April 3, 2001

Columbia, Mo.-The University of Missouri women's basketball team finishes the 2000-2001 season ranked 19th in the USA Today/ESPN Poll. The Tigers were unranked throughout the season, but received votes in the Associated Press Poll for seven weeks. This is the first time Missouri has received a post season ranking since 1983-84 when it was ranked 11th by the Associated Press.

The Tigers finished the year with a 22-10 season record-their best since the 1984-85 season when MU was 22-9 as the Big Eight Conference and tournament champions. No. 10 seeded Missouri also advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. The Tigers recorded two NCAA Tournament victories over No. 7 seeded Wisconsin (78-65) and No. 2 seeded Georgia (71-68).

Mizzou defeated four ranked opponents this year including a 13-point triumph over No. 4 ranked Georgia in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It was the largest winning margin over a ranked team since the 1995-96 season when the Tigers defeated No. 20 Kansas 86-66. It was a monumental victory as it was the first tournament loss the Bulldogs had recorded in Stegeman Coliseum since 1990 when they fell to Arkansas 81-70. The victory also snapped a 24-game home win streak for Georgia. It is only the third time in NCAA Tournament history that a No. 10 seed has beaten a No. 2 seed.

Missouri also topped No. 25 Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers defeated then No. 12 Texas with 13-points and No. 17/22 ranked Colorado in their final home game of the season. This is the first time Missouri has defeated four Top 25 opponents in a single season.