Jan. 9, 2008
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COLUMBIA, Mo. - No. 23 Colorado used a 22-4 run in the second half to pull away from the Missouri women's basketball team and claim a 70-58 win in the Big 12 Conference opener at Mizzou Arena on Wednesday night. Missouri falls to 7-7 overall and 0-1 in league play while Colorado picked up its 11th consecutive victory to improve to 12-2 overall and 1-0 in Big 12 action.
"I thought we battled tonight," said Missouri Head Coach Cindy Stein. "We did some things that gave Colorado some trouble but they went on that one run and we couldn't answer. I didn't always like our decision making but I do believe we got better tonight."
Junior Alyssa Hollins paced the Tigers with 22 points, including six 3-pointers, and freshman Shakara Jones joined Hollins in double figures with 12.
The Buffaloes scored the first four points of the game but Mizzou came back to tie the game up at 8-8 with 13:21 left when Johnson knocked in a 3-pointer. The Tigers stayed close and went ahead 13-11 when Hollins drained her second three of the game with just over eight minutes remaining in the half.
Colorado build a nine point lead, 28-19, at the three minute mark after Jackie McFarland sank two free throws. One free throw apiece from Hanneman and Jones and a layup from Hanneman got the Tigers to enter the break within five, 28-23.
Mizzou came out on fire to start the second and reeled off nine consecutive points, capped by a three from Hollins, to take a 32-28 advantage with 18:17 remaining.
Bianca Smith made a three to tie the game at 34-34 to jumpstart a 22-4 run for the Buffs over the next eight minutes to pull ahead 50-38 at the 10:04 mark. Colorado build a commanding 21-point lead, 67-46, with just under three minutes left in the game but the Tigers managed to cut their deficit to 11, 69-58, with 46 seconds remaining in the contest.
Brittany Spears had 24 points to lead the Buffs and McFarland had 17, including 13 in the first half. Smith and Aija Putnina also scored in double-digits with 14 and 12, respectively.
Colorado held a 40-35 rebounding edge but the Tigers did pull down 17 offensive boards.
Mizzou continues Big 12 play on Saturday, Jan. 12 when it hosts Texas Tech at 6:30 p.m. The Tigers then hit the road for their next two contests, matchups with Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., on Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. and Kansas on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 2 p.m. in Lawrence, Kan.
