Jan. 7, 2000
Missouri Looks to Even Conference Record Against Baylor
After having their nine-game winning streak snapped at the hands of No. 10 Iowa State on Wednesday night, the Missouri Tigers (10-2, 0-1) will be looking for their first Big 12 victory of the season when they host the Baylor Bears (5-6, 0-1) on Saturday afternoon at the Hearnes Center. The game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports Net beginning at 1:00 p.m. CST.
Baylor also enters Saturday's contest looking for it's first conference win after dropping it's first Big 12 game to Texas A&M on Wednesday night, 62-59.
Baylor and Missouri split two games against one another last season. In Waco, the Lady Bears outscored the Tigers 54-28 in the second half to defeat Missouri 78-54. Three players scored in double-figures for Baylor, led by Toya Ellis with 23 points. Lara Webb added 21 for the Lady Bears, while Moncia Arnold, one of two returning starters for Baylor this season, added 14 points and 9 rebounds. Missouri, who led 26-24 at halftime, were led by Julie Helm (16 points) and Ekpe Akpaffiong (13 points). Missouri turned the ball over 31 times against the Baylor pressure.
The two teams met again in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City with the Tigers, the 10th seed, upsetting the 7th-seed Baylor, 60-55. Missouri led 29-23 at halftime and used a dominant performance on the boards to oust the Bears from the tournament. The Tigers outrebounded Baylor 49-27. Kesha Bonds scored 17 points and led the Tigers with 14 rebounds while Ekpe Akpaffiong pulled down 11 boards. Julie Helm scored 26 points for Missouri on 9-of-17 shooting and 7-of-10 from the foul line. The Tigers held Baylor to just 31 percent shooting from the floor.
Baylor Bears (5-6, 0-1) -vs.- Missouri Tigers (10-2, 0-1)TIP-OFF: 7:00 p.m. CST.
RADIO/TV: Fox Sports Net (Bill Land, Alyssa Walker-Campbell)
KFRU 1400 AM (David Lile, Sally Albers)
INTERNET: www.mutigers.com (LIVE)
ARENA: Hearnes Center (13,300)
SERIES: Missouri trails the all-time series 2-4.
COACHES: Missouri? Cindy Stein (88-42 overall, 23-17 at MU), BU? Sonja Hogg (388-132 overall, 81-77 at Baylor)
PROBABLE MISSOURI STARTERS
No. Name Pos. Ht. Cl. PPG. RPG. OTHER 24 Amanda Lassiter F 6'1 Jr. 13.5 4.8 35 blocks 5 Amy Monsees F 6'0 Sr. 10.5 4.3 .857% FT 55 Marlena Williams C 6'0 Jr. 12.3 4.9 .534% FG 32 Natalie Bright G 5'8 So. 7.3 3.3 1.2 TO/gm. 44 Julie Helm G 5'11 Sr. 13.6 4.2 .438 3PT%OFF THE BENCH
No. Name Pos. Ht. Cl. PPG. RPG. OTHER 22 Tracy Franklin G/F 5'10 Jr. 5.3 1.9 6 blocks 45 Ekpe Akpaffiong F/C 6'0 Sr. 7.2 3.8 .589% FG 15 Kerensa Barr G 5'10 Fr. 5.2 2.6 2.8 asp. 52 Melissa Statham C 6'2 Fr. 1.3 1.3 8.8 min/g
Scouting Baylor
The Baylor Bears enter Saturday's contest with a 5-6 record and are 0-1 in the Big 12 Conference following Wednesday night's home loss to Texas A&M, 62-59. Monica Arnold came off the bench to lead Baylor with 17 points and 9 rebounds. Danielle Crockrom added 10 and 12 boards.
The Lady Bears are coached by veteran Sonja Hogg, the owner of 388 career wins and a winning percentage of .746. Baylor returns just two starters from last year's team. Crockrom, a 6-2 sophomore forward, leads the Lady Bears in scoring (13.2 ppg.) and rebounding (9.6 rpg).
