University of Missouri
Texas
Missouri Upsets No. 12 Texas, 68-52
1/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2001
Columbia, Mo.--The University of Missouri women's basketball team defeated No. 12 Texas today to go 1-1 in Big 12 Conference play. The Tigers are 10-3 on the season claiming its first win over a ranked opponent. The 16-point triumph is the first time Missouri has bested the Longhorns in eight outings.
The game was destined to be a roller coaster ride from the tip, Texas scored the first four points before senior Amanda Lassiter downed a three to put the Tigers on the board. The first half was a back-and-forth battle. Texas led through the period, but MU never allowed the deficit to extend beyond 10 points. The teams struggled through three scoreless minutes where neither could capitalize. Missouri broke through the static scoring four points to edge the lead and exit the half down 24-32.
The Tigers came back to the second half with a renewed fire. Missouri started the period with an eight-point run including back-to-back 3-pointers by senior Tracy Franklin and sophomore Kerensa Barr. Franklin tied the game 34-34 with a jumper off a steal by Lassiter seconds later. After the tiebreaker, Missouri sealed the win going on six, eight and five point runs in the period.
Both Missouri and Texas shot 38.5 percent in the first half, but the Tigers came back to own the second shooting 57 percent from 3-point range and 46 percent from the field. The Longhorns shot just 27 percent in the second period. All nine Tigers on the floor today scored points for MU, while only six of 11 Longhorns were able to contribute. Tai Dillard (24 points) and Stacy Stephens (16 points) carried Texas.
Lassiter led the day for the Tigers scoring her fourth double double of the year with 22 points and 10 rebounds. She also led the team with three blocks. Freshman Evan Unrau had a tremendous game leading the team with a career high 16 rebounds. She also hit her second double-double game scoring 16 points. The forward shot 80 percent from the field and 100 percent from the foul line. She leads the team with a 65 percent field goal percentage and 34 offensive rebounds on the season. Senior Marlena Williams recorded eight rebounds and five steals to hit season bests. She scored seven points in the game.
"It feels very good to beat Texas," MU head coach Cindy Stein said. "Before the game we told our kids, it is very important that every team always tries to set its own legacy and do something different that no other team has done. I think today was a perfect example, we asked them to beat Texas, to do something a Missouri team has never done. I am so very proud of them...Our kids really responded at the half, they came back and really turned it on."
