Jan. 5, 2003
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Junior forward Evan Unrau (Fort Collins, Colo. / Rocky Mountain HS) led all players with 19 points and 12 rebounds to register her third double-double of the season, and the Missouri women's basketball team canned eight 3-pointers on the way to a 72-62 win Sunday over Saint Louis in the Tigers' final non-conference game of the season.
Junior guard Tracy Lozier (Leawood, Kan. / Blue Valley Northwest HS) posted double-figure scoring for the fourth time in five games with her 17-point effort. Lozier finished the afternoon 3-of-5 from 3-point range and made half of her 10 field-goal attempts. She also had a career-high-tying six rebounds and drew a key second-half charge to key a Mizzou surge. In addition, junior forward Stretch James (Columbus, Ohio / Northfield HS / Tyler [Texas] JC) had a career-high 16 points and added four rebounds for the Tigers (6-5).
Harmonie King led four Billikens in double-figure scoring with 18 points. Saint Louis (9-5) was 4-of-7 from 3-point range in the first half, and just 2-of-8 in the second.
Neither team held more than a four-point lead through most of the first half, with the Billikens holding the lead for most of that time. The Tigers pulled ahead, 25-24, on a free throw by sophomore guard Angie Carter (Longview, Texas / Spring Hill HS) with 3 minutes, 57 seconds remaining in the half.
Yet SLU went on a 9-0 run to take an eight-point lead, and Mizzou needed a 3-pointer by junior guard MyEsha Perkins (Detroit, Mich. / Oak Park HS / Trinity Valley [Texas] JC) to stay within 33-28 at the halftime break.
The Tigers were ready to come out of the locker room, as Missouri opened the final 20 minutes by making the first three baskets. James made back-to-back layups, and Unrau tallied another on a fastbreak to give Mizzou a 34-33 lead with 18:08 to play.
After Saint Louis regained the lead on a 3-pointer by Harmonie King, senior guard Kerensa Barr (West Plains, Mo. / West Plains HS) gave the Tigers a 44-42 advantage after hitting the second of back-to-back 3-pointers with 12:27 left. Less than a minute later, Lozier drew her charge and on the ensuing possession hit her first of three treys that took place over the next five minutes. Her third 3-pointer put the Tigers up 57-51 with 6:55 remaining.
"I was proud of the way we came out in the second half and responded," said head coach Cindy Stein. "Earlier in the season when we got down, we got frustrated and sometimes went into panic mode. These ladies showed a lot of composure and really made some good decisions, defensively and offensively, as we came down the stretch. Tracy Lozier, Evan Unrau and Kerensa Barr all hit some really big shots. Everybody really responded as far as working together. It was a real team effort today."
The Tigers hit the road to open Big 12 Conference play this Wednesday, January 8, when Mizzou plays at Baylor. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas.