Women's basketball loses third in a row
Published Feb. 9, 2007
In the Big 12 season, the Missouri women's basketball team has found itself down by seemingly insurmountable margins but has still rallied. It came back from down 24 to Nebraska and 21 Wednesday night against the No. 16 Texas A&M Aggies.
But on both occasions, once MU made up most or all of the lead, it ran out of gas. The Tigers (14-9, 2-8 Big 12) turned a 21-point halftime deficit to the Aggies into a two-point lead in just 14 minutes, but once they got over the hill, they fell back and lost their third game in a row, 69-63.
Texas A&M sophomore Takia Starks had 16 of her 21 points in the first half as the Aggies (18-4, 8-2) staked themselves to a huge lead thanks to a 16-0 run in the middle of the first half.
MU coach Cindy Stein said falling behind by so much was demoralizing.
"It really took a lot out of us," she said. "It took too long for us to adjust to them."
In the second half, the Tigers rallied quickly and eliminated the whole deficit with a 25-4 run capped off by sophomore guard Alyssa Hollins' jumper with 6:01 left to put MU ahead by two.
"We came out in the second half and started to get momentum and that carried us," Hollins said. "It made us work harder."
But from that point on, the Tigers couldn't sustain their lead against a Top 20 team. They missed several close-range shots, and in three minutes, the Aggies had a seven-point lead. Senior guard Tiffany Brooks said the Tigers were worn out.
"We had to use a lot of energy to get back in the game," she said. "It takes so much out of you."
Aggies junior guard A'Quonesia Franklin said her team didn't panic as their lead dwindled.
"We didn't want to get down on ourselves," she said. "We knew if we could get one defensive stop, we could turn the tables on them and we did."
Texas A&M coach Gary Blair said his team's 10 breakaway points were critical to the Aggies pulling out the win.
"Look at those breakaways," he said. "That's the key to the game. When you can get 10 points like that, you feel fortunate."
Brooks led the Tigers with 22 points in 38 minutes, including 13 in the second half. Senior center EeTisha Riddle added 16 points, and Hollins added 11.
The loss is Missouri's seventh in eight games, something that Aggies coach and impartial observer Blair can't seem to believe.
"Why (the Tigers) aren't winning I don't know," he said. "If they'd have won here, they might have won out."
Stein said she still has confidence in her team, despite the fact that earning a second bid to the NCAA Tournament in as many seasons now hinges on them winning next month's Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City.
"I won't give up on this team," she said. "I won't quit. I want to win the rest of these games."
But Stein said she is beginning to get stressed by the losses: "I lose five pounds with every loss, I think."