Nov. 18, 1999
Missouri Tigers (0-0)
vs. Bradley Braves (0-0)
TIP-OFF: 1:00 p.m.
RADIO/TV: KFRU 1400 AM (David Lile, Gary Link)
ARENA: Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse (7,003)
SERIES: Missouri leads the all-time series 3-2.
COACHES: Missouri - Cindy Stein (78-40, 13-15 at MU), Bradley - Donna Freitag (31-49)
Missouri opens 1999-00 Campaign at Bradley
The University of Missouri will open the 1999-00 season in Peoria, Ill. on Saturday afternoon against the Bradley Braves. Missouri owns a 3-2 advantage in the all-time series against Bradley.
The Tigers are 17-8 all-time in season openers and have won 10 of its last 11 opening games. Last year, Missouri defeated Bradley in the season opener by a score of 73-57 at the Hearnes Center in Columbia. Julie Helm poured in a career high 38 points against the Braves while Ekpe Akpaffiong contributed a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Scouting Bradley
Bradley opens it's 25th season of women's basketball when they host the Tigers at Robertson Field House on Saturday afternoon. Bradley went 1-1 in two exhibition games as they defeated the National Women's Basketball League Elite Traveling Team by a score of 92-58, but dropped a 93-69 decision to the Chicago Challengers last Saturday.
Bradley, coached by fourth year head coach Donna Freitag, is led by 5-10 junior guard Jennifer Jolley. In their two exhibition games, Jolley has paced the Braves with an 18.5 ppg. average to go along with 6.0 assists per contest. Forward Lynn Pastucha is averaging 12.5 ppg. and 7.5 rpg.
Bradley finished 6-20 in 1998-99 and 0-18 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
PROBABLE MISSOURI STARTERS
| (Exhibition Stats) | |||||||
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Cl. | PPG. | RPG. | OTHER |
| 24 | Amanda Lassiter | F | 6'1 | Jr. | 11.5 | 7.0 | 4.0 steals |
| 5 | Amy Monsees | F | 6'0 | Sr. | 14.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 steals |
| 55 | Marlena Williams | C | 6'0 | Jr. | 9.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 assists |
| 15 | Kerensa Barr | G | 5'10 | Fr. | 6.0 | 1.5 | 4.5 assists |
| 44 | Julie Helm | G | 5'11 | Sr. | 22.5 | 4.5 | 3.0 assists |
| OFF THE BENCH | |||||||
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Cl. | PPG. | RPG. | OTHER |
| 22 | Tracy Franklin | G/F | 5'10 | Jr. | 6.5 | 2.5 | 75% 3pt. |
| 45 | Ekpe Akpaffiong | F/C | 6'0 | Sr. | 6.5 | 5.5 | 2 steals |
| 32 | Natalie Bright | G | 5'8 | So. | 6.5 | 3.0 | 4.5 assists |
| 52 | Melissa Statham | C | 6'2 | Fr. | 4.5 | 1.0 | 1 steal |
| 25 | Ali Johnston | G | 5'7 | So. | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 steals |
Homcoming for Coach Stein, Marlena Williams
Missouri will have plenty of support in the stands on Saturday. MU head coach Cindy Stein is a Peoria native and will have plenty of friends and family in the attendence. Stein is a graduate of Peoria Richwoods High School and played her first two years of college for Illinois Central College located in Peoria. Stein's parents still reside in Peoria.
Missouri junior Marlena Williams is also a Peoria native. Williams graduated from Peoria Manual High School and also attended Illinois Central College. Williams led Illinois Central to two straight junior college national titles. She was recognized as a Kodak All-American last season.
New-Look Tigers Impressive in two Exhibition Contests
Missouri went 2-0 in it's two exhibition games. The Tigers downed the Basketball Travelers of Lithuania by a score of 96-50 in their opener. Three days later, Mizzou handled the Sport Tours team of Latvia by a score of 93-60.
Many positive things were exploited in the first two exhibition games. First of all, the Tigers are a deeper and much more athletic team. All 14 Tigers contributed in both exhibition games while new-found athleticism was evident by Missouri's numbers.
