Jan. 21, 2003
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| TIPOFF: 7:08 p.m. CST. | ||||
| ARENA: Hearnes Center (13,611). Opened in 1972. MU is 265-90 (.746) here alltime, including 24-25 in Big 12 Conference play. | ||||
| RADIO: Available over the Tiger Network [KFRU-AM 1400, flagship]. David Lile, play-by-play/Jessica Jenkins, color. Also available on the Internet at www.mutigers.com. | ||||
| TV: Mizzou Sports Network [FOX Sports Midwest throughout most of the state of Missouri; Mediacom Ch. 28 in Columbia; Metro Sports in Kansas City; KJPX in Joplin]. Chris Gervino, play-by-play; Gary Link, color; Steve Kurtenbach, producer. | ||||
| COACHES: | ||||
| Missouri: Cindy Stein (Illinois '84), 74-59 at MU (5th season), 139-84 overall (8th season).
Nebraska: Connie Yori (Creighton '86), 7-7 at NU (1st season), 202-147 overall (13th season). |
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MIZZOU LOOKS FOR FIRST BIG 12 HOME WIN VS. HUSKERS
The Missouri women's basketball team hosts Nebraska before a statewide television audience this Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. The game is available on FOX Sports Midwest through most of the state. In Columbia, it can be seen on Mediacom Ch. 28, on Metro Sports in Kansas City, and in Joplin on KJPX-TV.
? ? ? The Tigers are coming off an 86-55 pasting of Iowa State that marked the worst home loss of the Bill Fennelly era. Nebraska is coming off an 88-54 home loss to No. 4 Kansas State.
ABOUT NEBRASKA...
The injury-riddled 'Huskers enter Wednesday's game with a 7-7 record and 0-3 in the Big 12 following their loss at home vs. Kansas State. Nebraska has lost its last five games, including its Big 12 contests against Oklahoma, at Colorado and vs. KSU.
? ? ? Nebraska does have one solid win under its belt after defeating then-No. 25 Cincinnati by 10 points in mid-December. NU also lost at then-No. 17 Penn State by 19 points in the last weekend of December.
? ? ? The Cornhuskers are led by Alexa Johnson, who is averaging 15.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per contest.
? ? ? Nebraska and Missouri have not played any common opponents to date this year.
NU SERIES...
Nebraska leads the all-time series by a 30-23 margin, yet the Tigers have won four in a row and five of the last seven.
? ? ? Last year, Missouri won the game in Columbia, 67-41, and then swept the season series with a 69-54 decision in Lincoln.
LAST TIME OUT: MU 86, IOWA STATE 55
Five University of Missouri women's basketball players scored in double figures, and Mizzou played its most complete game of the year in registering its first Big 12 Conference win of the season, an 86-55 demolition of Iowa State on Sunday. The win snapped a nine-game losing skid against Iowa State, and it was also Mizzou's first win at Hilton Coliseum since Jan. 22, 1995.
SALVATION ARMY CLOTHING DRIVE PRIOR TO NEBRASKA GAME
As part of the Tigers' game tonight, Mizzou is teaming with the Salvation Army for a clothing drive prior to its tipoff with Nebraska.
? ? ? Fans who donate an article of clothing will receive discounted admission to the game of just $2. The Mizzou Men's and Women's Golf teams will be collecting the clothing donations at the door.
TIGERS GET RARE WIN AT HILTON
Missouri's win on Sunday at Iowa State was significant for a number of reasons. It broke a 10-game losing streak against Big 12 Conference opponents; it broke a nine-game losing streak against the Cyclones; and it was the first win at Hilton Coliseum since 1995.
? ? ? In addition, the 31-point loss was Iowa State's worst at home in the seven-year Bill Fennelly era.
THROW THIS NOTE AWAY
Coaches preach the value of making free throws, and this season, the Missouri coaching staff has set a goal for the team to make 80 percent of its free throws every day in practice and games.
? ? ? So far this season, the Tigers have accomplished that goal eight times in games, and it may not be surprising to find out that Missouri is 6-2 when it makes 80 percent of its free throws. MU's losses at Baylor and against Texas two weeks ago were the Tigers' first losses in such a situation.
? ? ? For the season, the Tigers have shot 76.7 percent as a team from the line, which is the second-best mark in the Big 12. In conference-only games, that accuracy improves to a league-leading 82.4 percent.
? ? ? If the Tigers' free-throw accuracy holds for the season, it will shatter the previous school record of 71.7 percent set by the 1980-81 team.
UNRAU ... AND HOW!
That would likely be the reaction from Spanky, the chubby-cheeked member of the Little Rascals gang regarding the play of junior forward Evan Unrau. The honorable mention All-Big 12 member posted her fifth double-double of the season with her 21-point, 11-rebound performance at Iowa State on Sunday.
