Missouri-Louisiana Tech Preview
3/14/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
GAME: No. 10 Missouri (22-9) vs. No. 3 Louisiana Tech (30-4).
REGIONAL: East, semifinals.
TIME: Saturday, 11:37 a.m. EST.
SITE: Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh.
Look out, Louisiana Tech. You could be next.
The Lady Techsters try to avoid becoming the latest casualty in Missouri's improbable run through the NCAA women's tournament as the teams meet in the East regional semifinals.
The Tigers have upset both seventh-seeded Wisconsin 71-68, and No. 2 Georgia 78-65 on the Bulldogs' home floor.
"We've seen plenty of film on (Missouri) since our game Monday night and just want to make sure all the players know what to expect," Lady Techsters coach Leon Barmore said. "(Missouri is) a very talented basketball team. Anyone who can upset Georgia in Athens gets my respect."
Louisiana Tech has also been a surprise team of sorts.
This was supposed to be a down year for the Lady Techsters. Instead, they are off to another regional semifinal. Louisiana Tech advanced to the round of 16 for the ninth straight season Monday night with an 80-59 victory over Texas Christian.
The Techsters, with no seniors, appeared to be headed for a poor season in 2000-01, especially when their best player - Catrina Frierson - injured her knee in the offseason and was lost for the year.
The victory over TCU on Monday set a new standard for a program that has been among the elite in its sport for two decades. Louisiana Tech became the first Division I team - women or men - to record six straight 30-win seasons.
"So for anybody who thought we were going away, you're mistaken," Louisiana Tech coach Leon Barmore said.
Ayana Walker led the Techsters against TCU with 17 points and 11 rebounds, bouncing back splendidly from her worst game of the season.
Walker had a season-low two points in the first round, though it was hardly a problem for Louisiana Tech as it beat Georgia State by 36.
Missouri's game with Louisiana Tech gives the Tigers another chance to showcase Amanda Lassiter, an all-Big 12 selection. Lassiter, a 6-foot-1 senior forward, is averaging 21 points and six rebounds in the tournament.
The Tigers have embraced their penchant for upsetting teams in the tournament.
"We like playing these kind of teams," Missouri coach Cindy Stein said. "This is what you expect when you advance in the NCAA tournament."
Last season, the Tigers weren't invited to the tournament, and instead advanced to the second round of the NIT, before losing by one point in overtime to Arkansas.
This is the first meeting between the teams.
The winner faces either Connecticut or Villanova in the regional championship Monday.
PROBABLE STARTERS:
Missouri - F Lassiter (18.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg), F Evan Unrau
(6.1, 7.2 rpg), F Marlena Williams (12.9, 3.7 rpg), G Tracy Franklin (9.6 ppg,
3.6 rpg), G Kerensa Barr (7.8 ppg, 4.7 apg).
Louisiana Tech - F Walker (16.5
ppg, 8.3 rpg), F Takeisha Lewis (10.9 ppg, 9.0 rpg), G Essence Perry (5.7 ppg,
2.8 rpg), G Brooke Lassiter (9.6 ppg, 3.5 apg), G Amber Obaze (9.4 ppg, 3.7
rpg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE:
Missouri - At-large bid, defeated Georgia 78-65, second
round, defeated Wisconsin 71-68, first round.
Louisiana Tech - Automatic bid,
Sun Belt Conference champion, defeated Texas Christian 80-59, second round,
defeated Georgia State 84-48, first round.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD:
Missouri - 4-6, 6 year. Louisiana Tech - 60-17,
20 years.
