March 24, 2003
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| TIPOFF: 7:07 p.m. CST. | ||||
| ARENA: Hearnes Center (13,611). Opened in 1972. MU is 272-91 (.749) here alltime, including 172-37 (.823) vs. non-conference opponents and 27-3 (.900) in those games under Cindy Stein. | ||||
| RADIO: KFRU-AM 1400 (David Lile, play-by-play/Gary Link, color). Also available on the Internet at www.mutigers.com. | ||||
| TV: None. | ||||
| SERIES: First meeting. Missouri is 2-0 all-time against members of the Mid-American Conference (1-0 vs. both Northern Illinois and Toledo). | ||||
| COACHES: | ||||
| Missouri: Cindy Stein (Illinois '84), 83-65 at MU (5th season), 148-90 overall (8th season).
Ball State: Tracy Roller (Eastern Illinois '92), 45-17 overall and at Ball State (2nd season). |
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TIGERS LOOK TO CONTINUE POSTSEASON RUN VS. CARDINALS
The Missouri women's basketball team will look to make its deepest postseason run in school history on Monday at the Hearnes Center, as the Tigers face Ball State for a berth in the quarterfinals of the 2003 Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The Tigers have twice reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament, and this season marks Mizzou's second foray into the same territory of the WNIT. It also marks the first time that the Tigers have hosted back-to-back postseason games.
WNIT = CLOSE GAMES
One interesting aspect of the WNIT is that it usually involves games against teams more evenly matched than in the NCAA Tournament, and the Missouri women are certainly proving that belief.
? ? ? The Tigers have played four WNIT games in their three appearances, and only one game has NOT gone into overtime; that game was decided by just one point (Alabama won, 68-67, in Columbia last year).
? ? ? The latest addition to that list - which became just the third multi-overtime game in Missouri history - came on Wednesday vs. Western Illinois, when the Tigers prevailed by a 72-69 margin in double overtime.
? ? ? The overtime trend was started with an 84-81 home win over Evansville in 2000, and was followed just three days later, when Arkansas sent the visiting Tigers home, 89-88.
TIGERS CONTINUE POSTSEASON STREAK
With acceptance of its invitation to the 2003 Women's National Invitation Tournament, the Tigers have now advanced to the postseason in each of the past four years. 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 in 2001-02 with the Tigers' first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1994, as MU advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. Missouri has also advanced to the WNIT each of the past two seasons.
LAST TIME OUT: MISSOURI 72, WESTERN ILLINOIS 69 (2OT)
The Missouri women's basketball team survived a cold-shooting first half and an endurance test in defeating Western Illinois, 72-69, in double overtime in the first round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament at the Hearnes Center on Wednesday.
? ? ? Evan Unrau led the Tigers with her ninth double-double of the year, a 20-point, 10-rebound effort. She was aided by the first double-double of the season by Kerensa Barr, who became the Tigers' all-time assist leader late in the first half. Barr finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, giving her a Missouri-record 475 assists in her career.
ABOUT BALL STATE
The Cardinals of Ball State, led by second-year Head Coach Tracy Roller, shared the Mid-American Conference West Division regular-season crown with Toledo with a 12-4 mark.
? ? ? Ball State is led by senior forward Tamara Bowie, who earned her second MAC Player of the Year award earlier this month. She leads the Cardinals, and is among the top 20 in the country, with her 21.0 points per game scoring average.
? ? ? In addition, BSU is ranked the nation's top five in scoring offense (79.5 ppg, 4th); 3-point field-goal percentage (41.6%, 2nd); and 3-pointers per game (8.0, 5th).
BALL STATE SERIES...
As previously mentioned, Monday's game will be the first ever between the Cardinals and Tigers. Missouri is 2-0 against members of Ball State's Mid-American Conference, defeating Northern Illinois in 1987 and Toledo in 1992.
TIGERS AGAINST THE WNIT, NCAA FIELDS...
Missouri has played four teams in this year's WNIT, and has a record of 2-2 against them. In addition, Mizzou is 2-8 against the 64-team NCAA Tournament field.
? ? ? On Missouri's side of the WNIT bracket, the Tigers have lost at Baylor and defeated Northern Iowa (eliminated in the first round by the Bears), while on the other side of the bracket, Mizzou has defeated Saint Louis (eliminated in the first round by Iowa) and lost at Iowa.
? ? ? Of the NCAA participants, the Tigers have wins over Colorado and Southwest Missouri State, while Illinois, Colorado, Austin Peay, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas, and Kansas State (twice) beat Missouri earlier this year.