Dec. 3, 2003
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| TIPOFF: 7:00 p.m. CST on Friday vs. Alcorn State (0-3); 7:00 p.m. on Saturday vs. Tulsa (2-0) or UAB (1-3). | ||||
| ARENA: Hearnes Center (13,611). Opened in 1972. MU is 274-91 (.751) here alltime, including 174-37 (.825) vs. non-conference opponents and 29-3 (.906) in those games under Cindy Stein. | ||||
| RADIO: KFRU-AM 1400 (David Lile, play-by-play/Kerensa Barr, color). Also available on the Internet at www.mutigers.com. | ||||
| TV: None. | ||||
| SERIES: Alcorn State - First Meeting; Tulsa - Mizzou leads, 1-0 (MU won by forfeit in 1983); UAB - Mizzou leads, 1-0 (MU won in 1985, 74-58). | ||||
| COACHES: | ||||
| Missouri: Cindy Stein (Illinois '84), 87-67 at MU (sixth season) and 152-92 overall (ninth season).
Alcorn State: Shirley Walker (Alcorn State '68), 414-277 at ASU (26th season and overall). Tulsa: Kathy McConnell-Miller (Virginia '89), 55-65 at TU (fifth season and overall). UAB: Jeannie Milling (South Ala. '71), 257-214 at UAB (17th season) and 418-324 overall (27th season). |
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26TH ANNUAL UNILEVER TIGER TOURNAMENT ON TAP THIS WEEKEND
After a two-game split and a second-place finish in the Oneida Bingo & Casino Holiday Tournament in Green Bay, Wis., the Mizzou women's basketball team returns home for its annual Unilever Tiger Tournament. The 26th edition of the December classic pits the Tigers against Alcorn State (0-3) at 7 p.m. on Friday; that game is preceded by UAB (1-3) vs. Tulsa (2-0) at 5 p.m.
? ? ? MU is coming off a 74-66 loss at UW-Green Bay in the OB&CHT championship game. Down 14 points at the half, the Tigers twice fought to within four in the closing minutes before falling to the Phoenix. Friday's win over Austin Peay avenged a loss to the Lady Govs in last year's Unilever title game.
UNILEVER FIRST ROUND'S THE ANTIDOTE FOR A LOSING STREAK
At the risk of putting a jinx on Mizzou's success in the Unilever Tiger Tournament, it's worth noting that the Tigers have never lost their opening-round game in the 25 previous years of the tournament, and boast an impressive 42-8 (.840) record overall in the tournament. Mizzou is seeking its 18th Unilever title.
LAST TIME OUT: UW-GREEN BAY 74, MU 66
Wisconsin-Green Bay shot lights-out in the first half, and hung on by sinking several key free throws down the stretch on its way to a 74-66 win over Missouri in the championship game of the Oneida Bingo & Casino Holiday Tournament Saturday night at the Resch Center.
DEFENSE NOTE
The Tigers have put up impressive defensive numbers in their first four games, yielding 58, 43, 43 and 74 points. That average of 54.5 points per game is not only third in the Big 12 Conference to date, it's also the best mark of a Cindy Stein-coached team at Mizzou. Last year's squad gave up an average of 64.1 points per game, making that team the stingiest Stein group to date.
? ? ? A large part of the defensive success can be attributed to the 7.75 blocks the Tigers are averaging a contest, which not only leads the Big 12 but also puts Mizzou on pace to shatter the current school record of 157 set by the 1999-2000 team.
UNRAU MAKING GOOD ON PROGNOSTICATIONS
Senior forward Evan Unrau (Fort Collins, Colo. / Rocky Mountain HS) has been selected to Street & Smith's preseason women's All-America team, and the four-year starter continues to impress this season.
? ? ? While Unrau has taken advantage of the Tigers' increased depth this season - which has eased the scoring burden put on her - she still leads the team with her 15.8 points-per-game scoring average, and also leads the team - and the Big 12 Conference - in rebounding at 11.2 rpg.
? ? ? Unrau was one of 50 players listed by Street & Smith's, and one of 30 players given Preseason Honorable Mention All-America status by the magazine. Ten others were each named to the "Terrific 10" and High Honorable Mention lists.
? ? ? Last year, Unrau became Mizzou's second First Team All-Big 12 Conference selection in the seven-year history of the conference. She led the Tigers in both scoring (16.0 ppg) and rebounding (7.7 rpg) in leading Mizzou to postseason play for the fourth straight year.
2003-04 IS HOOPS SWAN SONG FOR HEARNES
The University of Missouri broke ground on a new basketball arena - one that will be the finest on-campus facility in the nation when completed - on Sept. 21, 2002. The yet-to-be-named facility, which will seat just over 15,000 fans, is slated to open next fall, meaning this season will be the final one for the men's and women's basketball teams at the Hearnes Center. The women's basketball team sports an all-time record of 274-91 (.751) in the friendly confines.
? ? ? Built in 1972, the Hearnes Center will continue to be utilized by MU's Olympic-sport programs such as volleyball, gymnastics, wrestling, and track and field.
? ? ? A webcam of the arena construction site has been installed on top of the Hearnes Center, and it is providing live still images to the Missouri athletics website 24 hours a day. The webcam is located at ath.missouri.edu/arena, and it can also be accessed from the front page of www.MUTigers.com.
? ? ? Slated to cost $75 million, the new arena project was jump-started by a generous $25 million donation by the Laurie family of Columbia. The State of Missouri will contribute $35 million in bond appropriations, while the remaining $15 million will be raised through athletic fundraising efforts.
JAMES STRETCH-ING DEFENSES
Senior forward Stretch James (Columbus, Ohio / Northland HS / Tyler [Texas] JC) struggled early-on at UW-Green Bay last Saturday, hitting just one of her three field-goal attempts in just five minutes on the floor.
? ? ? When the second half rolled around, James went into high gear, going 10-of-14 from the floor on her way to a career-high 24 points. She also pulled down four rebounds and made three blocks, including a clean stuff of the Phoenix' Tiffany Mor that unfortunately caused the UWGB star to seriously injure her knee with 9 minutes left. She averaged 17.0 ppg in Mizzou's two games in Wisconsin.
? ? ? James is third on the team in scoring (12.0 ppg) and second in rebounding (6.3 rpg) after averaging 10.3 points and 5.6 rebounds a game last year.
BOND MAKES HER POINT(S) AT THE POINT
Sophomore point guard LaToya Bond (Urbana, Ill. / Urbana HS) has adjusted well to taking the reigns at the point-guard position for the Tigers this season. A year removed from a support role behind Kerensa Barr, Bond has seized the spotlight this season with her status as the MU's second-leading scorer (12.5 ppg).
? ? ? She posted an excellent performance in her first collegiate start at Bradley last Sunday, scoring a game-high and career-high 17 points, including an impressive 11-of-12 showing from the free-throw line. Bond also tied her career high with four steals against the Braves. She scored in double figures again last Wednesday vs. Southern, tallying 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds vs. the Jaguars. With a 16-point outing vs. Austin Peay last Friday, she's already surpassed her double-figure output from last season, when she scored 11 points each vs. Illinois and IUPUI.
? ? ? Bond came off the bench in 29 games last season is support of the departed Kerensa Barr, and averaged 3.2 points and 1.3 rebounds a game. This season her numbers are higher across the board: 12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.0 steals.