Tigers beat Kansas for rare win on Sunday, end losing streak

The team avoided a late game collapse.

By Ross Taylor
Feb. 26, 2008

Kansas sophomore guard Sade Morris dribbles the ball upcourt against Missouri junior guard Alyssa Hollins' defense Sunday in Mizzou Arena. The Tigers snapped their 10-game losing streak after defeating the Jayhawks 62-59.

(Click graphic to enlarge)

Late in Sunday’s game against Kansas, the MU women’s basketball team needed free throws and rebounds in the worst way.

Entering the game, the Tigers ranked dead last in the Big 12 in both free-throw percentage and rebounding.

In the game’s last 1:25, with Missouri desperately trying to hold on to a one-point lead in one of their most complete efforts of the year, the Tigers got critical free throws and rebounds.

Up by one, junior guard Alyssa Hollins made the first of two free throws, but missed the second.

Freshman forward Shakara Jones came up with the rebound, and 20 seconds later, sophomore guard Toy Richbow drained a corner 3-pointer to give MU a five-point lead, which made them en route to a 62-59 win.

“I’m really proud of this team,” MU coach Cindy Stein said. “I felt like they’ve been battling and battling and they deserved this game.”

Missouri (9-17, 2-11 Big 12) avoided the late game collapses that have haunted them in conference play, and in the process snapping a 10-game losing streak that dates back to Jan. 12. The win also split the Border Showdown season series with Kansas (15-11, 4-9), who won the teams’ meeting in Lawrence, Kan., on Jan. 19.

“They could have given up a long time ago and they never have,” Stein said.

The game featured the Big 12’s lowest scoring teams —Kansas and Missouri entered the game averaging 61.1 and 59.4 points, respectively.

Despite the teams’ records, the game showcased two of the Big 12’s premier individual scorers — Hollins and Kansas’ Danielle McCray, both of whom entered the game in the top 10 in the Big 12 in scoring.

However, it was Missouri sophomore forward Jessra Johnson who stole the focus early, serving as the catalyst for both the offense and defense in the first half.

Johnson’s physicality presented match up problems for Kansas, as Johnson stifled Kansas’ offense inside and drove to the basket at will at the other end.

Johnson’s presence allowed for more open shots from sophomore forward Amanda Hanneman.

The 5-11 sophomore added energy from the bench and scored eight points, including two momentum-building 3-pointers.

“Personally, I just thought that if I kept attacking, then the dish out would come soon enough,” Johnson said.

But in the second half, the spotlight shifted squarely back on Hollins.

The junior guard put the Tigers on her back late in the game, exploding for 22 of her 27 points in a frenetic second half.

She accounted for 15 of Missouri’s last 18 points.

“I’ve always been streaky, so when I can get them to go down, I’m going to keep putting them up,” Hollins said.

Hollins played her first game since becoming MU’s all-time leader in 3-pointers, hitting the 144th of her career last Thursday against Nebraska to surpass Carlynn Savant, who graduated last season.

In addition, Hollins, who has been a bright spot in an otherwise dim season for MU, set a single-season record by hitting her 68th 3-point shot of the year in the same game.

Before the game, Missouri honored its lone senior, center Nicole Wilson.

Wilson is better known for her prolific four-year career with the MU volleyball team, for whom she holds three career records.

“Previously to this season, I’d never lost to KU and now I’ve only lost once officially,” Wilson said, referring to the January loss.

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Tigers beat Kansas for rare win on Sunday, end losing streak

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