University of Missouri
Nebraska
Women's Hoops End Nine Year Drought Against Nebraska
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
February 2, 1999
COLUMBIA, Mo.- All streaks must come to an end. The Missouri Tigers (10-9, 3-6) put two streaks to rest on Tuesday night. The Tigers ended a three-game skid by defeating the Nebraska Cornhuskers (15-7, 4-5) by a score of 74-66 at the Hearnes Center. Missouri had dropped 19 straight games to the Huskers heading into the game. Not since 1990 had the Tigers defeated Nebraska.
The first half remained close throughout. With the game tied at 22-22, the Huskers went on a 5-0 run. Brooke Schwartz (14 points, 8 rebounds) nailed a three-pointer to give Nebraska a 25-22 lead. After a missed jumper by the Tigers, Nebraska came back with another bucket by Nicole Kubik (34 points) to make it 27-22. Mizzou's Julie Helm (27 points) answered Kubik with 24 seconds left with a three-pointer to bring the Tigers within two points. Nebraska scored with five seconds left to take a 29-25 halftime lead.
The second half was much like the first. Nebraska went up by as much as five points on two different occassions but couldn't provide the knockout blow. With Nebraska leading 40-35, Amy Monsees (13 points) connected following an offensive rebound by Tracy Franklin to cut the lead to 40-37. Nebraska failed to score on the following trip down the floor and Franklin was fouled on the rebound. After missing both free throws, Franklin got her own rebound and scored from the baseline to trim the Huskers' lead to 40-39. Franklin, making just her seventh start of the season, contributed 11 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists, all career-highs.
After tying the game 40-40, the Tigers fell behind again but managed to tie the game at 44-44 before taking their first lead since 2-0. The Tigers went on an 8-2 run paced by two Helm buckets to take a 51-46 lead at the 9:05 mark. After another Kubik basket that tied the game 57-57, Missouri took the lead and scored the next five points. After Kesha Bonds (12 points) missed the second of two free throws, Monsees pulled down an offensive rebound and fed Bonds for a baseline jumper to push the lead back up to three points. Following a missed jumper by Kubik, it was Bonds again, this time on a feed from Franklin to give the Tigers a 62-57 lead with 4:24 left to play.
Nebraska would not go away. Kubik connected on a three-point play before the final media timeout to cut the Mizzou lead to 62-60. After holding Missouri at the other end, Schwartz drew the fourth personal foul on Helm with 3:24 to go. Schwartz connected on both free throws to tie the game at 62-62.
Missouri took the game over from there. Missouri went on an 11-1 run to take a 73-63 advantage. Monsees led the charge with six straight points including four straight free throws. Missouri netted 6-of-8 free throws in the final two minutes, even after their best foul shooter, Helm, fouled out with 2:09 left to play.
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