Feb. 16, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Tip-off: 2:36 p.m. CT
Arena: Mizzou Arena (15,061)
TV: FSN-Midwest (Brent Stover, play-by-play; Missy Heindrick, analyst)
Radio: KFRU 1400-AM (David Lile, play-by-play / Gary Link, color)
Rankings: Kansas State: No. 17 (AP, ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls)
Series: Kansas State leads 37-34 (Last meeting: MU 69, KSU 61; Feb. 21, 2007)Coaches
Missouri: Cindy Stein (Illinois, 1984); 158-134 at Mizzou (10th season)
Kansas State: Deb Patterson (Rockford College, 1979) 235-134 at KSU (12th season)
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri women's basketball team (8-15, 1-9 Big 12) will join the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and over 900 schools nationally in the organization's "Think Pink" initiative on Feb. 17 when it hosts No. 17 Kansas State (17-6, 9-1) at Mizzou Arena in a 2:30 p.m. contest. In the game, which will be aired on FSN-Midwest, The Tigers will wear pink shoelaces, headbands and shooting shirts. All proceeds from the game go toward the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Up Next
The Tigers travel to Lincoln, Neb., for a 7:05 p.m. game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Thursday, Feb. 21 before returning to Mizzou Arena for a two-game homestand. Mizzou will face Kansas on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 1:30 p.m. and close out the home portion of the schedule on Wednesday, Feb. 27 with a 6:30 p.m. game with Iowa State.
Scouting the Wildcats
Big 12 Conference leader Kansas State has won 12-of-13 games after starting the season 5-5. The Wildcats started league play on a tear, winning their first seven games, including upsets over Texas A&M and Oklahoma State. Their lone Big 12 loss came at the hands of then-No. 6 Baylor, 63-49. Kansas State leads the Big 12 in both assists (16.1) and assist/turnover margin (1.2), in which the squad also rank ninth nationally. The Wildcats are also a perfect 5-0 away from home in Big 12 games.
Senior guard Kimberly Dietz leads the Wildcats with 15.4 ppg., which ranks sixth in the Big 12. Junior guard Shalee Lehning posts 10.1 ppg. and a league-leading (and 10th nationally) 6.3 apg. Also in double figures for Kansas State are junior forward Marlies Gipson (12.3 ppg., 8.3 rpg.) an sophomore forward Ashley Sweat (10.5 ppg.)
Tigers fall to Cyclones
The Missouri women's basketball team fell to the Iowa State Cyclones 64-46 Saturday night at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. Junior Alyssa Hollins paced the Tigers with 14 points.
Down 17, 44-27, at the 12:50 mark, the Tigers scored the next nine points on baskets from Hollins, sophomore Jessra Johnson, freshman RaeShara Brown and junior K-Kay Pickens to cut the Iowa State lead to just eight, 44-36, with 10:37 left. The Cyclones used a 10-0 run late in the second half to give Iowa State a 19-point advantage, 62-43, and put the game out of reach for the Tigers with 2:06 remaining in the game.
Mizzou nearly upsets No.10 Oklahoma
The Missouri women's basketball team trailed No. 10 Oklahoma by just one, 58-57 with less than 30 seconds left but the Sooners scored the final six points of the game to pick up a 64-57 win on Feb. 6.
Sophomore Jessra Johnson hit a jumper with 45 seconds left on the clock to pull the Tigers within one, 58-57, but sophomore Toy Richbow missed the front end of a one-and-one with 25 seconds left to keep the Sooners on top. Nine seconds later Danielle Robinson made two free throws, stole the ensuing inbounds pass and made a layup for a 62-57 Oklahoma advantage.
An 11-2 run by Oklahoma gave the Sooners their biggest lead of the game, 55-46, with 4:11 remaining but the Tigers responded with and 11-3 run of their own, capped by Johnson's jumper, to pull Mizzou within one, 58-57, with 45 seconds left.
Tigers keep a tight hold on the ball
Over the past two games, the Tigers have averaged just 10.5 turnovers per game, 6.4 less than their season average of 16.9. Mizzou turned the ball over just 10 times against No. 10 Oklahoma on Feb. 6, compared to 21 turnovers for the Sooners. Three days later the Tigers recorded just 11 turnovers in its game with Iowa State while the Cyclones committed 16 turnovers.
