University of Missouri
Creighton
Missouri Defeats Creighton, 70-66
12/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 2, 2006
Box Score: Alabama A&M-Eastern Illinois
Box Score: Missouri-Creighton | Watch Game
EeTisha Riddle scored a career-high 20 points and Missouri forced 27 Creighton turnovers as the Tigers advanced to their 29th-consecutive State Farm Tiger Classic title game with a 70-66 win on Saturday at Mizzou Arena.
Missouri will now face Alabama A&M in the championship game at 3 p.m. Central time. Creighton will meet Eastern Illinois in the consolation game at 5 p.m.
Missouri (6-1) improved to 6-0 this season when scoring at least 70 points and won its 12th-straight non-conference home game. Creighton (0-6) dropped its six game of the year despite holding a 34-31 rebounding edge.
The Tigers never trailed and led by as many as 10 in the first half before the Bluejays used a 9-2 run to close the margin to 32-29 at the half.
Mizzou shot 67 percent in the second half to finish at 48 percent for the game. Riddle also led all players with a career-high six steals to go along with her six rebounds. She scored 13 points after the intermission. Tiffany Brooks had 13 points, five rebounds and three steals. Carlynn Savant finished with 11 points and a game-high seven boards.
After missing their first shot of the second half, Mizzou connected on nine of its next 10 to push the lead to 53-41 with 10:55 remaining. But Creighton clawed its way back and cut the deficit to 65-62 with 1:50 to play. Riddle then made one-of-two free throws and Blair Hardiek scored on a lay-up and two free throws to keep the Jays at bay.
Missouri capitalized on numerous inside opportunities as it scored a season-high 49 points in the paint, while it added 28 points off 27 Creighton miscues - with both of those numbers season-highs for each squad.
Chevelle Herring led Creighton with 18 points and Ally Thrall had 17 points and nine rebounds in 40 minutes.
In the early game, Alabama A&M held off a late rally to defeat Eastern Illinois, 67-66. Rebekkah Barnes led four Lady Bulldogs in double-figures with 16 points.
EIU (2-4) took a 63-61 lead on an Ashley Thomas 3-pointer with two minutes on the clock before the AAMU (4-2) scored the next four points on a jumper by Ashleonte' Samuel and a lay-up from Crystal Malone to lead 65-63 with 33 tics left. Malone then stole Jessica Huffman's interior pass and made both free throws to clinch the win.
Rachel Galligan led the Panthers with 20 points, and Rachel Huffman - who spent much of the half on the bench with foul trouble - scored nine of her 12 points in the final 6:49 to lead the EIU comeback.
Sunday, Dec. 3 - Missouri Basketball Schedule
Noon - Missouri men vs. Evansville
3 p.m. - Missouri women vs. Alabama A&M
5 p.m. - Creighton vs. Eastern Illinois
