Women's Basketball Set For Exhibition Opener
11/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 9, 2002
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SOLNA VIKINGS vs. MISSOURI TIGERS Sunday, Nov. 10, 2002 - Columbia, Mo. ARENA: Hearnes Center (13,611). RADIO: None. TV: None COACHES: ? ? ? Missouri: Cindy Stein (Illinois '84), 67-52 at MU (5th season), 132-77 overall (7th season). ? ? ? Solna: Michael Westerholm |
TIGERS SET TO OPEN 2002-03 EXHIBITION SEASON
After a month of beating up on each other in practice and a pair of scrimmages, the University of Missouri women's basketball team opens its exhibition season tonight against the Solna (Sweden) Vikings.
? ? ? Five Tigers are slated to make their first official appearances in a game uniform: A pair of junior transfers in forward Chinyere "Stretch" James (Columbus, Ohio / Northland HS / Tyler [Texas] JC) and guard MyEsha Perkins (Detroit, Mich. / Oak Park HS / Trinity Valley [Texas] JC), sophomore forward Charliss Ridley (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton-Warrenville South HS / Indiana), who is now eligible to compete following her transfer a year ago from Indiana, and a pair of freshmen, guard LaToya Bond (Urbana, Ill. / Urbana HS) and center Cherice Mack (St. Charles, Mo. / St. Charles HS).
ABOUT SOLNA...
The Solna Vikings were founded in 1959, and over the years has been a top club in both of the top Swedish basketball leagues. The women's team from Solna has won four Swedish National Championships, including this past year. The club has an extensive youth program with over 80 teams, with ages ranging from 8-year-olds to juniors. It is located in Solna, one of the closest suburbs to Sweden's capital, Stockholm.
? ? ? Players to watch: Cecilia Ferm (#12, 5-10 guard) plays for both the Swedish National Team and the Deaf National Team. Tove Jarneland (#6, 6-0 center) is a key player for the Swedish Junior National Team.
? ? ? On Friday night, Solna opened its tour against American collegiate teams with a 99-49 loss at Kansas State. Sophomore Kendra Wecker led all scorers with 31 points and added 10 rebounds, while Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Nicole Ohlde racked up 22 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
? ? ? Solna was led by Anna H?glund's 10 points. The Vikings shot 31 percent from the field for the game.
NEXT UP...
The Tigers will play their exhibition finale this Friday, Nov. 15, when Missouri hosts Division II member Truman State at 7 p.m. at the Hearnes Center. Mizzou plays its regular-season home opener on Tuesday, Nov. 26, against Bradley.
TIGERS SEVENTH, EIGHTH IN BIG 12 POLLS
Both the coaches and the media have weighed in on the Big 12 Conference race; the coaches have selected the Tigers eighth, while the media came out last week with a seventh-place prediction for MU. The Big 12 sent seven teams to the NCAA Tournament last year.
? ? ? Texas Tech was chosen by both the coaches and the media to win the Big 12 Conference regular-season title.
BARR AMONG BIG 12's FINEST
Along with the release of the media poll, senior guard Kerensa Barr (West Plains, Mo. / West Plains HS) received votes for the Preseason All-Big 12 Conference Team.
? ? ? Barr earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 plaudits last year after leading the Tigers with her 15.0 points-per-game average.
TIGERS SEEKING TO CONTINUE POSTSEASON STREAK
With its appearance in last year's Women's National Invitation Tournament, the Tigers have advanced to the postseason in each of the past three seasons. It's the longest such streak since the Tigers went to five straight NCAA Tournaments from 1981-82 through 1985-86.
? ? ? The streak of success began with a trip to the second round of the WNIT in 1999-2000 - Cindy Stein's second season as head coach at Mizzou - and continued with the Tigers' first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1994, as MU advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.
STREAK, PT. II
While one streak continued last year, one will start anew this season. Missouri had its 17-game non-conference home winning streak snapped with its WNIT loss to Alabama.
? ? ? Coming into that game this past March, the Tigers had not lost a game at the Hearnes Center to a non-conference opponent since Arkansas left Columbia with an 83-76 win on Nov. 22, 1999.
? ? ? Mizzou still holds a 167-36 record against out-of-league foes at the Hearnes Center, an impressive 82.3 percent success rate at home. The Tigers are now 22-2 (.917) at home in the non-conference season in their four years under Cindy Stein.
STREAK, PT. III
With its six 3-pointers against Alabama last season, the Missouri streak of making at least one 3-point field goal was extended to 101 games.
? ? ? The Tigers have not been held without a trey since a 78-54 loss at Baylor on Jan. 27, 1999. At the Hearnes Center, the streak is even longer, as the Tigers have made a 3-pointer in every home contest since an 87-76 win over Louisville on Dec. 5, 1998.
WHO's BACK ... WHO's NOT
The Tigers return all but two letterwinners from last year's team: guard Natalie Bright, who graduated, and center Amy Loftus, who transferred to UNLV.
? ? ? Bright was the team's third-leading scorer with her 11.6 points-per-game average, yet the Tigers still return 78.2 percent of their scoring from last year.
? ? ? Of the nine returners, three (Kerensa Barr, Evan Unrau, Melanie Fisher and Wannette Smith) started more than half of the team's 29 games, and five more started at least four games. Only Megan Roney did not start a game last year.
