Feb. 27, 2000
COLUMBIA, Mo.- The Missouri women's basketball team suffered a tough loss on Saturday night in Boulder, Colo. as the Colorado Buffaloes (9-17, 4-11) defeated Mizzou by a score of 72-64. The loss is Missouri's 11th straight in Boulder and drops the Tigers to 7-8 in the Big 12 Conference and 17-9 overall. Missouri is assured seventh place in the Big 12 Conference whether they defeat Thursday's opponent Nebraska or not.
The Tigers jumped to a 9-4 lead thanks to seven quick points by Natalie Bright, but that lead was short lived. Colorado took a 16-13 lead thanks to five straight points by Jenny Roulier (21 points). The Buffs then opened up a 22-15 lead following back-to-back three-pointers by Mandy Nightingale (15 points). Colorado never gave up the lead the rest of the first stanza and led 36-31 at halftime.
The Colorado lead reached eight points before Missouri climbed back into the game. The Tigers scored nine straight points to take a 40-39 advantage at the 16:17 mark.
The next 10 minutes of the game was like a game of tug-of-war. Six ties and 10 lead changes ensued until the 4:48 mark when CU's Eisha Bohman converted a back-door pass from Sabrina Scott to give the Buffaloes a 59-58 lead. That bucket led to an 8-0 run for Colorado as the Buffs went up 65-58.
Missouri twice cut the lead to three points. Tracy Franklin picked off a deep pass and was fouled, thus converting both free throws to cut the Colorado lead to 65-62. The Buffaloes Britt Hartshorn (18 points, 12 rebounds) answered with a layup inside to put the Buffs back up by five points.
Amanda Lassiter (18 points) brought the Tigers back within three points with a baseline jumper from the left side to cut the lead to 67-64 with 1:54 left, but those were the last points the Tigers would score.