Gymnastics tourney preview
This weekend’s Big 12 Championships gives No. 14 Missouri a chance for a little payback.
While the Tigers set an all-time mark with their .888 regular season winning percentage, the team only went 1-2 in conference and lost to their last two Big 12 opponents.
When nine-time all-around champion junior Sarah Shire and the Tigers hit the mats this Saturday, they do so in search of their first conference title and also to take care of some unfinished business.
Here is how Missouri fared in their conference meets and what weapons each opponent brings to this weekend’s tournament in Ames, Iowa.
Iowa State: In the 2009 season opener Missouri snatched a 195.050 to 193.175 victory over the Cyclones. Shire posted a 9.9 on the balance beam and captured the all-around title with 39.350.
The No. 24 Cyclones feature senior Jasmine Thompson who was named to the All-Big 12 floor exercise team and has hit as high as 9.9 on the floor this season.
Thompson is joined by juniors Jody McKellar and Megan Barnes to give Iowa State a trio of all-around threats. All three gymnasts have season-high all-around scores above 39.000.
Nebraska: Missouri began the season 2-0 but had their early season momentum halted when Nebraska came to Columbia on January 23. Led by junior Kylie Stone’s all-around win, the Cornhuskers took a 195.750 to 194.750 win.
As for the Tigers performance, senior Adrianne Perry tied Stone for the all-around title while freshman Mary Burke took third.
No. 12 Nebraska brings four All-Big 12 team members to the conference championship. Stone made the vault and floor squad, while senior Tricia Woo got the nod for both balance beam and floor exercise.
Oklahoma: For the Tigers, their February 20th meet in Norman had its positives and negatives.
On one hand, Missouri scored 196.000-plus for the second week and, in the process, obtained wins over Brown and West Virginia.
On the other hand, their score of 196.225 wasn’t high enough to keep up with the Sooners’ 196.375 and Missouri dropped another conference meet.
In search of their second consecutive Big 12 championship, No. 8 Oklahoma brings a conference-leading eight All-Big 12 gymnasts to Ames.
Among them are junior Hollie Vise and freshman Megan Ferguson, who both earned spots on the beam and bars. Vise is also looking to defend her Big 12 title on the bars.
While Missouri sported a below-.500 conference record, the team is now hitting on all cylinders as evidenced by their 196.425 score in last week’s upset of Oregon State.
Senior Adrianne Perry defends her Big 12 floor and all-around titles starting at 2 p.m. on Saturday as Missouri looks to be the best in the Big 12 when it really counts: the postseason.