Brown improves her touch
Freshman RaeShara Brown entered Saturday's game with Iowa State averaging only 0.9 ppg. but the guard responded with the best offensive output in her career. Brown made all three of her shot attempts, finishing the night with a career high six points. Her previous career high was four points, posted on Dec. 7 against Mississippi Valley State.
Over the past two games, Brown has averaged 4.0 ppg., three points per game higher than her season average.
Scott back in the scoring column
Prior to Saturday's game against Iowa State, sophomore forward Marissa Scott had a seven game stretch where she did not score a point, dating back to the game with Oklahoma State on Jan. 16. She attemped just six shots in the stretch and did not record a shot attempt in five of those games.
Against the Cyclones, Scott regained her offensive and posted five points on 2-of-3 shooting from the floor and made her only 3-point field goal try.
Hollins inching up the record books...
With her 62 3-pointers this season, junior Alyssa Hollins now sits in third place all-time in the Mizzou record books for career 3-point field goals with 138. She needs two more to tie Tracy Lozier for second place with 140 and only five to pass Carlynn Savant for the career record with 143.
Additionally, Hollins needs only three to tie Amanda Lassister's single-season record at 65. Last year Hollins fell one shy of the mark with 64 threes to stand in second place in single-season 3-pointers.
....and doing it in record time
Junior Alyssa Hollins is all ready stands in third place in the career 3-point field goal list at Missouri. Remarkably, her 138 threes have come in just 77 games, for a career average of 1.79 per contest. In comparisson, current record holder Carlynn Savant recorded her 142 threes in 113 games (1.26/game), while Tracy Lozier, who is second on the list, made 140 threes in 118 games (1.04).
Over the past two years, Hollins has accumulated 126 threes in just 54 games, for an average of 2.33 per game.
Otote on the rise
Freshman Jasmyn Otote earned the first start of her career against Nebraska on Feb. 3 and responded with eight points, just one off her career high, and a personal best six rebounds. She was also in the starting lineup against Oklahoma on Feb. 6 and Iowa State on Feb. 9.
Hollins regains her scoring touch
With 20 points against Nebraska on Sunday, junior Alyssa Hollins reached the 20-point mark for the first time since she scored 25 against Texas Tech on Jan. 12. Against the Huskers, Hollins shot 57.1 percent overall and from the 3-point arc (8-14 and 4-7, respectively).
Hollins has now reached double-figures in 20 of Mizzou's 23 games this season and scored at least 20 points on nin different occassions.
Jones hits her stride
Freshman Shakara Jones was nearly unstoppable against Texas A&M on Jan. 29 as she hit 7-of-8 shots from the floor to finish with a team-high 15 points. The game marked the second time in four games the forward hit seven shots in eight attempts after also accomplishing the feat at Kansas on Jan. 19.
Jones has now reached double-figures in 13 of Mizzou's 21 games this season, second on the team behind junior Alyssa Hollins' 18.
Tigers approaching 1,000th game
Mizzou will reach a milestone on March 1, 2007 when the program plays its 1,000th game, a road contest against Kansas State. The Tigers, who played their first game on Nov. 11, 1974 (a 47-16 win against Columbia College), currently sit at 994 games played. In its 34th season of basketball, Missouri owns a 589-405 (.593) record.
Brown earns third start
Freshman guard RaeShara Brown earned the third start of her career against the Texas Longhorns on Jan. 26. Brown played 15 minutes in the contest, the most for the rookie since she logged 17 on Dec. 7 against Mississippi Valley State. She also knocked down her only shot attempt and dished out two assists on the day.
Jones in top form against Jayhawks
Freshman Shakara Jones was almost unstopable in the paint against Kansas on Jan. 19. The forward led Mizzou with 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the floor. During the Tigers' comeback in the second half, Jones was a perfect 4-of-4 from the floor and pulled down five of her eight total rebounds.
Mizzou earns first Big 12 victory
Missouri outscored Texas Tech 26-8 over the final 12 and a half minutes of the game to claim a 68-58 win over the Red Raiders on Saturday night at Mizzou Arena. With the win the Tigers picked up their first Big 12 win to improve their record to 8-7 overall and 1-1 in Big 12 Conference action.
