Jan. 25, 2002
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The University of Missouri women's basketball team continues play in the Big 12 Conference this weekend against:
*Saturday
*MU (12-5, 3-3 Big 12) vs. No. 20/19 Colorado (14-6, 4-3 Big 12)
*7 p.m., Hearnes Center, Columbia, Mo.
The Foe: Colorado is 14-6 overall and 4-3 in the Big 12. The No. 20/19 Buffaloes defeated No. 14/9 Iowa State, 86-74, on Wednesday in Boulder to record their fourth-straight win. Senior guard Mandy Nightingale is one of three players scoring in double figures. She averages a team-high 15.2 points per game and has team-high honors in assists (84) and steals (28). Sophomore center Tera Bjorklund averages 12.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while senior guard Jenny Roulier averages 11.7 points per game. CU has six players averaging between 4.2 and 5.1 rebounds per game. Head coach Ceal Barry has 362-203 mark in 19 seasons at CU and has an overall mark of 445-245.
MU-Colorado Series: Saturday's game will be the 50th meeting between the two schools with Colorado holding a 28-21 lead. CU won two of the three games last season but Missouri knocked off the No. 17/21 Buffs, 78-61, in Columbia on Feb. 28, 2001. Missouri had five players score in double figures, led by Amanda Lassiter's 16 points. Since the formation of the Big 12 Conference, Colorado and Missouri have met frequently, including three times each of the past two seasons. In the all-time series, Missouri is 12-9 in Columbia and the Tigers have won the past three meetings in the Hearnes Center.
Last Meetings - MU vs. Colorado: In last season's Big 12 Tournament, Mandy Nightingale scored 18 points as No. 20 Colorado beat Missouri 83-72 in the quarterfinal round on March 7. Britt Hartshorn scored 17 points, Jenny Roulier 15, Linda Lappe 13 and Eisha Bohman 12 for Colorado. MU's Marlena Williams scored 14 points and Evan Unrau and Natalie Bright each added 13. Missouri went on a 9-0 run and cut a 20-point deficit to 50-39 with 14:14 left. Colorado made 18 straight free throws to seal the win.
In the game at the Hearnes Center (Feb. 28), Missouri's seniors, Amanda Lassiter, Tracy Franklin and Marlena Williams, each scored in double figures as the Tigers recorded the 78-61 victory. MU opened the game with a 9-0 run before adding a 10-0 run later to take a 19-4 lead. Lassiter led MU with 16 points, Williams scored 13 and Franklin netted 10 points and had six assists. Sophomore Kerensa Barr had 14 points and a then- career-high eight rebounds. Wannette Smith scored a career-high 10 points.
Missouri's Last Time Out: After spotting Missouri an early 10-point lead, No. 13/12 Texas came back to record a 73-51 victory over the Tigers at the Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. Missouri opened a 17-7 lead on Kerensa Barr basket with 10 minutes and 30 seconds to play in the first half of the Big 12 Conference contest. The Longhorns rallied on the play of freshman Kala Bowers. Bowers, who was named the Big 12's Rookie of the Week on Monday, scored 11 straight points to bring UT within four points, 22-18, with 5:50 to play in the half. Tracy Cook gave Texas a 24-22 lead on a bank shot from the left side of the court. Kenya Larkin gave Texas a 27-22 halftime edge when she hit a 3-point field goal from approximately 35 feet out right before the buzzer. Bowers finished with 20 points while Heather Schreiber added 14 points. Stacy Stephens and Larkin each scored 10 points. Kerensa Barr sank two free throws on her way to 10 points. Evan Unrau also scored 10 points for MU.
The Matchup: Colorado and Missouri bring two distinct styles into Saturday's game. While both teams are 1-2 in scoring defense (Missouri, 64.3, Colorado, 65.4) during the Big 12 season, the Buffaloes rank second in scoring offense at 75.7 points per game. That difference in offense and defense has CU leading the league in scoring margin (+10.3 points per game). The Buffaloes have been outstanding while shooting the 3-point field goal, making a league-best 44.3 percent of their attempts (54-of-122). MU has been impressive against the 3-point field goal, forcing opponents into shooting a league-low 28.3 percent (17-of-60).