Arnold has started seven of Baylor's 11 games, and is averaging 9.5 ppg. and 6.2 rebounds. The 6-2 junior started 29 of Baylor's 31 contests last season.
Senior guard Mandy Hayworth, who started just 9 games last season, is averaging 11.5 ppg. and leads the club with 18 three-point field goals.
Missouri's Last Time Out
The Tigers had their nine-game winning streak stopped on Wednesday night at the Hearnes Center. The 10th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones used a late 13-0 run to defeat Missouri 79-67.
Missouri's pressure defense forced eight early Cyclone turnovers, but the Tigers were unable to capitalize. Iowa State shot just 34.5 percent from the floor in the first half, but Missouri hit just 10-of-32 from the floor in the first half (31.3).
Missouri trailed 27-26 at halftime and led 44-42 at the 10:53 mark. That is when the Cyclones hit Mizzou with the 13-0 run. The Tigers never got within 10 points again.
Rebounding was the story as the Cyclones outrebounded Missouri 45-25. Amanda Lassiter chalked up a career-high 22 points and led the Tigers with 6 rebounds and 6 assists. She was also 4-for-7 from three-point territory. Julie Helm added 13 points for the Tigers.
Lassiter Does it All
Junior forward Amanda Lassiter has been everything the Tigers could have hoped for when she transfered to Mizzou from Central Arizona Junior College.
Lassiter, who received very little notice when the pre-season votes were tallied for the Big 12 Newcomer-of-the-Year, has done it all for the Tigers in her first 12 games. She is Missouri's leader in assists (50), blocks (35) and steals (34). She is the Tigers second leading scorer and second leading rebounder. She has already broken a Big 12 record for steals in a game (11) and has set a new Missouri record for blocks in a game (7).
Lassiter was tabbed Big 12 Rookie-of-the-Week following a 20 point, 11 rebound performance at Saint Louis. She also contributed 6 assists and 5 blocked shots in that game.
Lassiter entered this week ranked seventh in the country in blocked shots at 3.0 per game.
Coach Stein Rewarded Contract Extension
Cindy Stein was rewarded with a two-year contract extension by Director of Athletics Mike Alden. Her new contract will carry her through the 2004 season.
Alden said that ?the University was not taking this step just because of the success on the court, but because of the total success of her program.? Alden stated that Stein's student-athletes ?were doing well in school and the community, as well as on the basketball court.?
Fans Are Taking Notice at MU
The University of Missouri began selling season tickets for women's basketball for the first time this season. Over 300 season tickets have been sold. But it has been more than the season ticket holders that are taking notice of the turnaround at the University of Missouri in women's basektball.
The Tigers drew over 1,000 fans seven times at the Hearnes Center last season. So far in 1999-00, the Tigers have played five home games and have drawn an average of 1,498 fans.
Missouri used "Pokemon Night" on Dec. 30 to draw 2,242 fans against Wisconsin-Milwaukee. That was followed by an attendance of 2,463 for the conference opener against Baylor.
Tigers Turn the Tables in the Turnover Department
She calls it "Organized Chaos." Cindy Stein's style of basketball is in full effect in 1999-00. Many basketball followers might compare it to the Arkansas men's "40 Minutes of Hell." In 12 games, Missouri has forced an average of 26.4 turnovers per game. The Tigers have 183 steals as a team so far, an average of 15.2 per game. Missouri averaged just over 8 steals per contest last year.
Missouri was tied for the bottom in the Big 12 Conference in assist/turnover ratio last season at 0.74. How things have changed this season. The Tigers were at the top of the Big 12 with a ratio of 1.29 headed into the week.
Dare We Say "Spurtability?"
So this SID is a Clark Kellogg fan.
Missouri has been a team that has been able to literally bury it's opponents with one big spurt.