Down by nine, 51-42, with 12:34 left, Mizzou reeled off a 14-4 run to take a 56-55 lead at the 5:24 mark when sophomore Amanda Hanneman got a steal and made a layup. Hanging onto a one point lead, 60-59, Mizzou ended the game on a 9-0 run over the final 3:25.
Junior Alyssa Hollins paced all scores with 25 points and hit 5-of-6 three-point attempts on the night. Hanneman joined Hollins in double-figures with 13 and sophomore Toy Richbow had nine points, six rebounds and five assists.
Scott returns to action
Sophomore Marissa Scott returned to action against Texas Tech after missing three games due to mononucleosis. Scott, who played seven minutes and knocked in her only shot attempt against the Red Raiders, sat out the Marshall, Delaware State and Colordo games after a min-December diagnosis.
Before her illness, Scott had started Mizzou's first 11 games and averaged 3.3 ppg. and 5.4 rpg. in almost 29 minutes of action per contest. Four days after the Texas Tech contest, Scott looked back to her old self as she played 25 minutes against Oklahoma State on Wednesday.
Hanneman's hot hand
Entering her sophomore season, Amanda Hanneman had not posted a double figure point total in her career. This season she has hit the mark nine times. She averaged 12.1 ppg. from Dec. 15 - Jan. 16 after averaging 6.8 ppg. in her first eight games of the season.
Hollins hot from behind the arc
Junior Alyssa Hollins entered the conference season with 34 threes and shooting 33.3 percent from behind the arc. In the first two conference games, Hollins shot an astounding 68.8 (11-16) percent from the 3-point line to raise her season numbers to 45 treys and a 38.1 3-point field goal percentage.
Hollins started her hot streak against Colorado on Jan. 9 when she hit 6-of-10 from three. Three days later, she did even better when she made 5-of-6 from behind in arc against Texas Tech.
Wilson making her mark
Former Mizzou volleyball player Nicole Wilson is still new to the world of collegiate basketball but that has not kept her from making an impact with the Tigers. After not playing competitve basketball since her senior year in high school, Wilson has played in 15 games for Missouri this year and started four contests at center.
The Tigers' tallest player at 6-3, she has added height and poise to the lineup. Against the Red Raiders on Jan. 12, Wilson played a season high 19 minutes of action.
Mizzou earns comeback win
Missouri went on a 12-0 run over the last 4:56 of the game to pick up a 55-50 comeback win over Delaware State in the consolation contest of the Marriott Cavalier Classic on Dec. 28 at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va.
Down 44-33 with 10 minutes left in the game, sophomore forward Amanda Hanneman nailed a 3-pointer with 4:56 remaining to spark Mizzou's comeback. Sophomore forward Jessra Johnson then hit a basket and three free throws to give the Tigers a 51-50 lead at the 1:10 mark, the squad's first since they led 15-14 with 10:41 left in the first half.
Johnson led Missouri with 20 points, including 14 in the second half and Hanneman and Jones each notched 14. Hanneman, who scored in double figures for the fourth consecutive game, also recorded a career high five steals.
Hanneman on fire against Marshall
With the Tigers off to a slow start in the second half against Marshall, Amanda Hanneman took things into her own hands. The sophomore scored 11 straight points for Mizzou over a 3:26 span on a jumper, and ensuing free throw 3-pointer, layup and another layup. She scored 14 of her 18 points in the second half.
Jones' jumper gives Mizzou dramatic win
Freshman Shakara Jones grabbed an offensive rebound and made a put back with 6.1 seconds remaining in overtime to give Missouri a 75-73 overtime victory over UMKC on Dec. 15.
Mizzou, which scored the first 18 points of the game, led by as many as 21 early in the second half before UMKC tied the game after Tarah Cullen made three free throws with 1.1 seconds left in regulation.
Mizzou had four players in double figures for the first time this season, led by junior Alyssa Hollins' 21. Sophomore Jessra Johnson posted 20, Jones notched her third double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds and sophomore Amanda Hanneman added 10 points.
Four better than three
Mizzou's Dec. 15 game against UMKC marked the first time all season the Tigers had four players score in double-figures. Alyssa Hollins (21), Jessra Johnson (20), Shakara Jones (17) and Amanda Hanneman (10) all reached double-figures in scoring against the Kangaroos.
