Newcomers lead MU to opening-game win
MU beat Murray State with standouts from Shakara Jones and Jessra Johnson.
Published Nov. 13, 2007
With the Missouri offense struggling early, freshman forward Shakara Jones and sophomore forward Jessra Johnson had their first career starts, guiding Missouri to a 73-64 win against the Murray State Racers on Friday at Mizzou Arena.
Jones dazzled in her collegiate debut, recording a double-double with 27 points and 14 rebounds. Johnson, in her first start after seeing playing time off the bench last season, contributed 21 points and 8 rebounds.
"The team went to work," Jones said. "I just contributed."
In the first half alone, the two combined for 22 points and nine rebounds to help the Tigers overcome a sluggish start.
Junior guard Alyssa Hollins, the team's only returning starter, shot 1-for-10 from the field in the first twenty minutes.
"If those two can keep having those kinds of numbers, a lot of worries are going to go away," coach Cindy Stein said.
Missouri (1-0) struggled early, failing to connect on jump shots and having trouble defending their own basket. Murray State (0-1) raced out to a 19-10 lead before MU upped the tempo and responded for six consecutive points to cut the lead to three.
"We still have got to take care of the ball down the stretch," Stein said. "We got a little sloppy."
Missouri's defense was prone to being exploited by solid ball movement by Murray State, resulting in several open looks for the Racers. Murray State finished more than 47 percent from 3-point range.
Both Stein and Murray State coach Jody Adams spoke afterward about Missouri's distinct size advantage over the Racers. Missouri dominated inside on the offensive end, scoring 44 of its 73 points in the paint.
"It's tough to emulate the size of Missouri and that type of caliber student-athlete coach Stein recruits," Adams said. "We knew our weakness was in the post, and that's where they went at us.
They did what they should have done — they exploited us."
Yet Adams' team had a distinct advantage in scouting, as former MU player and assistant Kerensa Barr joined her coaching staff prior to this season.
Barr holds the MU record for career assists (489), and is second all-time in steals (242) and free throw percentage (.812).
"It was a little stressful trying to figure out how I was going to prepare because do you change your calls because she knows them all?" Stein said. "She was one of those point guards we had where she would call the play before I actually told her. We were always on the same page."
But Adams said she thinks Barr did the right thing.
"I know it was tough for her to leave her alma mater," Adams said.
"I think she's great — the kids love her. She's infectious — the kids cling to her."
But, in the end, despite the return of Barr, the night belonged to Jones, who performed well despite the pressures of making the transition to the next level.
"It's a different type of game," Jones said. "It's faster paced, and mentally, you have to be on every point."