Tough Stretch: Saturday's game against Colorado marks Missouri's third-straight game against a team ranked in the nation's top 25. In fact, the Tigers' 10 remaining regular-season games feature seven teams ranked in the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches polls. Dating back to the Baylor game (1/19), Missouri's last 12 games feature nine ranked opponents.
Back in Poll: Missouri received one vote the Jan. 21st Associated Press poll. MU has now appeared seven times in the last eight editions of the AP poll. The Tigers had received votes for three consecutive weeks in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches poll but that streak ended with the Dec. 24 poll.
Streaks Snapped: Missouri's 80-59 loss to Baylor (1/19) snapped MU's streak of 12 straight wins at home. The loss also marked the first time in six games that Missouri was outrebounded (44-38) and the first time MU had committed fewer turnovers than its opponent and lost. Baylor's 49 first-half points were more than Missouri allowed against Kansas (48) and Nebraska (41).
In Wins, In Losses: In Missouri's 12 wins this season, the Tigers average 77.0 points per game and allow opponents only 55.8 points. MU shoots 43.5 percent from the field when it wins and forces opponents into shooting 39.7 percent and committing an average of 23.6 turnovers per game. When the Tigers lose, opponents average 74.4 points and 15.2 turnovers per game and shoots an impressive 51.4 percent from the field. By comparison, MU, when it loses, averages 56.0 points and 23.2 turnovers per game while shooting 35.9 percent from the field.
A Win Would ...: If Missouri defeats Colorado, it would ...
*be Missouri's second win over a ranked opponent this season
*push head coach Cindy Stein's record at MU to 66-42
*give Missouri 497 all-time victories
Three: Missouri has made 28 3-point field goals, over 30 percent of its season total of 93, in its past four games. MU made six 3-point field goals in the first half against Nebraska, a number that equaled or surpassed the Tigers' total in nine games.
Offensive Rebounds: Evan Unrau has made the most of second opportunities this season. Of her team-high 129 rebounds, Unrau has snared 61 offensive caroms this season.
Offensive Rebounds II: Missouri grabbed a season-high 23 offensive boards in the win over Texas Tech (1/9). MU's previous high of 18 offensive rebounds came against Southeast Missouri (12/1) and UMKC (11/16). The Tigers recorded 20 offensive rebounds (38 total) against Baylor.
Forcing Turnovers: Missouri has forced opponents to commit 378 turnovers this season (average of 21.8). Opponents have committed 20 or more turnovers in 12 of Missouri's 17 games this year.
Barr and Free Throws: Kerensa Barr is now Missouri's all-time career leader in free throw percentage as she has made 173-of-216 foul shots (80.1 percent). Barr's performance this season (if it ended prior to the Colorado game) would set a school record. Barr's mark of 77-of-82 free throws for 93.9 percent easily surpasses the previous mark of 84.6 percent by Lisa Plummer in the 1980-81 season. And, yes, I know this next comment will probably jinx the streak but ... Barr has made her last 25 free throws.
Deja Vu?: Similar to last season, Missouri lost its first Big 12 Conference game of the season before beating a nationally ranked team at home in its second league contest of the year. In the 2000-2001 campaign, Missouri lost its Big 12 season opener at Texas Tech, 82-64, but rebounded to pick up a 68-52 triumph over No. 12/17 Texas at the Hearnes Center. This season saw Missouri suffer a 73-57 setback at Oklahoma State and defeat No. 10/12 Texas Tech, 82-71, at home.
Long Time, No Three: Missouri went almost 33 minutes without making a 3-point field goal against Texas Tech (1/9). Natalie Bright finally made one with 7:24 left in the game to break the shutout. While the one 3-point field goal ties the low this season (also done against Davidson on Nov. 24), the last time MU was blanked in the 3-point field goal category was on Jan. 27, 1999, in a 78-54 loss at Baylor. Missouri's last time at home without a 3-pointer came on Dec. 5, 1998, in an 87-76 victory over Louisville. Since the Baylor game, the streak of Missouri making at least one 3-point field goal in a game is at 90 games.
