Feb. 14, 2006
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at Oklahoma St. (6-16, 0-11)
Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2006 - Columbia, Mo.
TIPOFF: 7:00 p.m. CST.
ARENA: Gallagher-Iba Arena (13,611). Opened in 1938, and expanded in 2000. MU is 170-194 (.467) all-time on the road, including 8-10 (.444) in Stillwater.
RADIO: KFRU-AM 1400/KLIK-AM 1240 (David Lile, play-by-play / Gary Link, color) and available to affiliates of the Tiger Network.
TV: None.
ONLINE: Live audio available via Yahoo! subscription at mutigers.com.
RANKINGS: Mizzou is receiving votes in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls; Oklahoma State is not receiving votes.
SERIES: Mizzou leads, 27-19, yet OSU leads by a 10-8 margin in Stillwater. Mizzou has won the last three games in the series, and seven of the last nine.
COACHES:
MIZZOU: Cindy Stein (Illinois '84), 129-103 at MU (eighth season) and 194-128 overall (11th season).
OKLAHOMA STATE: Kurt Budke (Washburn '84), 6-16 at Oklahoma State (1st season) and 359-62 overall (13th season).
TIGERS START TWO-GAME ROAD TRIP AT OKLAHOMA STATE
The Mizzou women's basketball team (17-6, 7-4 Big 12), continuing its best start in 13 years, begins a two-game road trip on Wednesday in Stillwater, Okla., against the Cowgirls of Oklahoma State (6-16, 0-11). The Tigers are coming off a seven-point win over archrival Kansas on Saturday to snap a two-game losing streak. It also ended a three-game losing streak to the Jayhawks. Oklahoma State, under first-year head coach Kurt Budke, has lost its last 11 games, dating back to a win vs. Prairie View A&M on Dec. 29.
Following the game in Stillwater, the Tigers will finish their road swing on Saturday at Colorado to complete the season series against the Buffaloes.
LAST TIME OUT: MIZZOU 64, KANSAS 57
LaToya Bond and Christelle N'Garsanet combined for 51 points, and N'Garsanet picked up her ninth double-double of the season in Mizzou's 64-57 win over the Kansas women in Big 12 Conference action Saturday afternoon at Mizzou Arena.
SERIES VS. OKLAHOMA STATE
Mizzou leads a 46-game series between the schools, which began in 1976, by a 27-19 margin. That includes a 10-8 Oklahoma State lead in Stillwater. The Tigers have won the last three meetings in the series; once each in Columbia (last season), Dallas and Stillwater (in 2004).
SCOUTING THE COWGIRLS
Oklahoma State is led by junior center Whitney Pegram, who is averaging a team-best 15.0 points per game along with nearly three blocks a game. Freshman forward Shaunte' Smith is the only other Cowgirl scoring in double figures at 11.0 ppg. Junior forward Destinie Sykes leads OSU in rebounding at 6.9 rpg, while Smith is right behind at 6.7 rpg.
TIGERS EXCEED LAST YEAR'S WIN TOTAL
Of all the measures of the success of this year's team, the most compelling might be this: With the win vs. Kansas on Saturday, Mizzou bumped its win total to 17 this season; the Tigers had 11 wins all of last year (11-18). In addition, the seventh Big 12 win of the season exceeded last year's entire season total (4-12), and is just three wins off Mizzou's all-time Big 12 best of 10, set in the 2000-01 Sweet 16 season.
Mizzou has won 16 of its last 20 games. Mizzou's 17-6 start is just three games off the best in school history through 23 games; it trails only the 20-3 start by the 1983-84 Tigers and the 17-5 starts from the 1982-83 and 1977-78 squads. In addition, the Tigers' 7-4 conference start is the best in their 10 years in the Big 12, and just three games off the all-time team best set by the 1984 Big Eight squad.