University of Missouri
Nebraska
Huskers Beat Mizzou in Regular-Season Finale, 75-62
3/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 1, 2006
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Kiera Hardy scored 21 of her game-high 28 points in the first half, and Nebraska answered every Mizzou run in posting a 75-62 win in both teams' Big 12 Conference regular-season finale Wednesday night at Mizzou Arena.
With the loss, the Tigers (20-8, 10-6 Big 12) match their best-ever Big 12 Conference record, and finish a program-best fourth place in the 10th year of the league. Mizzou will be the No. 4 seed in next week's Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Championship, and with its first-ever first-round bye, will play Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. at Reunion Arena in Dallas. The Tigers will face the winner of Tuesday's first-round matchup between No. 5 seed Texas Tech and No. 12 Oklahoma State.
Hardy was 11-of-16 from the field, 4-of-6 from the line, and hit both of her free throws. Jessica Gerhart added 15 for the Huskers (16-11, 8-8), who will be the No. 6 seed in Dallas.
The Tigers were led in scoring by junior forward EeTisha Riddle (O'Fallon, Ill. / O'Fallon HS), who had a career-high 16 points to go with a team-high four assists. Senior guard LaToya Bond (Urbana, Ill. / Urbana HS) added 14 points as the only other Mizzou player in double figures.
Mizzou made its first three shots - including a Bond 3-pointer - to take an 8-0 lead less than two minutes into the game. Nebraska made its next three buckets, though, including the final two by Kiera Hardy, to pull within a pair. That started Nebraska on a 19-8 run in which Hardy had all but six points for a 19-16 Husker lead with 12:39 to go in the half.
Mizzou made a quick 8-0 run with a layup from senior center Christelle N'Garsanet (Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire / Illinois Central College) followed by 3-pointers from junior guard Blair Hardiek (Effingham, Ill. / Effingham HS) and Bond to regain the lead. Nebraska threw another 10-0 run, though - with Hardy getting six more points - to take a 29-24 lead with 6:23 left in the half.
The Tigers did a good job of keeping Hardy scoreless over the next six minutes, and pulled within two on Riddle's fastbreak layup. Yet Hardy stole a crossing pass on Mizzou's final possession of the half and went the length of the court for her 21st point of the half to give Nebraska a 34-30 lead at the break.
Nebraska kept pouring it on to start the second half, making their first four field goals and both of their free-throw tries, all while holding Mizzou to a pair of free throws from junior forward Carlynn Savant (Euless, Texas / Trinity HS). Down 13 (45-32) with 17:36 to go, the Tigers pulled together seven straight points by Riddle and freshman guard Alyssa Hollins (Mesquite, Texas / John Horn HS). Yet the Huskers put together another 8-0 run for a 14-point lead. In fact, the teams exchanged scoring possessions just six times the entire second half; every other scoring stretch was a multi-point run by one team followed by the other.
Single-session tickets for the Big 12 Championship are available through Ticketmaster by calling 214-373-8000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Prices are $15 for reserved seats and $10 for general admission. For more information on the tournament, visit the Big 12 Championship site at http://www.big12sports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/big12-w-baskbl-championship.html.
