today."
Savant led the Tigers with 16 points and eight rebounds, while N'Garsanet and Drew each carded 12. Bond led the team with five assists, and Hardiek finished with four.
Freshman guard Courtney Felke scored a game-high 18 for Evansville, and classmate Rebekah Parker grabbed four rebounds to lead the Purple Aces.
The Tigers return to Norm Stewart Court on Friday, when they host Mississippi Valley State in the first round of the State Farm Tiger Classic at 7 p.m. UMKC and Eastern Michigan square off in the evening's first game at 5 p.m., and the winners and losers will match up Saturday night with Mizzou playing again at 7 p.m. For ticket information, contact the Mizzou Arena Box Office at 1-800-CAT-PAWS (884-PAWS in Mid-Missouri) or online at www.mutigers.com.
