Big 12 tough road for Tigers

Before the Missouri women’s basketball team played Kansas State on Wednesday night, it was one loss away from being tied with Kansas for last place in the Big 12 Conference.

But with the win against the Wildcats on Wednesday and interesting conference outcomes in the past week, Missouri is now in a three-way tie for eighth.

Missouri coach Cindy Stein can share in the frustrations of many Big 12 coaches after experiencing two four-game losing streaks in conference play.

“We’ve had tough games, and that’s the Big 12,” Stein said. “You look from top to bottom, Kansas almost upsets Oklahoma tonight. That kind of stuff’s going to happen. This is the best year, from top to bottom ... any conference I’ve ever been in. I’ve been in the Big Ten, Missouri Valley, Big 12. It’s good.”

The Tigers (17-10, 5-9 Big 12) beat Kansas State 69-61, but had to overcome several late-game charges by the Wildcats (16-11, 4-10 Big 12).

Missouri hasn’t always been able to seal the win, losing by one point to Baylor and by two to Texas.

“I think that this team has formulated a little bit more grittiness to it, too,” Stein said, “and we’ve been through a lot. We’re not satisfied with where we are. We do want to go in to a roll heading into the Big 12 Tournament. We’re very focused on that.”

That roll is going to be hard to accomplish with Sunday’s game at No. 13 Oklahoma (21-4, 11-3 Big 12). The Sooners, who formerly dominated the conference, are now in a three-way tie for first place in the Big 12 with Baylor and Texas A&M.

“I don’t think they’re vulnerable,” Stein said. “I think everyone else has just gotten better. I think Oklahoma is better than they were last year. Watching them play, I think that they have a lot of kids step up and play.”

The Sooners boast All-American sophomore Courtney Paris. At 6-foot-4, Paris has been virtually unstoppable, getting her 53rd consecutive double-double against Kansas on Wednesday.

The Tigers’ best matchup against the Sooners’ force is 6-foot-3 center EeTisha Riddle.

Riddle, a senior, got her 11th double-double of the year against Kansas State, scoring 26 points. Against Texas’ All-American Tiffany Jackson, Riddle scored her career high of 31 points. She said she likes playing the best post players in the country, just to see how she stacks up.

“My mindset is attack because I watched Oklahoma play a couple times on TV, and I’m already now trying to figure out what I’m going to have to do,” Riddle said.

“Courtney Paris, she does a lot on the defensive end too, and she has such a wide body, and right now, I’m just thinking of moves to get around her.”

Stein kept the lineup tight again against the Wildcats. Although five players came off the bench, they contributed no points and only 30 minutes of play. Sophomore starter Alyssa Hollins hit a key jumper with 31 seconds left in the game to seal the win, and had 16 points for the night.

“I really like the way Alyssa has evolved as a player,” Stein said, “because I think when she started the year, she was really knocking down some great 3-point shots, and basically that’s what she was looking for.”

“As the season’s evolved, teams have respected her 3-point shot and have been putting a little more pressure on her. She’s making really good decisions penetrating and making some tough shots. She’s making really good reads on what the defense is giving her. That was a very critical shot for us.”

MILESTONES AND RECORDS: With the win against Kansas State, Stein got her 150th win while head coach at Missouri. She got her 200th career win in the second game of the season against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Stein was previously the head coach for Emporia State, where her 1997-1998 squad was the NCAA Division II Runner-up. She is in her ninth season at MU.

Senior forward Carlynn Savant is two baskets away from setting the all-time 3-point record at Missouri. Savant failed to make a 3-pointer in three attempts Wednesday night.