Which Tigers team is it?
By Jeff Stoffey
At times this season, the Missouri women’s basketball team has looked abysmal. But at other times they have competed with some of the best teams in the country.
The past week is a perfect example. The Tigers tied a school record by scoring a meager 33 points against a Kansas State team in the middle of the pack of the Big 12. Then, the Tigers went on to play an undefeated Nebraska team. With three minutes left against the No. 3 Huskers, it appeared Missouri would make history again, but in a good way. Missouri was playing its best game of the year and led by six points at that point.
Despite playing with a lot of confidence for the first 37 minutes, everything fell apart for the Tigers in the final three. Not only did the Tigers not score in the final 3:15, but they also turned the ball over on their final five possessions. This led to a heartbreaking 82-78 defeat at Mizzou Arena. This was yet another frustrating loss for Missouri coach Cindy Steins’ team.
The frustration has to be building for Stein because of the flashes of brilliance her team has shown at times. The Tigers beat No. 18 Baylor earlier in the season and nearly knocked off No. 11 Oklahoma. However, the Tigers then went into offensive futility against No.13 Iowa State (39 points) and at Kansas State (33 points).
So, which Tigers team is it? That is difficult to say. Missouri is a few plays away from having at least three or four wins in Big 12 play. Instead, the Tigers have just one win in conference play. Here are a few thoughts about the season thus far.
- Where would the Tigers be with one more playmaker? One major problem with this team is that they don’t have one player that can take over a game. That was evident late in the Huskers game. Where would the Tigers be with Texas A&M leading scorer Danielle Adams, who was originally a Missouri recruit? I bet Stein wonders as well.
- Controlling the ball late in games. The Tigers have done a nice job taking care of the ball most of the season. However, the Tigers five turnovers on their final five possessions shows why the Tigers are 1-10 in conference play.
- How can the Tigers score only 33 points? That is tough to do. While listening to the radio broadcast, it was obvious the Tigers had their chances. Stein pointed out that her team has been getting good looks at the basket, but the shots just aren’t falling. In games against Iowa State and Kansas State, the Tigers scored only four points in the first 11 minutes in each game. That is also tough to do.
- The Tigers continue to stay positive. Even with the bad luck, the Tigers have been surprisingly upbeat during their current losing spell. After the heartbreaking loss against the Huskers, some of the players could be seen smiling at a postgame press conference. Stein continues to give positive answers after the games. How long can they stay positive?
- Will the Tigers win another game this season? Well, that depends on which team shows up to play. The Tigers have lost 11 of their last 12 games. However, home games against Colorado and Texas Tech remain. The Tigers should be able to sneak at least one win out of those games.
