Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Missouri
Cowgirls Run Past Missouri In Big 12 Opener, 73-57
January 06, 2002 | Cowgirl Basketball
Jan. 6, 2002
STILLWATER, Okla. - Oklahoma State's women's basketball team used a sharp-shooting second half to defeat Missouri 73-57 on Sunday before 1,548 fans at Gallagher-Iba Arena in the conference opener for both schools.
OSU (9-5 overall and 1-0 Big 12) overcame a 12-point second-half deficit by shooting 68.4 (13-of-19) percent in the period. Sophomore Trisha Skibbe, who finished with a career-high 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting, scored 15 in the stanza, while junior Thia Willis came off the bench to score 12 points and grab a team-best six rebounds.
The Cowgirls opened the game with an 11-0 run before Missouri (9-3, 0-1) came storming back. Behind Kerensa Barr's 11 points, the Tigers outscored OSU 32-16 over the final 15 minutes of the half to take a five-point advantage at the intermission.
Mizzou built the lead to 12 points on a jumper by Barr at the 13:47 mark in the second half before the Cowgirls went on a 17-2 run to take the lead for good.
Skibbe hit a three-point basket from the top of the key to knot the score at 46 before Willis drilled a long three on OSU's next possession to give the Cowgirls a 49-46 advantage.
After an Evan Unrau layup pulled Missouri back within one, Willis drained another three and recorded a steal and a layup to push the lead to six at 56-50.
The Tigers finished the game shooting 36.4 (24-of-66) percent from the floor, including a 5-of-24 effort from the three-point arc, after being held to 28.9 (11-of-38) percent in the second half.
Senior Tari Cummings had her second 20-point outing in three games for OSU, finishing the contest with 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting and an 8-for-8 performance at the line.
The Cowgirls will return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Norman to take on the Oklahoma Sooners at 7 p.m.
