March 12, 2000

COLUMBIA, Mo.- The Missouri Tigers (17-11) will play in post-season for the first time since the 1993-94 season. The Mizzou women will play host to the Lady Aces of Evansville (23-6) on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. in the first round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament.

It will be the first appearance for Missouri in the WNIT. The last time Missouri reached post-season was in 1994 when the Tigers reached the NCAA Tournament and were defeated in the first round by Texas Tech in Lubbock. Missouri won the Big Eight Tournament as the No. 7 seed that season to advance to the NCAA Tournament.

Evansville is no stranger to Columbia, Mo. The Lady Aces played in the Unilever Missouri Lady Tiger Classic earlier this season, but did not face Missouri. Evansville has won 12 of its' last 14 games and finished in a three-way tie for second place in the Missouri Valley Conference. They had a nine-game winning-streak snapped on Friday night by Southwest Missouri State (88-75) in the second round of the MVC Tournament.

Missouri is 3-0 all-time against Evansville. The two teams last met on Nov. 25, 1994 in Columbia. Missouri won the game 76-67.

Missouri enters Wednesday night's contest losers of five of its' last six games. The Tigers, seeded seventh in the Big 12 Tournament this past weekend, fell in the first round to Colorado, 83-68.

Tickets will be available at 8:00 a.m. Monday morning, March 13, at the Hearnes Center Ticket office or by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS. Tickets are six dollars for adults and four dollars for students with identification and youth.