Jan. 9, 2010
BOULDER, Colo. - The University of Missouri women's basketball team made a late second half charge but fell short as the team fell to the Colorado Buffaloes 64-48 in the Big 12 Conference opener Saturday afternoon in Boulder, Colo. The Tigers fall to 10-4 overall and 0-1 in Big 12 play with the loss.
Junior Shakara Jones led the Tigers with 15 points while sophomore Christine Flores posted her third career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Colorado got off to a fast start and built a 10-2 advantage off five points from Britney Spears with 15:43 left in the first half. The home squad stayed hot from the field as the Buffs lead grew to 13, 19-6, after Chucky Jeffery made a driving layup with 8:32 on the clock.
The Tigers finally found some offensive rhythm with baskets from senior Marissa Scott, sophomores BreAnna Brock and Christine Flores and free throws from senior Jessra Johnson and Jasmyn Otote for a 9-2 run, including seven straight points. The run cut Mizzou's deficit to six, 21-15, with 3:38 left in the half.
An 11-0 run by the Buffaloes concluded scoring in the first 20 minutes, as Colorado entered the break with a 32-15 advantage.
Missouri used five consecutive points from junior Shakara Jones to open the second half and pull back with 12, 32-20, with 18:01 on the clock.
With Mizzou back down 14, 46-32, a three-pointer from Brown with 10:50 left kick started the Tigers' comeback. After four straight free throws from Johnson to bring Missouri within seven, Jones converted a layup for a five-point, 46-41. The two teams each made one free throw before Brown grabbed a steal and made a coast-to-coast layup to pull the Tigers within three, 47-44, with 5:55 left.
Colorado answered right back with an 8-0 run and held on for the rest of the game for the 64-48 win.
The Tigers host the Kansas State Wildcats on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 6 p.m. at Mizzou Arena. The game will be televised live on the Mizzou Sports Network with Beau Baehman on play-by-play duties and former Iowa State Cyclone Anne O'Neil serving as the color analyst. The contest can be found on Fox Sports Midwest in mid-Missouri, Metro Sports in Kansas City, in addition to Universal Sports in Columbia.