MU ends season with 64-60 loss
Published Feb. 28, 1997
Kansas State withstood a furious second half Missouri rally as they defeated the Tigers 64-60 in the final women's Big 12 game of the season at the Hearnes Center Wednesday.
The Tigers overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to lead 60-59, with just over a minute remaining, but they were plagued by two turnovers and gave up five Wildcat free-throws in the final minute.
"When you get down at your end and turn it over, you're not going to win," said Missouri coach Joann Rutherford.
Angie Finkes knocked down the second of two free-throws to knot the score at 60. Andria Jones hit two free-throws after a Leslie Woehrer turnover to put Kansas State up by two.
Missouri had a chance to pull even or regain the lead on their next possession, but Julie Helm, who helped bring the Tigers back all night with 13 second-half points, was stripped of the ball on a move to the middle.
"I got [the ball] on the wing and tried to get it to the hole," Helm said. "I knew we were in the bonus, but I got it stripped."
It was the combination of Helm, Woehrer and point guard Debra Williams who sparked the Tiger comeback in the second half. Woehrer came off the bench to score seven second-half points, including a crowd-rousing three pointer, to bring MU within two for the first time since the first half.
Williams, scoreless in the first half on only one shot attempt, reeled off 11 second-half points, missing only a desperation three-pointer at the end of the game. Williams kept the Kansas State defenders off balance with her darting moves to the basket. She gave the Tigers their first lead of the second half at 52-51 when she blew by her defender to convert a lay-up and a subsequent free-throw.
"If I have to [be aggressive] on offense, I'll drive to the hole and do what I do best," she said.
The two squads traded leads in the first half before the Wildcats scored 10 unanswered points in a span of two minutes to break open the game. Two free-throws by Lindsay Thornton and a three by Anne Nahrwold quelled the Kansas State charge, but the Tigers still found themselves down 35-25 at the half.
"When you get a good team like Kansas state it's tough to come back," Rutherford said.
Nahrwold and center Susan Dixon contributed seven points apiece in their final appearances as Tigers at the Hearnes Center. Dixon and Nahrwold were both part of Missouri's last Big 8 tournament winning squad.
"We're going to miss a lot of leadership [when they leave]," Helm said. "Sue's always the first one to give you a pat on the back. She tries to get the team chemistry going all the time."
The Tigers close out the regular season Saturday at Texas Tech, before going on to Kansas City to compete in the Big 12 Tournament.