Dec. 3, 2005
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Senior guard LaToya Bond (Urbana, Ill. / Urbana HS) had a game-high 20 points, and again led five Tigers in double-figure scoring, to guide the Mizzou women to a 100-55 win over Murray State on Saturday in the championship game of the 28th annual State Farm Tiger Classic. For her efforts, Bond was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player for the second time in as many weeks.
It is Mizzou's largest margin of victory, and first time in triple-digit scoring, since a 103-41 win over Alcorn State in the semifinals of the 2003 Tiger Classic. The Lady Braves captured third place in this year's tournament earlier Saturday evening, besting fellow SWAC foe Arkansas-Pine Bluff by a 56-51 count. It is the 19th time that the Tigers have won their own tournament.
Bond was joined on the all-tournament team by junior forward Carlynn Savant (Euless, Texas / Trinity HS), who had a career-high 19 points in the title game, and senior center Christelle N'Garsanet (Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire / Illinois Central College), who had 10 points and seven rebounds.
The game was virtually decided in the game's first 10 minutes, as the Tigers (6-2), who have won five in a row, held Murray State to single digits in scoring until a Paige Guffey 3-pointer with 9:11 left in the half made it 29-11. That was the first point in the game that the Racers had outscored Bond, who had a pair of 3-pointers in the opening minutes and slashed through the lane for a layup and her eighth point before the first media timeout.
Mizzou was an equal-opportunity team on Saturday; nine Tigers played at least 13 minutes, and all of them scored at least five points. The Tigers posted season highs in assists (21) and 3-pointers (12), and committed a season-low 13 turnovers.
"It was a good win for us. I was a little concerned with Murray State coming in and scoring 100 points in our own gym on Friday, so we knew we needed to play well," Head Coach Cindy Stein said. "The main thing defensively was to get on their shooters. They got open late in the game, but they didn't get a lot of open looks."
When asked what she's doing with her growing trophy collection, Bond commented, "They're somewhere in my room, wherever I have space."
Taking note of Bond's weekend of action, averaging 17 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals in the two wins, Savant said, "It's all just indicative of what she can do. We feel very confident with her on the floor."
Ashley Brooke Hayes led the Lady Racers had a team-high 15 points, while Ashley Nichole Hayes had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The Tigers continue their school record-tying eight-game homestand next Sunday, Dec. 11, at 2 p.m. against Nicholls State. Tickets are available by visiting the Mizzou Arena Box Office, calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS (884-PAWS in mid-Missouri) or going online to www.mutigers.com.
NOTES: Guffey broke the tournament 3-point record with eight treys in the two games; she set the single-game mark with six in Friday's win over Alcorn State. Guffey finished 8-for-12 from behind the arc in just 24 minutes of play over the weekend ... also making the all-tournament team were Ashley Nichole Hayes of Murray State, Tanika Nunez of Alcorn State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff's Arica Green ... the Tigers have had five players in double-figure scoring in four out of the five games in the current winning streak.