University of Missouri
IUPUI
Defense Paces Tigers to Dominating 73-45 Win Over IUPUI
1/2/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 2, 2003
COLUMBIA, Mo. - A Mizzou defense that started the game in good shape, and put the clamps down in the second, led the Tigers to a 73-45 win over IUPUI in non-conference women's basketball action Thursday night at the Hearnes Center. The win pulls the Tigers back to .500 on the season.
Junior guard Tracy Lozier (Leawood, Kan. / Blue Valley North HS) led the Tigers with 17 points - just two off her career high set on Dec. 11 at Northern Iowa - and senior guard Kerensa Barr (West Plains, Mo. / West Plains HS) and freshman guard LaToya Bond (Urbana, Ill. / Urbana HS) each added 11 for MU (5-5). Barr added seven assists, which equaled IUPUI's team total, and Bond had a game-high four steals.
Mizzou posted several season bests in the game, most notably the 45 points that were seven fewer than in MU's win over McNeese State during the Tigers' last homestand nearly a month ago. In addition, IUPUI's 32 turnovers were one more than McNeese committed, and its 30.8-percent shooting effort was more than seven percent worse than Illinois shot on Dec. 21.
The Tigers started their impressive defensive performance less than 6 minutes into the game, when junior forward Stretch James (Columbus, Ohio / Northland HS / Tyler [Texas] JC) and Lozier drew charging fouls on back-to-back plays. Missouri's defense tenacity continued throughout the rest of the opening period, as Mizzou helped force 15 Jaguar turnovers in the first half.
Mizzou used a 9-0 run - fueled by a 3-pointer and fastbreak layup from Lozier - in the final five minutes of the half to help the Tigers to a 38-29 halftime lead. Lozier had 10 of her 17 points in the first 20 minutes.
The second half started with the two teams trading baskets before the Tigers went on a 12-0 run over a span of 7:51 to push a 45-33 lead to a comfortable 24-point cushion (57-33). IUPUI never got closer than 19 the rest of the way.
"I was really pleased with our second half," said head coach Cindy Stein. "I think our kids will agree that the first half wasn't quite what we wanted it to be, but I felt like they really came out in the second half with a lot of energy. They executed the things we've been working on and really followed the game plan a lot better."
The Tigers continue their short two-game homestand this Sunday, Jan. 5, with a 3 p.m. game against Saint Louis. That contest will be televised statewide over the Mizzou Sports Network (FOX Sports Midwest through most of the state, and Metro Sports in Kansas City). For ticket information, call 1-800-CAT-PAWS (884-PAWS in Mid-Missouri).
