February 28, 1999

Norman, Okla. - Julie Helm scored 28 points to lead the Missouri women's baskeball team as they defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman, 73-64. With the victory, over OU, Missouri ended the regular season 12-14 overall, 5-11 in Big 12 Conference play. The loss dropped Oklahoma to 14-12 and 8-8.

The play of senior Kesha Bonds provided an historical moment, as she reached 1,000 rebounds for her career with her 11th board of the game. In reaching the mark, Bonds joined Renee Kelly as the only players in Missouri women's basketball history to amass 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a Tiger career. Bonds finished the contest with 19 points and 12 rebounds and now has 1,356 points and 1,0001 rebounds as a Tiger.

Tracy Franklin and Ekpe Akpaffiong each added 12 points for MU, as the team won their fourth consecutive game over the Sooners.

While a balanced scoring attack provided the punch for MU, the team's defense may have been the deciding factor. The Tigers held the Big 12's top scoring offense to 64 points, 12 below OU's season per game average, forcing the Sooners into a 39% shooting performance for the game. Phylesha Whaley, Oklahoma's leading scorer, brought a 19.4 points per game average into the contest, but finished 1-14 from the field with only 2 points versus Missouri.

Missouri led by as many as 15 points in the second half and was able to withstand two OU charges in the game's final ten minutes, as the Tigers scored the game's final eight points to secure their first conference road win of the season.

Up next for MU is the Big 12 Conference Post-Season Tournament which begins Tuesday in Kansas City. Missouri is the No. 10 seed and will face No. 7 seed Baylor at 6 pm Tuesday night at Municipal Auditorium.