Dec. 7, 2000
Release December 7, 2000
Columbia, Mo.-The University of Missouri women's basketball team extends its season record to 6-1 after downing Saint Louis 73-63.
The Tigers began the game with their longest opening-winning streak of the season scoring 16 unanswered points. The Billikens weren't able to connect with the basket until the sixth minute of play. Saint Louis came back on an 11-to-two run to bring the score 18-11, but were unable to catch Missouri in the rest of the period. Mizzou rounded out the half with 14 personal fouls, giving up 17 points to Saint Louis at the penalty line to exit the first half with a meager six-point lead.
Saint Louis entered the second period with a fever quickly tying the score 41-41. Both teams struggled through the remainder of the game giving up turnovers, rebounds and missed shots. The Billikens were kept to shooting just 32 percent from the field and going 0-1 from the three-point arc. Missouri shot only 45 percent from the floor and 27 percent from three-point range.
Overall, 49 personal fouls were called in the game. Bridget Beckmann and April McKinney of Saint Louis and Missouri's Marlena Williams each fouled out.
Senior Amanda Lassiter recorded her seventh game in double digits with 20 points and eight rebounds. She also led the Tigers with four assists, three blocks and six steals.
"That was ugly," MU Head Coach Cindy Stein said. "We were flat in warm-ups and we were flat in the locker room. I think we almost tried to hard and we tried to hard to get back quickly. I felt we were the better team, we just needed to prove it. We gave up 14 offensive rebounds in the second half and that is just something we can't do. I think tonight we took a step back, but I still feel that we are right up there, because we've proven we can still win."