University of Missouri
Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Missouri Downs Wisconsin-Milwaukee
12/30/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2000
Milwaukee, Wisc.-The Tiger women's basketball team rounds out Y2K with a 9-2 record after downing Wisconsin-Milwaukee 88-64 tonight. Mizzou handed the Panther's their first home loss of the season taking UWM to 4-5 on the year.
Missouri took control of the game in the first half after allowing Wisconsin-Milwaukee to an early four-point lead. The Tigers, led by Amanda Lassiter, quickly brought the score to 16-4 before allowing the Panthers another bucket. MU continued to increase the scoring differential through the period allowing UWM only three baskets in the first 10 minutes of play. Back-to-back 3-pointers by sophomore Jessica Wilhite helped bring Wisconsin-Milwaukee to just a 10 point deficit with four minutes on the clock, but a seven-point run by Lassiter and back-to-back jumpers by Marlena Williams gave the Tigers a 46-27 lead going into intermission.
The Tigers returned to a strong second half to cinch the Panthers with a 27-point deficit in the top of the period. Both teams repeatedly went to the foul line resulting in 28 combined points at the charity stripe. Missouri hit a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line in the first half and knocked down 12-of-14 in the second. Overall, Mizzou shot 57 percent from the field and 92 percent from the free throw line in the game.
Lassiter led the Tigers with 21 points and seven rebounds. She also dished out four assists and came up with three blocks and two steals. Freshman Evan Unrau was second on the team with 16 points. Williams scored her sixth double figure game with 13 points and junior Natalie Bright posted 13 points off the bench to hit her first double-digit game of the season.
Missouri opens Big 12 Conference action against No. 11 ranked Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas Wed., Jan. 3 at 7:00 p.m.