Just ask the San Diego State Aztecs as to how devastating Mizzou's full court press can be. The Tigers took a 2-1 lead just 47 seconds into the game. In just five minutes, 11 seconds and 10 turnovers later, Missouri's lead was 25-1. The Aztecs were forced to call three of their five timeouts during that span.
Centenary also provides a sample of the Tigers disruptive press. The Ladies led Missouri 6-4. The next thing they knew, the Tigers had gone on a 34-0 run to take a 38-6 lead.
Illinois State also fell victim to the Tigers relentless press. Missouri jumped out to a 34-1 lead against the Redbirds and held ISU without a field goal for the first 13 minutes, 37 seconds of the contest. The Tigers led 3-1 and went on a 31-0 run forcing 13 turnovers in the process. At one point, ISU had 14 turnovers and had attempted just 12 shots.
And most recently, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, who trailed the Tigers just 30-27 at halftime, and tied the game 34-34 before getting hit with a 37-5 run, and more impressive, a 30-0 run. Missouri found themselves up 71-39.
MISSOURI'S LONGEST SPURTS
Missouri Among the Nation's Statistical Leaders
Coach Cindy Stein wants her team to score and score a lot. The Tigers averaged 66.4 points a game last season, a number that Coach Stein wanted to see increase this season. That number has increased a lot.
Missouri is averaging 83.3 points per game, a figure that ranks among the nation's top 10. The Tigers have four players averaging double-figures and nine players averaging at least five points a game.
Missouri also came into the week ranked fourth nationally in scoring margin (28.2) and second in free-throw percentage (78.2). Despite a rough night at the line on Wednesday, the Tigers are still shooting free throws at a 77.2 percent clip that ranks them in the top 10.
Defensively, Mizzou entered the week ranked 16th in scoring defense, allowing 56.5 ppg. The Tigers were also 5th in the country in field goal defense. Mizzou's opponents are shooting .429 from the floor.
Back at the Helm
Senior Julie Helm continues to re-write the Missouri record books with every game she plays. Her numbers were expected to decrease a little bit this season with the additions of such scoring threats as Amanda Lassiter and Marlena Williams.
After a rough start to the season, Helm is back on a roll offensively, and is back on top of the team's scoring chart at 13.6 points per game. She busted out of a huge shooting slump against Eastern Illinois with 30 points in 21 minutes of play. She answered that performance by leading the Tigers with 16 points in 19 minutes of action against Illinois State. Helm led Mizzou for the third straight time with a 19 point peformance against Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Helm moved into fourth place on Missouri's all-time scoring list at Saint Louis on Dec 11. She passed Nancy Rutter by scoring her 1,642nd point in the first half in MU's 78-65 victory. She now has 1,726 points for her career. Next up for Helm is Sharon Farrah, who owns third place with 1,820 points.
She is currently the career leader in free throw percentage at 81.0 percent. She is on her way to becoming the career leader in three-point field goals. Helm currently has 107 treys and is 10 away from all-time leader Stacy Williams.
Helm is averaging 17.2 ppg. for her career. She just passed 600 made FG plateau and the 400 rebound mark and is averaging over four boards per game for her career. Helm also passed the 400 free throw mark and just recorded her 200th assist and passed the 100 steals mark. She also eclipsed the 3,000 minutes played mark for her career. Helm played in her 100th career game on Wednesday night against Iowa State.
The Future at Point Guard is Bright and Secure with Barr
Sophomore point guard Natalie Bright has been one of the biggest factors in the vast improvement of the Missouri Tigers women's basketball team. Bright played in every game as a freshman last year and gained valuable experience, although struggling at times with turnovers.
Things have changed so far this season as Bright is playing with much more confidence and a better feel for the game. In 12 games, Bright has turned the ball over just 15 times in 24.2 minutes per game. She has 32 assists and is averaging 3.3 rebounds per contest. Bright is also scoring 7.3 points per game.
