Feb. 15, 2003
LAWRENCE, Kan. - Junior forward Evan Unrau (Fort Collins, Colo. / Fort Collins HS) led three Tigers in double-figure scoring with 18 points, and hit a pair of free throws to stave off a last-minute Kansas comeback to lead the Missouri women to a 61-55 win over Border War rival Kansas before a FOX Sports Net national audience Saturday afternoon.
Junior forward Stretch James (Columbus, Ohio / Northland HS / Tyler [Texas] JC) added her second double-double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds. The win is the third in a row for the Tigers (13-9, 7-4 Big 12), who have now won six straight against their archrivals and moved ?-game ahead of Oklahoma for sole possession of fifth place going into the Sooners' game Sunday at Colorado. Tamara Ransburg led all scorers with 19 points and added 12 rebounds for the Jayhawks (9-13, 2-9).
"For us to play the way we did and still come out with a win is extremely satisfying," Head Coach Cindy Stein said. "We were playing so hard in the first half because we wanted to put them away. In the second half we had to slow down, and we had a hard time knowing at what pace to play. It was a great atmosphere; they had a great crowd, and that's what this rivalry is all about."
Missouri hit seven 3-pointers in the game, which Kansas led just once at 11-10. The Tigers had their outside game working in the first 4 minutes, as Mizzou hit three treys in that span to take a 13-11 lead. Mizzou's biggest lead of eight points came with 13:03 left, when James made a layup to make it 19-11.
Mizzou's defense also stiffened, forcing a pair of shot-clock violations by Kansas and turnovers with the clock running down on several other possessions in the first half.
The Jayhawks made a quick 6-0 run when Aquanita Burras and Tamara Ransburg combined for three quick baskets to pull within one at 20-19, yet the Tigers went on their own 8-0 run started with a free throw by senior guard Kerensa Barr (West plains, Mo. / West Plains HS) and capped by a Barr 3-pointer that put Mizzou up 30-21 with 5:24 left. The Tigers took a 32-25 lead into the locker room despite committing 10 turnovers. Mizzou had a 19-13 edge on the boards at the break, and made 4-of-7 3-pointers in the first 20 minutes.
Barr hit a 3-pointer with just under 15 minutes left in the game to push the Tiger lead to 44-32, and junior guard Tracy Lozier (Leawood, Kan. / Blue Valley North HS) hit her last of three 3-pointers to give Mizzou a 52-38 lead with 10:13 left.
The game appeared to be comfortably in hand, especially given a 3?-minute stretch in which neither team scored, keeping the Tiger lead at 14 (54-40). Mizzou's lead was 15 with 4:59 remaining when Crystal Kemp and Ransburg combined for eight points to pull the Jayhawks within six with 19 seconds left. Yet Unrau was fouled on the ensuing inbounds play and hit both free throws to ice the game.
Barr finished with 11 points and five steals, while Lozier added nine points.
With the Tigers' win, Mizzou earns another 1.5 points in the Border War Series presented by the Midwest Ford Dealers. That pushes Missouri's lead in the all-sports competition, which was started in October, to 13-2.5.
The Tigers return home this Wednesday, Feb. 19, to face the fifth-ranked Wildcats of Kansas State. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Hearnes Center. For ticket information, call 1-800-CAT-PAWS (573-884-PAWS in mid-Missouri).