Nov. 20, 2000
Game Day
The University of Missouri women's basketball team (1-0) looks to continue its opening momentum in the second game of the 2000-2001 season. The Tigers host Arkansas tonight at 7:00 p.m. in the Hearnes Center.
The MU-Arkansas game re-ignites a heated rivalry from last year. The Lady Backs defeated the Tigers 83-76 in regular season play and downed MU in an 89-88 overtime match in the second round of the WNIT.
Tickets for the game are still available at the Hearnes Center Ticket Office or by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS.
Up Next
Missouri travels to Malibu, Calif., to compete in the Pepperdine Classic hosted by Pepperdine University. The Tigers join Houston, Kentucky and Pepperdine in the two-day competition Sat.-Sun., Nov. 25-26.
The competition opens Saturday at 5:00 p.m. when Houston and Pepperdine face-off. Missouri and Kentucky pair-up for a second game at 7:00 p.m. On Sunday, the losers from Saturday's games play in the consolation bracket at 1:00 p.m. The winners follow up with a game at 3:00 p.m.
Tiger Coverage
The MU-Arkansas game will be carried live on KFRU radio. David Lile and Jessica Jenkins offer all the action of Tiger women's basketball on 1400 AM. Mizzou fans can also log onto www.broadcast.com/sports/ncaa/Missouri/WomensBasketball/ to listen to the live internet broadcast of the game.
Scouting the Tigers
Mizzou is 1-0 in regular season play, downing Eastern Illinois 106-59 in the 2000-2001 opener. The Tigers are shooting 53 percent from the field and 78 percent from the free throw line. Missouri is averaging 44 rebounds per game, 26 assists and 19 steals.
The 2000-2001 roster is a unique mix of seasoned veterans and enthusiastic freshmen. The Tigers return Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Amanda Lassiter and seniors Marlena Williams and Tracy Franklin. MU also adds six newcomers and two players that sat the 1999-2000 season out to this year's squad. Mizzou adds junior college All-American Wendy Okeson and NJCAA National Champion Aimee Michelson to the team, and bring in freshmen Evan Unrau, Tracy Lozier, Amy Loftus and Terianne Wolford. The Tigers are also looking to utilize guard Christa Millham, who sat last season out after transferring from New Mexico State, and Jennifer Simpson, who spent the year sidelined with an injury.
Recent Results
Missouri opened the season with a bang, trampling Eastern Illinois. The Tigers shot 52.5 percent from the field and 50 percent from the 3-point arc to waltz away with the victory. Mizzou forced 33 Panther turnovers, including 19 steals and collected 44 boards, counting 27 defensive rebounds.
Missouri took control of the game from the tip off, going on an eight-point run to start the game with a 10-2 lead. The Tigers' full court defense slowed down the Panthers resulting in 15 turnovers in the first half of play and a 51-26 scoring deficit.
Mizzou came back for the second half with an even greater intensity to keep EIU from scoring a single point in the first six and a half minutes of play. The Tigers went on a rampage scoring 24 unanswered points. Although Eastern Illinois came back to score 33 points in the second half, the Tigers had six players score in double figures to claim the victory.
Senior Surprise
Forward Tracy Franklin began the season leading Mizzou with a career-high 18 points in the Tigers' 106-59 victory over Eastern Illinois. She was seven-of-11 from the field and three for five from the 3-point arc. She also claimed four rebounds in the match. The game ranks Franklin No. 1 on the team shooting 63 percent from the field and 60 percent from 3-point range. She also averages four rebounds per game and is second on the team with five assists.
Franklin also led the team in exhibition play averaging 12.5 points per game. She was 56 percent from 3-point range downing five-of-nine shots.
"Tracy is an excellent ball player," MU Head Coach Cindy Stein says. "I always thought she could be one of the best players in the conference. Her success lies in getting up that mentality, and I really see her stepping up into a leadership role this season."
Looking at Lassiter
Senior Amanda Lassiter is second on the team with 16 points. Against Eastern Illinois, she shot 44 percent from the field making eight-of-eighteen shots. She also grabbed five boards, dished out three assists and led the team with two blocks and four steals.
In exhibition play, Lassiter averaged 11.5 points per game, playing only 37 minutes. She shot 43 percent from the field and dished out seven assists. She also captured 3.5 rebounds per game, including four offensive boards.
Watching Williams
Starting center Marlena Williams joins fellow seniors Franklin and Lassiter in the double digits with 12 points. In her first game of the season, Williams shot 46 percent from the field. She grabbed four rebounds in the game and offered up two blocks.
During pre-season play, Williams shot 58 percent from the field making seven of 12 shots. Despite playing only 12.5 minutes per game, due to an ankle injury, she averaged seven points, two assists and two steals.
Freshman Fire
Forward Evan Unrau is fourth on the team averaging 11 points per game. As the Tigers' only starting freshman during exhibition play, Unrau put up a perfect game against Eastern Illinois going 100 percent from the field making four-of-four and going three-for-three from the freethrow line. Unrau also came in third on the team, grabbing five rebounds in the game.
In exhibition play, the freshman was fourth on the team with 9.5 points per game. She shot 67 percent from the field and 64 percent from the penalty line. She also led the team with 19 rebounds, including 10 defensive boards.
Tiger Tidbits
? Freshman Tracy Lozier opened the season in double digits scoring 11 points against the Panthers. The guard shot 75 percent from the 3-point arc netting three-of-four shots.
? Sophomore Kerensa Barr scored 10 points against Eastern Illinois. She led the team with six assists and was second with seven rebounds. She shot 80 percent from the field making four-of-five and was 67 percent form the penalty line.
? Sophomore Wannette Smith led the tigers with eight rebounds against the Panthers, including six defensive boards. The forward scored seven points in the game.
? Head Coach Cindy Stein is just three wins away from reaching her 100th career victory. Stein entered the season with a 96-52 record as a sixth-year head coach. The Tigers' 106-59 victory over Eastern Illinois boosts the coach to 97-52.
? Missouri's 106-59 win over Eastern Illinois is the Tigers' highest winning point margin (47) in an opening game since 1984-85 when Mizzou?defeated Cleveland State 119-70.
Scouting Arkansas
Arkansas opened the year with a devastating 66-58 loss to Memphis, Nov. 18. After defeating the Australian Institute of Sports (94-76) and the Ohio Athletes in Action team 73-50, the Lady Backs looked to upset Memphis but were unable to over power three five-point runs by the Tigers. Memphis now owns five consecutive victories over Arkansas.
Last season, Arkansas finished with a 17-15 overall record with a 4-10 Southeastern Conference finish. The Lady Backs advanced to the semifinals of the WNIT defeating Wichita State, Missouri and Georgia Tech before falling to Florida 83-62
Arkansas is led by eighth-year Head Coach Gary Blair (346-128 career record).
Tigers vs. Arkansas
Series: Arkansas leads 4-2
Streak: Arkansas W-4
In Fayetteville: 3-0
In Columbia: 1-1
Neutral: 0-1
Year Result Site
85-86 MU 66, Ark. 65 Columbia
86-87 MU 69, Ark. 66 Bowling Green
97-98 Ark. 80, MU 79 Fayetteville
98-99 Ark. 80, MU 60 Fayetteville
99-00 Ark. 83, MU 76 Columbia
99-00 Ark. 89, MU 88 (OT) Fayetteville
Head Coach Cindy Stein
On Eastern Illinois
"This was an excellent way to start the season. Coming in we thought we could be dominant and it was great to see us meet most of our goals for the game. I am very pleased with our effort. I love it that six of our players hit doubles. The more we are able to spread out our scoring, the better we'll be. I saw a lot of athletes playing very unselfishly and that says a lot about our depth. This was a great first game."
On Improvements
"Looking at our performance against Eastern Illinois, I think we are better and have made some important improvements over our preseaon efforts. The team has improved quickness, so now it's all a matter of us proving we are the better team. One advantage we have is that our freshmen are not gun shy at all. They are all very talented and play extremely hard. We will need to utilize them against Arkansas."
On Arkansas
"Arkansas is a team that will pinpoint our problems very quick. We need to do things every game to prepare for bigger and better games throughout the season. Arkansas will be a tougher team for us to press because of their speed, it's going to be like a heavy weight championship."