Missouri had three players tally double-figures against Murray State, Eastern Illinois, South Dakota State, Texas State and Stephen F. Austin and two players against Samford, Robert Morris, Arkansas and Mississippi Valley State.
Scott shines in loss
One bright spot for the Tigers in their overtime loss to Stephen F. Austin was the play of sophomore Marissa Scott. A fixture in the starting lineup all season, Scott entered the SFA contest as one of Mizzou's best post defenders but had yet to make much of an impact on the offensive end.
Against SFA, Scott took only four shots but made all three of her 3-point attempts to post a career high nine points to go along with eight rebounds. Scott has also been a menace on the boards of late, averaging 7.8 rpg. over a five game stretch eary in the year.
Hollins has career night
Junior Alyssa Hollins erupted for a career high 28 points in Mizzou's 69-52 win over Mississippi Valley State in the first game of the CenturyTel Tiger Tournament on Dec. 7. Hollins shot 10-of-20 from the floor on the night, hit five of her six free throw attempts and tied her career best with six rebounds in the game.
Her point output is the most scored by a Tiger this season, just besting freshman Shakara Jones' total of 27 in the season opener.
Hollins, Johnson named to all-tournament team
Junior Alyssa Hollins and sophomore Jessra Johnson were both named the the all-tournament team of the CenturyTel Tiger Tournament after two strong outings last weekend.
Hollins averaged 22.0 ppg., including a career best 28 against Mississippi Valley State, and Johnson averaged 21.0 ppg. and 10.5 rpg.
Richbow boards with the best
Entering the Texas State game with a career high five rebounds, sophomore Toy Richbow used all of her 5'6" frame to pull down 10 boards against the Bobcats. Richbow had recorded five rebounds against Eastern Illinois on Nov. 15 but the guard breezed by that mark with her numbers against Texas State. Her four offensive rebounds in the contest almost set a new career mark in their own.
Scott on rebounding roll
In the first 14 games of her Mizzou career, sophomore Marissa Scott pulled down a total of 13 rebounds. The next three games of her career was ifferent story for the forward, who has tallied 28 total rebounds against Robert Morris (11), Arkansas (nine) and Texas State (eight).
Her per game rebounding mark increased from 3.0 in the first four games of the season to 5.8 during that span.
Hollins secures win over Robert Morris
Junior guard Alyssa Hollins made a 15-foot jumper with two seconds remaining to give the Tigers a 74-73 win over Robert Morris in Mizzou's second game in the FAU Thanksgiving Tournament.
After the Tigers committed turnovers on three straight possessions that allowed the Colonials to go ahead 73-72 with seconds left, Hollins received an inbounds pass, dribbled around a defender and nailed the winning shot.
Hollins named to all-tourney team
Junior Alyssa Hollins was named to the FAU Thanksgiving Classic All-Tournament Team after averaging 16.5 points in Mizzou's two games in Boca Raton, Fla. She scored 11 points against Samford on Nov. 24 but really shined against Robert Morris, as the guard posted 22 points, including the game-winning shot.
Johnson has career night
Sophomore Jessra Johnson filled up the stat sheet in Mizzou's contest with Eastern Illinois on Nov. 15. Over the course of the game, Johnson posted 22 points and pulled down 19 rebounds both of which were career highs.
Her 19 rebounds were the most by a Tiger since Evan Unrau recorded 20 against Texas on Jan. 10, 2001. Johnson bested her previous score total of 21 set in the season opener and rebound mark of 10, which she recorded against at Stanford last season.
Shak attack Freshman
Shakara Jones stole the show in her Missouri debut with a game-high 27 points and 14 rebounds in Mizzou's win over Murray State. Jones' point total set a new Tiger mark for freshmen in their Missouri debut and was the highest total in a season opener since Julie Helms poured in 38 in 1999.
All in the family
Freshman forward Shakara Jones becomes the second member of her family to don the No. 44 jersey on the Tiger hardwood. Her father, Ron Jones, played for Mizzou under Norm Stewart from 1980-84. Known as a defensive specialist, Ron held Michael Jordan to 13 points in Missouri's 64-60 upset of North Carolina in 1982.
Injury bug hits early
Freshman guard Bekah Mills will be forced to sit out her inaugural Tiger campaign after suffering an ACL tear in her right knee at practice on Oct. 27. She looked strong in the preseason and would have challenged for the starting position.
