University of Missouri
Southern Illinois University
Missouri Defeats Southern Illinois, 71-60, In Opener
11/12/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2006
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Missouri seniors Tiffany Brooks, Carlynn Savant and EeTisha Riddle combined for 47 points and 21 rebounds as the Tigers defeated Southern Illinois 71-60 at the SIU Arena Sunday afternoon.
Missouri (1-0) shot 40 percent from the floor and got to the free throw line 30 times, making 26, as it won the season-opener for the 11th-consecutive year.
Brooks led all players with 19 points in 39 minutes. Savant had 10 in the second half to finish with 14, along with eight rebounds. Riddle collected 14 points and 12 rebounds for her sixth career double-double.
Both teams came out fired up but neither could find the basket as the first seven combined possessions resulted in six missed field goals and a turnover. SIU eventually claimed an early edge and led 10-8 with 11:53 to play.
Then the Tiger offense found life in the form of Riddle and Brooks. Riddle gave Mizzou its first lead at 11-8 on a three-point play before Brooks scored the next six points to complete a 9-0 run and force an SIU time out with MU ahead 17-10. Brooks' third bucket of the run was a reverse lay-up off a backdoor pass from senior Blair Hardiek. Hardiek led all players with a career-high tying five assists.
Missouri's lead fluctuated from between 5-7 points before a Brooks jumper with 24 seconds left gave the Tigers a 33-24 lead going into the locker room. Brooks led all scorers with 15 points while Riddle and Savant combined for 11 of MU's 18 rebounds.
The teams traded five field goals to open the second half before SIU went on a 10-0 run cut Mizzou's advantage to 39-37. The Tigers answered the Saluki run with a 7-0 spurt highlighted by a three-point play from Alyssa Hollins as the sophomore put back one of her game-high three offensive rebounds.
SIU then went on a 12-0 run to take a 53-48 lead - its first since the 11:53 point of the opening half. Brooks stopped the run with a backdoor lay-up on a feed from Savant, only to see SIU senior Carlai Moore take an offensive rebound on the Saluki's next possession and get the put back to make it 55-50 SIU with 7:27 to play.
The Tigers responded with yet another run, this time one that would see them regain the lead for good. Mizzou reeled off 13 consecutive points to turn a four-point deficit into a 67-58 lead with 3:12 left on the clock. Savant netted eight points in the stretch, including her 101st career 3-pointer as she moved into sole possession of fifth place in MU history.
SIU (0-1) was led by Moore's 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Missouri will return to action on Tuesday night when it welcomes Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to Mizzou Arena for its home-opener. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. CT.