The Tigers averaged 94.5 ppg. in the two games while forcing their opponents into a combined 73 turnovers. Missouri recorded 45 steals in the two games while blocking a combined nine shots.
At the Helm
One thing that hasn't changed heading into the new season is that senior guard Julie Helm is still the Tigers go-to player. The three-time All-Conference pick enters the 1999-00 season in sixth place on Missouri's all-time scoring list with 1,563 points. That is an average of 17.7 ppg. for her career. Helm has been among the conference's top 10 scorers the last three seasons.
You can't blame the Tigers' veteran leader for being extremelly pumped up for the coming season. Helm spent the summer training with her brother in-law at home in Washington, Ind. and is in the best shape of her life. With the added talent around her, there should be much less pressure on her and defenses will have more than Julie Helm to worry about.
In her first two exhibition games this season, Helm averaged 22.5 ppg. and 4.5 rpg. She shot 15-for-21 from the floor (71.4 percent). She scored 17 points in the opener against the Basketball Travelers. In game two against Sport Tours, Helm poured in 28 points in 25 minutes of action on 10-for-13 shooting.
*FOR MORE ON JULIE HELM, PLEASE SEE HER PAGE LATER ON IN THIS PACKET.
Barr, Bright Improving the Point Guard Spot
Where the point guard spot was a major problem last season for the Tigers, things seem to be changing for the better. In two preseason games, freshman Kerensa Barr and sophomore Natalie Bright have combined for 18 assists while turning the ball over just five times. Barr, the Missouri High School Player-of-the-Year last season, has nine assists and has yet to turn the ball over.
Tigers Ink Three in Early Signing Period
Missouri has already signed three blue-chip recruits in the early signing period. The Tigers inked Missouri high school standout Terianne Wolford of Nixa, Mo., Evan Unrau of Ft. Collins, Colo., and Tracy Lozier of Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, Kan.
Wolford, a 6-0 forward, enters her senior season at Nixa High as a three-year starter. A second All-State selection last season, Wolford is averaging 18 points per game and is shooting over 59 percent for her career. She is also averaging over seven rebounds for her career. Wolford is a three-time, first team All-Conference pick and was named the AAU Missouri Player-of-the-Year as a sophomore. She has also been selected as an honorable mention AAU All-American.
Unrau will enter Missouri as one of the top high school players out of the state of Colorado. The 6-1 post player is a three-year starter for Rocky Mountain High School and is a two-time All-Conference performer. Unrau averaged 16.2 ppg. last year to along with 9 rebounds per contest.
Not only is Unrau a great basketball player, she is an All-State soccer goalie as well as a finalist for the state volleyball Player-of-the-Year. Rocky Mountain High is currently ranked No. 1 in the state of Colorado.
Lozier is a 5-10 guard that can play both the point and shooting guard positions. One of the most heralded players coming out of the state of Kansas, Lozier has helped lead her team, Blue Valley North High, to two straight Class 6A state titles. She averaged 15 points, 8 assists and 7 steals last season and is a two-time Kansas City All-Metro selection. Lozier won the DiRenna Award this past season recognizing her as the top player in the Kansas City metropolitan area. She claimed the award over teammate and Nebraska signee Shahidrah Roberts, who had won the award the previous season. Lozier was also a high school teammate of current Tiger Wannette Smith.
Head Coach Cindy Stein
Missouri coach Cindy Stein enters her second season as head coach of the Missouri Tigers. Stein led her Tigers to a 13-15 record in her first season at MU and a first round Big 12 Tournament victory over seventh seeded Baylor. Missouri also knocked off the likes of Nebraska in Columbia and Oklahoma in Norman. The Tigers also came close to knocking off Big 12 Champion Texas Tech in Lubbock.