In the starting lineup: Kerensa Barr has started 52 games and has made 49 consecutive starts in her career. Natalie Bright leads the Tigers with 58 all-time starts and Evan Unrau has made 48 starts.
Television Coverage: MU improved to 4-0 this season on TV with the win over Kansas. MU's next game on TV will be the Feb. 9 Kansas game.
Career Years: Natalie Bright has made more 3-point field goals (31) this season than she has in any other season in her career. She is on pace for 51, which would almost equal her career total of 56 coming into this season. On a similar wavelength, Kerensa Barr has made 21 3-point field goals, equaling her mark from last season. If she continues on her current pace, Barr will make 35 3-point field goals, more than her career total (32) coming into this season.
Nearing 500: Missouri has won 496 games in its 28 seasons and could become the 50th NCAA Division I program to surpass the 500 win total. Notre Dame has also won 496 games while Maine has won 495 games to also be in the race for 500 wins.
Tough At Home: The Tigers are an impressive 260-82 during their 27 seasons in the Hearnes Center. Missouri has won its last 18 non-conference home games. Missouri, which suffered its first loss at home this season against Baylor to fall to 8-1 this season, has won 22 of its last 24 games at the Hearnes Center. Ranked teams have also found the going tough in the Hearnes Center. MU has defeated three of the last five ranked teams in the past two seasons.
NCAA Leader: Kerensa Barr is the nation's leader in free throw percentage, according to the statistical report released by the NCAA through games of Jan 21. Barr's mark of 93.8 percent (75-of-80) leads the nation. She made two foul shots against Texas to raise her mark to 93.9 percent.
Here's a list of the Tigers' rankings:
*Free throw percentage, 25th, 74.5 percent (245-of-329)
*Rebound margin, 21st, +7.2
*Scoring margin, 34th, +11.65
Top Performances: Evan Unrau's 5-of-5 effort from beyond the 3-point field goal line against Southeastern Louisiana ranks as the top mark in the Big 12. Kerensa Barr's 17 made free throws (and her 18 attempts) are the most this season in one game in the Big 12. Barr's 10-of-10 effort from the free-throw line against Southwest Missouri State is one of four such performances in the Big 12 this season. Missouri's 32 made free throws against Davidson are the most this season in the Big 12.
Big 12 Stat Leaders: In addition to Kerensa Barr leading the Big 12 in free throw percentage (93.9 percent), MU leads the league in 3-point field goal percentage defense (27.6 percent) for all games.
Individuals in the Big 12: Here's a list of the Tigers' rankings in the Big 12 for all games: Scoring: Kerensa Barr, 8th, 16.7 ppg, Evan Unrau, 19th, 13.0 ppg, Natalie Bright, 23rd, 12.1 ppg
Rebounds: Evan Unrau, 7th, 7.6 rpg, Melanie Fisher, 11th, 6.3 rpg, Kerensa Barr, 15th, 5.9 rpg
Field Goal Percentage (min. 3 made per game): Evan Unrau, 14th, 48.0 percent (85-of-177)
Free Throw Percentage: Kerensa Barr, 1st, 93.9 percent (77-of-82), Natalie Bright, 14th (tie), 77.4 percent (48-of-62)
Assists: Kerensa Barr, 10th (tie), 4.35 apg, Natalie Bright, 12th, 3.71 apg
Steals: Kerensa Barr, 6th, 2.35 spg
3-Point FG Made Per Game: Natalie Bright, 9th, 1.82 fgm/g
Assist/Turnover Ratio: Kerensa Barr, 15th, 1.12
Tournament Success: Missouri won this year's Unilever Lady Tiger Tournament. The win gave MU its 17th win in 24 championship game appearances of the Missouri tournament.
100 and counting: MU scored 100 or more points for the fourth time under head coach Cindy Stein in the Tigers' 102-47 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 20. MU hung 101 points on Davidson on Nov. 25. MU has scored 100 or more points 33 times in its history. Missouri is 4-0 under Stein when topping the century mark and 32-1 all-time.
Who's Next? Missouri will play at No. 14/9 Iowa State on Jan. 30 and at Nebraska on Feb. 2.