Dec. 7, 2004
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MISSOURI (4-3) at SMS (3-2)
Wednesday, December 8, 2004 - Springfield, Mo.
TIPOFF: 7:05 p.m.
ARENA: Hammons Student Center (8,846). Opened in 1976. Missouri is 164-182 (.474) all-time on the road, including 95-57 (.625) against unranked non-conference foes.
RADIO: KFRU-AM 1400, KLIK-AM 1240 (David Lile, play-by-play/Gary Link, color) and available to affiliates of the Tiger Radio Network. Also available on the Internet at www.mutigers.com.
TV: None in mid-Missouri; Mediacom cable in Springfield.
SERIES: Missouri leads, 16-5, including 2-1 since the series resumed in 2001.
RANKINGS: Both teams are unranked.
COACHES:
Missouri: Cindy Stein (Illinois '84), 105-82 at MU (seventh season) and 170-107 overall (10th season).
SMS: Katie Abrahamson-Henderson (Iowa '90), 49-19 at SMS and overall (third season).
TIGERS HIT THE ROAD FOR SHOW-ME STATE BATTLE
The University of Missouri women's basketball team (4-3) heads down I-44 to Springfield Wednesday evening for a mid-week matchup against Southwest Missouri State (3-2). Tipoff is set for 7:05 p.m. from Hammons Student Center. It is the final game for the Tigers before the players take 10 days off for final exams next week.
MORE ON THE SERIES
While Missouri leads the all-time series between the two teams by a 16-5 margin, Wednesday night's matchup is just the fourth since 1990. The current incarnation of the series, which the Tigers lead 2-1, didn't resume until 2001. Missouri took the first two meetings, before the Lady Bears won by a 79-70 margin in Columbia last season. The road team has won each of the last two matchups, including a 68-52 Tiger win in Springfield in 2003. That was Missouri's first win at SMS since 1987.
SCOUTING SMS
The Lady Bears are on a three-game winning streak after starting the season 0-2. SMS is without reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Kari Koch, yet hasn't missed a beat offensively by averaging 78 points a game - the 13th-highest average in the country. In addition, the Lady Bears are also hitting 53.4 percent of their shots, which is second only to Ohio State in all of Division I.
Senior guard Jenni Lingor is the current MVC Player of the Week, and leads the Valley with a 21.4 ppg scoring average. She has scored 20 or more points in each of the last four games.
LAST TIME OUT: EASTERN MICHIGAN 60, MISSOURI 59
Ryan Coleman hit the back end of a pair of free throws with three seconds left in regulation to push Eastern Michigan to the State Farm Tiger Classic title with a 60-59 win over Missouri Saturday night at Mizzou Arena. It is the second time in the 27-year history of the tournament that the game has been decided by single point; the other came in 1990 when South Alabama captured a 56-55 win over Mizzou. For a complete recap and box score, please refer to page 10.
N'GARSANET NAMED TO TIGER CLASSIC TEAM
Junior Christelle N'Garsanet (Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire / Illinois Central College) was named to the State Farm Tiger Classic All-Tournament Team for her performances this past weekend. The 6-foot-3 center began by exploding for career highs of 29 points and 13 rebounds against Mississippi Valley State Friday night. It was N'Garsanet's first career double-double, and shattered her previous career bests of 15 points (set the previous weekend vs. Providence) and seven rebounds (set twice, most recently at Oklahoma State last Valentine's Day).
N'Garsanet finished with 14 points and seven rebounds vs. Eastern Michigan Saturday night in the title game, and averaged 18.3 points and 7.7 rebounds for the week. She is ranked among the nation's top 50 shot-blockers with her 2.0 bpg average.