Stein's career coaching record is 78-40. She spent three seasons at Emporia State University as she led her club to a 65-25 record and a trip to the NCAA Division II national championship game in 1998. Her 1997-98 team finished 33-1as Stein was selected the MIAA Coach-of-the-Year. She was tabbed National Coach-of-the-Year by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
MISSOURI TIGERS CAREER STATISTICAL HIGHS
| POINTS | |
| Julie Helm | 38 (vs. Bradley, 11/19/98) |
| Amy Monsees | 25 (vs. Illinois State, 12/8/98) |
| Ekpe Akpaffiong | 23 (vs. Nebraska, 2/4/98) |
| Tracy Franklin | 12 (vs. Oklahoma, 2/27/99) |
| Kendra Jones | 13 (vs. Iowa State, (1/24/98) |
| Natalie Bright | 18 (vs. Southeast Missouri State, 11/24/98) |
| Ali Johnston | 4 (vs. Baylor, 1/27/99) |
| REBOUNDS | |
| Julie Helm | 12 (vs. Illinois State, 11/17/98) |
| Amy Monsees | 10 (vs. West Virginia, 12/23/96) |
| (vs. Kansas, 1/13/99) | |
| Ekpe Akpaffiong | 15 (vs. Nebraska, 2/4/98) |
| Tracy Franklin | 11 (vs. Nebraska, 2/2/99) |
| Kendra Jones | 4 (three times) |
| Natalie Bright | 4 (three times) |
| Ali Johnston | 4 (vs. Missouri-Rolla, 12/21/98) |
| ASSISTS | |
| Julie Helm | 6 (vs. Kansas, 1/13/99) |
| Amy Monsees | 8 (vs. Louisville, 12/5/98) |
| Ekpe Akpaffiong | 6 (vs. Iowa, 11/27/98 |
| Tracy Franklin | 7 (vs. Nebraska, 2/2/99) |
| Kendra Jones | 7 (vs. Kansas State, 1/13/98) |
| Natalie Bright | 5 (two times) |
| Ali Johnston | 3 (four times) |
| THREE-POINT FG MADE | |
| Julie Helm | 7 (vs. Texas Tech, 3/1/97) |
| Amy Monsees | 2 (vs. Texas A&M, 1/9/99) |
| Ekpe Akpaffiong | 1 (two times) |
| Tracy Franklin | 3 (vs. Iowa State, 1/30/99) |
| Kendra Jones | 1 (many times) |
| Natalie Bright | 3 (vs. Southeast Missouri State, 11/24/98) |
| Ali Johnston | 1 (four times) |
| THREE-POINT FG ATTEMPTED | |
| Julie Helm | 9 (vs. Texas Tech 3/1/97) |
| Amy Monsees | 5 (vs. Colorado 2/9/99) |
| Ekpe Akpaffiong | 1 (eight times) |
| Tracy Franklin | 5 (two times) |
| Kendra Jones | 2 (many times) |
| Natalie Bright | 5 (three times) |
| Ali Johnston | 4 (vs. Iowa State 2/23/99) |
| FREE THROWS MADE | |
| Julie Helm | 15 (two times) |
| Amy Monsees | 8 (two times) |
| Ekpe Akpaffiong | 7 (two times) |
| Tracy Franklin | 5 (vs. Nebraska 2/2/99) |
| Kendra Jones | 5 (vs. Missouri-Rolla 11/14/97) |
| Natalie Bright | 5 (vs. Louisville 12/5/98) |
| Ali Johnston | 2 (two times) |
| BLOCKS | |
| Julie Helm | 1 (two times) |
| Amy Monsees | 1 (many times) |
| Ekpe Akpaffiong | 2 (two times) |
| Tracy Franklin | 1 (five times) |
| Kendra Jones | 1 (vs. Illinois State 12/8/98) |
| Natalie Bright | 1 (four times) |
| Ali Johnston | 0 |
| STEALS | |
| Julie Helm | 3 (many times) |
| Amy Monsees | 6 (vs. Colorado 1/16/99) |
| Ekpe Akpaffiong | 5 (vs. Texas Southern 12/4/98) |
| Tracy Franklin | 4 (two times) |
| Kendra Jones | 2 (many times) |
| Natalie Bright | 4 (vs. Princeton 11/29/98) |
| Ali Johnston | 2 (vs. Nebraska 1/3/99) |
MISSOURI TIGERS SEASON STATISTICAL HIGHS