Dec. 28, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Marshall used a strong second half to defeat the Missouri women's basketball team 77-72 in the first game of the Marriott Cavalier Classic in Charlottesville, Va., on Friday afternoon. Marshall (8-4) outscored Mizzou (6-6) 41-31 in the second half to earn its comeback victory.
Trailing 41-36 entering the second half, Marshall tied the game up a 44-44 with 16:30 left in the game when Casey Baker converted a layup. Sophomore Amanda Hannmeman then scored the Tigers' next 11 points, capped by a three at the 12:20 mark for a 55-50 Mizzou advantage.
Junior Alyssa Hollins gave Mizzou its biggest lead of the second half, 61-52, when she nailed a three with 9:12 on the clock. The Thundering Herd responded with an 11-2 run to tie the game a 63-63 with 5:46 remaining.
A layup from Baker gave Marshall its first lead of the game, 67-65, at the 3:56 mark. Marshall again countered with a small 5-2 run to earn a six-point advantage, 75-69, with 1:29 left. Hanneman hit a three for the Tigers to cut the Mizzou deficit to three, 75-72, with a minute remaining but the Thundering Herd held on for a 77-72 victory.
The Tigers ran out to a quick 13-2 lead in the first five minutes of the contest, started when sophomore Toy Richbow made two free throws and Hollins nailed a 3-pointer at the 14:49 mark in the first.
Marshall got within six, 16-10, with 12:40 left after Meagan Samis hit a jumper, and again with 10:36 remaining on a three from Alix Barnette to put the score at 21-15. Mizzou responded, however, and eventually build its biggest lead of the half, 37-23 when freshman RaeShara Brown sank a baseline jumper with 4:00 left in the first.
The Thundering Herd reeled off a 13-4 run to end the half and send the teams into the second half with a 41-36 advantage.
Hollins led the Tigers with 22 points, including six 3-pointers, and Hanneman had a career high 18 on 7-of-8 shooting from the floor. Freshman Jasmyn Otote tied her personal best with nine points and sophomore Toy Richbow dished out six assists.
Marshall, which outscored Mizzou 44-16 in the paint, also had a 38-31 rebounding advantage.
Mizzou will play the loser of the Virginia-Delaware State contest in the consolation game of the Marriott Cavalier Classic at 4:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. CT) on Saturday, Dec. 29. The Tigers then kick off conference play on Wednesday, Jan. 9 at 6:30 p.m. against Colorado at Mizzou Arena.