Freshman Kerensa Barr, the Missouri state High School Player-of-the-Year, has helped the point guard spot as well, especially at the defensive end. Barr is second on the team in steals behind Amanda Lassiter with 28 and is averaging 2.6 rebounds from the point guard spot.
Offensively, Barr is improving with every game. She went the first two exhibition games and the first regular season game against Bradley without a turnover. Since, she has turned it over 20 times, but she does have 34 assists. Barr is averaging 5.2 ppg. and has connected on five 3-point field goals.
Last year, Missouri's point guards turned the ball over 122 times and recorded just 97 assists. Those numbers have changed dramatically this season. The Bright/Barr combination has 66 assists to just 35 turnovers thus far.
Just Call Her ?Pep' and Enjoy
If you love basketball, you love to watch Marlena ?Pep? Williams play. The 6-0 junior college Kodak All-American plays hard and wants to win worse than the average player. She is what Cindy Stein calls a perfectionist, and anything less than perfection irritates ?Pep.'
Williams played her first career game for the Tigers in her own backyard in Peoria, Ill. at Bradley. Williams scored 13 points in 18 minutes and had tears in her eyes as she left the floor after fouling out.
In her Hearnes Center debut against Arkansas, some 1,300 Missouri fans got to see what ?Pep' is all about. Williams picked up her second foul less than four minutes into the game and sat out the rest of the half with 0 points and 1 rebound. Those who know ?Pep' knew what to expect in the second half.
Williams scored 21 points in the second period, 7 of them in the first 4:14 of the half. She staggered Arkansas with points in the post as well as several one-on-one moves from the top of the key.
Williams is third on the club in scoring with 12.3 ppg., despite playing with chronic shin splints that may nag her the entire season. What is eye-popping about that figure is that she is only playing 20.3 minutes per game because of foul trouble, shin splints and Mizzou blowouts.
Where does this all come from? Basketball talent runs through the blood of the Williams family. Most notible is her brother Frank, a McDonald's All-American and the starting point guard for the University of Illinois.
Monsees a Consistant Threat for Tigers
Senior forward Amy Monsees had a breakthrough season as a junior. Now a senior tri-captain, Monsees continues to quietly go about her business.
Monsees is fourth on the club in scoring at 10.5 ppg. The 6-0 Kansas City native has been money in the bank when she has had a chance to score. She is shooting .554 percent from the floor and .857 from the free throw line. Monsees has also hit 4-of-8 three-pointers this season.
Monsees led the Tigers with 17 points on against Portland State and added nine more against San Diego State and was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Pacific Bell/San Diego State Tournament.
New Roles for Tiger Vets Ekpe and Franklin
Senior Ekpe Akpaffiong and junior Tracy Franklin started a combined 38 games last year for the Tigers. In Akpaffiong's case, she has started 59 games in the last three seasons.
Akpaffiong and Franklin are now coming off the bench for the Tigers with the additions of Amanda Lassiter and Marlena Williams. The outcome of the moves? So far, so good.
Akpaffiong's reaction was a 13 point, 5 rebound performance in 14 minutes of action in Missouri's 92-49 win over Bradley in the season opener. Akpaffiong has been huge off the bench for the Tigers thus far. She is Missouri's fourth leading rebounder at 3.8 per game and is averaging 7.3 points per game in 16.1 minutes per contest.
Franklin has shown a new aggressive side to her game that has not been there the last two years. The Mexico, Mo. native is averaging 5.2 ppg. and has come up with several key rebounds and steals for the Tigers.
In 17.3 minutes per game, Franklin has collected 18 assists, 13 steals and has blocked six shots.
Franklin was the key to Missouri's victory at Southern Illinois. She matched her career high with 13 points, 9 of them in the second half. Franklin also came up with two key steals and a big blocked shot.
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 team 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 won the Colorado state title.
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 88-42 as Mizzou is off to a 10-1 start in 1999-00. 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.