SOME THINGS TO KEEP AN EYE ON
Grammar teachers everywhere will cringe at the sight of a note header ending in a preposition, but we're on the clock and need to get information out quickly; besides, we're not interested in writing a note that reads "Some Things On Which To Keep an Eye."
As we digress, there are a couple items of note for those with an interest in the Tigers to be made aware:
FANS FLOCKING TO HEARNES
Bolstered by the strength of record single-game crowds, the Missouri women's basketball program has seen its attendance rise in each of Coach Stein's four years.
? ? ? Missouri averaged 2,561 fans last season, a 14 percent increase from the 2000-01 campaign, when the Tigers averaged 2,246.
? ? ? A record crowd of 10,321 fans witnessed Mizzou's 69-57 win over Kansas this past Feb. 9.
2002-03 OUTLOOK
In case you haven't picked up a media guide or logged on to MUTigers.com to get an idea of what could be in store for the Tigers this year, here's a brief outlook for the 2002-03 season.
? ? ? With only one person, guard Natalie Bright, gone from last season's squad that qualified for the WNIT, Head Coach Cindy Stein enters her fifth season with perhaps her deepest roster. Four starters among nine letterwinners return, and five talented newcomers join them, giving Stein plenty of options when determining the five who are playing at their best at any given moment.
? ? ? In addition to improved depth, the team has already gained notice with its improved athleticism. Part of the Tigers' improvement in that area is in due in part to the stellar incoming recruiting class put together by Stein and her staff, but the returners have done their part as well.
? ? ? The improved athleticism will help the Tigers in many ways, but most visibly in its defensive pressure. Stein's trademark relentless defense was at times inconsistent last year, but early signs have shown that Missouri should be back to its old ways quickly under Stein, who says that the players have instinctively picked up on where they need to be, and are also thinking ahead. In fact, she says that the combination of the team's defensive instincts, offensive patience and team chemistry are "10 times better than at any point that I've been here."
? ? ? That includes the 2000-01 Tigers, who advanced to Missouri's first NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in nearly 20 years?
? ? ? "That team persevered better through a lot of adversity. This team already accepts adversity so much better," Stein argues. The team's contrasting experiences from the past two seasons have allowed the veterans to realize what is possible, and how it can be accomplished. "Everyone has a burning in their belly: they want to prove that they can do what were recruited to do."
? ? ? This year's mix of athleticism and depth could potentially be problematic - in a good way - for Stein. "This season is a little more of a question mark because we're very competitive at every position, and that's something we haven't had in a while.
? ? ? "Our depth is so good. You're trying to find a way to playing 14 people and be consistent in doing it. The nice thing about having that many people is that if somebody's having an off night, somebody should be able to step in.
THE RETURNERS
Count on one of the Tigers upon whom Stein will depend being senior guard Kerensa Barr (West Plains, Mo.) at the point. A three-year starter and Honorable Mention All-Big 12 pick last season, Barr returns as Mizzou's leading scorer and third-leading rebounder. She already enters her senior year among MU's all-time 3-point shooters, and is just 188 points from becoming the 22nd member of the Tigers' 1,000-point club.
? ? ? Junior forward Evan Unrau (Fort Collins, Colo.) joined Barr in earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12 last season after nearly averaging a double-double for the season. Her 12.4 points per game were second among Tigers only to Barr, and her team-leading 8.1 rebounds per game were fourth in the entire Big 12.
? ? ? In her first season with the Tigers, junior forward/center Melanie Fisher (St. Louis, Mo.) blossomed quickly in Missouri's system, finishing second in rebounding (6.1 rpg) and fourth in scoring (6.4 ppg) on the team. Junior guard Tracy Lozier (Leawood, Kan.) could be an early beneficiary of the occasions where Stein may juggle the lineup. A starter of seven games last season, Lozier logged the most minutes of any reserve last season, and this year has shown signs of leadership in the early-going.
THE NEWCOMERS
Five newcomers join the Tigers this season: one Division I transfer, two junior-college transfers, and two prep standouts.
? ? ? Sophomore forward Charliss Ridley (Wheaton, Ill.) is now eligible after sitting out last year under NCAA rules following her transfer from Indiana.
? ? ? Junior forward Chinyere "Stretch" James (Columbus, Ohio) comes to the Tigers after a stellar junior-college career at Tyler [Texas] JC. She earned Kodak JUCO All-America honors and was the Region XIV Player of the Year following a sophomore season in which she averaged 18.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game.
? ? ? Fellow Texas JUCO transfer MyEsha Perkins (Detroit, Mich.) comes to Columbia from Trinity Valley JC, where she averaged 21.2 points per game in crunch time during the NJCAA Tournament. The 5-9 guard also finds her way to the basket, but more as a penetrator and on rebounds. Her ability to stay under control and also key the Tiger defense will be counted upon.
? ? ? Freshman guard LaToya Bond (Urbana, Ill.) brings a smooth jumper and court savvy to the Tiger squad. Her quick hands will give her an advantage on defense.
Six-foot-three center Cherice Mack (St. Charles, Mo.) possesses great hands, a good power game, and runs the floor well for her size. She averaged 23.5 points and 9.7 rebounds as a prep senior.