? ? ? Unrau also scored a team-high 20 points to lead the Tigers in scoring for the 10th time this season. Her totals of 15.6 points and 8.4 rebounds both lead the team.
? ? ? In Big 12 Conference-only games, Unrau is averaging a league-leading 9.3 rebounds per game to go with her 17.7 scoring average, which ranks sixth.
? ? ? Eleven of Unrau's 13 rebounds vs. Austin Peay on Dec. 7 came on the offensive end, giving her 25 for the season (she now has a team-high 50). Her 3.6 offensive rebounds per game is the third-best total in the Big 12 Conference.
TIGERS HIGH ON LOZIER
Early in the season, some questioned the decision to start junior guard Tracy Lozier because of her perceived lack of offensive firepower. In addition to her defensive prowess, leadership, and steady, consistent play, Lozier found her shot in a big way on Dec. 11 at Northern Iowa, and has continued her offensive prowess since.
? ? ? Lozier was averaging under 5 points per game coming into the UNI game, yet she poured in a career-high 19 points in the Tigers' win, hitting six of her seven field-goal attempts and all five of her 3-point tries.
? ? ? She followed that up with a 13-point effort at Iowa on Dec. 29, and added a game-high 17 on Thursday vs. IUPUI and repeated that total two Sundays ago vs. Saint Louis.
? ? ? Against Iowa State, Lozier poured in another 14 points; over the past five games, she is averaging over 13 points per game.
? ? ? For the season, Lozier is third on the squad with a 9.2 points-per-game average. She also is second on the team with 38 assists (2.7 apg), and is second with 29 steals (2.1 spg).
BARR CLIMBING CAREER CHARTS
With her eight assists against Illinois on Dec. 21, senior guard Kerensa Barr moved past Dee Dee Polk as Missouri's No. 2 all-time assist leader. She added five assists against No. 20 Texas two weekends ago, making her the 10th player in Big 12 history to record 400 career assists. She is 64 away from equalling Amy Fordham's school record.
? ? ? With 14 games guaranteed to remain on the Tigers' schedule, Barr needs to average roughly 4.6 assists per game to surpass Fordham's mark.
? ? ? Barr is already a member of MU's career top-5 lists in 3-point field goals made and attempted, as well as steals after passing Sandie Prophete (1986-89) with her 200th career pick Jan. 8 at Baylor. She also needs just 16 points to become the 22nd member of Missouri's 1,000-point club.
? ? ? Barr is just the fifth player in Big 12 history to record 400 assists and 200 steals in a career.
? ? ? Finally, Barr has currently passed Julie Helm as Mizzou's most accurate free-throw shooter in school history. If she sinks 80 percent or more of her remaining free throws, Barr will finish as the record-holder.
HOME SWEET HOME
Mizzou finished the home non-conference schedule with a 4-1 record, boosting the Tigers' all-time out-of-league mark at the Hearnes Center to 171-37 (.822). Missouri is now 26-3 (.897) at home in the non-conference season in its five years under Cindy Stein.
STREAKY SHOOTERS
In Missouri's game against Illinois on Dec. 22, the Tigers had missed their first nine 3-point attempts, endangering MU's record of consecutive games with a 3-pointer. Evan Unrau hit one with 3:18 remaining against the Illini, however, keeping the streak alive. With the Tigers' eight treys at Iowa State on Sunday, Missouri's streak is now at 115 games.
? ? ? The Tigers have not been held without a 3-pointer since a 78-54 loss at Baylor on Jan. 27, 1999. At the Hearnes Center, the span of time 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 - a streak of 58 straight games.
BOND ... JAMES & BOND
Freshman guard LaToya Bond and junior forward Stretch James have both impressed folks early on with their play.
? ? ? Bond, an Urbana, Ill., native, had a breakout game against her hometown's Illini at the Busch Braggin' Rights game on Dec. 21 in St. Louis. She finished with career highs of 11 points and six rebounds, and keyed a Tiger first-half comeback along with James by making a pair of slicing layups, then hitting a runner as the halftime buzzer sounded.
? ? ? James, who is also in her first season with the Tigers after earning JUCO All-America honors at Tyler (Texas) JC, has scored in double figures in four of the last seven games, including a career-high 16 points against Saint Louis on Sunday.
? ? ? James (7.9 ppg) and Bond (5.1 ppg) are fourth and sixth, respectively, in scoring for the Tigers, while James' 4.3 rebounds per contest are third on the team.
GLANCES STOLEN
Senior guard Kerensa Barr had seven steals for the second time in three games on Dec. 11 at Northern Iowa; she now has a team-high 35 on the year. She also had seven picks against McNeese State on Dec. 6.
? ? ? Barr's 2.5 steals-per-game average ties for the third-highest total in the Big 12 Conference.
? ? ? For the season, Barr is averaging 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. Those totals rank her second, third, and first, respectively, on the team this year.