Jan. 5, 2003

Final Stats

Columbia, Mo. - The Saint Louis University women's basketball team saw a late rally fall short in a 72-62 loss to the Missouri Tigers in Columbia on Sunday. MU's Tracy Lozier, who was scoreless in the first half, poured in 17 points after intermission to boost the Tigers. The Billikens trailed by four with 2:22 to play and Angie Lewis stole the ball on the sideline. However, she was unable to find a teammate and MU recovered. Lozier hit two free throws to put the Tigers up 66-60. The Billikens missed on their next trip. The teams traded turnovers and Harmonie King made a short jumper to pull the Billikens to 66-62 with 33 seconds to play. However, the Tigers hit six free throws in the final 26 seconds to hold on.

Both teams started the game shooting well from the field. The Billikens hit their first three shots from the field, including treys by Harmonie King and Star Jackson, to grab an early 8-4 lead. Missouri hit four of its first five shots and tied the game at 8-8. The Tigers took a 14-12 lead, but King nailed two straight 3-pointers and took an 18-14 lead at the 12:21 mark. The game stayed close throughout the first half, and MU retook the lead at 25-24. But, the Billikens answered with an 8-0 run. King hit a short runner, and Melissa Oliver followed with a drive and layup. Jana Haywood hit a jumper, while Kirsti Holloway closed out the run. The Billikens took the biggest lead of the half at 33-25, but MU hit a trey to end the half with SLU leading 33-28.

Missoui opened the second half with a 6-0 run to take a one-point lead at 34-33. The teams traded baskets but SLU took a 42-38 lead on King's fourth trey of the game. Kerensa Barr answered for MU at 42-41 with 13 minutes to play. Barr then gave MU the lead with another trey 44-42. Jackson drove the land and finished a three-point play to boost the Bills to a 45-44 lead with 12:30 remaining in the game. Tracy Lozier scored for Missouri as the Tigers assumed the lead 46-45 with 11:43 to play. A Billiken defender fell down and Lozier hit a wide-open trey for a 49-45 lead. Jones had a transition layup to end the MU run. But Lozier hit another from the arc as MU took a 52-47 lead with 9:02 to play. Haywood had a baseline drive for a layup as the Billikens edged to 52-49 with 7:55 remaining in the game.

The teams traded baskets, but Lozier drilled another from deep for a 57-51 MU lead. The Tigers led 58-53, but Jackson hit a trey to pull SLU to 58-56 with 4:50 to play. Melanie Fischer hit two free throws for her first points of the game for Missouri, but Jones had an easy layup after a nice feed from King. MU scored on its next two trips for a 64-58 lead, but Haywood hit two free throws to trim the lead to 64-60 to play.

Hamonie King poured in a season-high 18 points, on four 3-pointers. Star Jackson scored 11 points, and Jana Haywood and LaKia Jones both tallied 10. Evan Unrau paced the Tigers with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

The Billikens fall to 9-5 on the season, while Missouri is 6-5.