Spirit can’t lift Missouri from rocky first half

It was time for one of those Rocky-inspired comebacks, according to the Missouri women’s basketball coaching staff Saturday in the game against Nebraska.

Missouri was 19 points behind at the half when fans of freshman forward Jessra Johnson were told by Tigers’ assistant coach Eric Ely to start chanting “Rocky” to boost morale.

“If I’d have known it would have been effective,” Johnson’s sister, Chastity Fisher, said, “I’d have come in saying it. Then we’d be up by 15.”

But no amount of cheering by Fisher and the rest of the fans from Johnson’s hometown of Fayette could help the Tigers (13-6, 1-5 Big 12) in their 76-66 loss.

It didn’t help that the last shot made by Nebraska (16-3, 4-1 Big 12) going into halftime was one of those at-the-buzzer 3-pointers by Kiera Hardy.

“The last shot that she hit, going in to the locker room,” Missouri senior Tiffany Brooks said, “it took a lot out of us, it pushed the lead up. Any time anybody hits a shot like that going in to the locker room you’re flat.”

Missouri shot just 31.4 percent to Nebraska’s 64.5 percent in the first half.

Missouri outscored Nebraska, 39-30, in the second half, but Missouri coach Cindy Stein said mental breakdowns in the first half created a hole the team just couldn’t claw out of.

“It’s always difficult to fight back,” Stein said. “They’re (Nebraska) very good, so it’s not like you’re playing against someone you can definitely dominate in every possession.”