December 9, 1998

COLUMBIA, Mo.- On a night when the Missouri Tigers needed their role players to step up, they did. Junior forward Amy Monsees, the Tigers fifth leading scorer, netted a career-high 25 points while freshman point guard Natalie Bright scored 11 clutch points to lead the Missouri women to a 72-71 win over Illinois State in Bloomington, Ill. on Tuesday night. The win was Missouri's fourth straight win.

Five Tigers scored in double figures, but on a night when Mizzou's three leading scorers struggled, it was Monsees, Bright and reserve guard Tracy Franklin who shined. Julie Helm, the Tigers' leading scorer, scored just 11 points on what was a rare off-night. Kesha Bonds, coming off of a huge weekend where she earned MVP honors of the Mid-America Classic, was defended tightly all night by Illinois State's three six-foot post players. Ekpe Akpaffiong found herself with four fouls with 16:11 left in the game and never came back into the game.

Illinois State took a 42-36 lead into halftime and led most of the first half. The Cardinals' guard combination of Jenny Schmidt and Kristy Crowley scored 28 of ISU's 42 first half points. Monsees led Missouri at the half with 12 points, but along with Bonds and Akpaffiong, had three fouls going into the break.

The Tigers turned up the defense in the second half. After shooting 50 percent in the first half, Missouri held ISU to just 33 percent in the second half. Schmidt, who's 13 points came on 5-of-6 shooting, went 1-of-12 in the second half and finished with 16 points. Crowley, who scored 15 first half points, added 10 in the second half.

Missouri took their first lead since the 10:12 mark of the first half with 13:42 to go in the second on a layup by Bright. Following a missed jumper by Schmidt, Monsees banked in a three-pointer to put the Tigers up four points, 55-51, and never looked back.