February 10, 2010

Last Roadtrip of the Year Sends WBB to Rockhurst and Drury

SETTING THE SCENE
The University of Missouri-St. Louis women’s basketball team hits the road for one last time during the 2009-10 regular season, traveling to Rockhurst Thursday before a trip to Drury on Saturday. The Tritons are looking to snap a two-game losing skid and improve upon their 10-13 record. UMSL is also 6-8 in the GLVC are tied for second in the West Division standings with Missouri S&T.

MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
After starting the season 1-7, UMSL is 9-6 in its last 15 contests. With a current record of 10-13, the Tritons have already surpassed the win total of the past two seasons (seven). UMSL is also on the verge of its first GLVC Tournament berth since 2005-06. A win at Rockhurst Thursday would clinch a spot for the Tritons. The top three teams from each of the three divisional standings, along with three wild card teams qualify for the 12-team GLVC Tournament, on the basis of the highest percentage of conference games won in competition with other member institutions during the regular season.

SCOUTING ROCKHURST
Rockhurst is 6-16 overall, including 2-12 in the GLVC and has lost five straight. Five of the Hawks’ have come at home this season. Meghan Hurley averages 9.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.

THE HAWKS HEAD COACH
Larry Park is in his first season as head coach at Rockhurst.

THE SERIES
UMSL and Rockhurst meet for the 14th time with UMSL owning an 8-5 record in the series. The Tritons have won three straight, including the first meeting this year - a 71-51 decision in St. Louis on Jan. 30. UMSL recorded an 87-70 win in Kansas City, Mo., last year.

EARLIER THIS YEAR
UMSL 71, Rockhurst 51 (Jan 30, 2010 - St. Louis, Mo.)
Senior Kristi White filled the stat sheet with 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds leading UMSL to the win, while junior Kelly Mitchell came off the bench to add 14 points and six rebounds. Junior Kelly Carter chipped in 13 points. UMSL shot 41.7 percent from the field, including 47.6 percent from three-point range and held a 40-33 rebounding advantage, including an 18-11 edge on the offensive end.

SCOUTING DRURY
Drury enters a Thursday home contest against Maryville with an 19-6 record, including an 11-3 mark in the GLVC. The Panthers lost back-to-back road games at Northern Kentucky and Indianapolis last weekend before a 70-51 victory over Southern Indiana Tuesday night put them back in the win column. Drury is led by senior guard Lindsay Ballweg, who averages 17.3 points per game, while shooting 51 percent from the field, including 50.3 percent from three-point range. As a team, the Panthers are connecting on 50.3 percent from the floor and 45 percent from long distance.

THE PANTHERS HEAD COACH
Steve Harold is in his third season at Drury where he is 66-20.

THE SERIES
Drury has won all 13 meetings in the series with UMSL, including an 81-65 decision earlier this year in St. Louis.

EARLIER THIS YEAR
Drury 81, UMSL 65 (Jan. 28, 2009 - St. Louis, Mo.)
Drury used a 16-4 run to open the second half, turning a 45-36 halftime lead into a 59-40 advantage with 15:08 to play en route to the win. The Panthers shot 51 percent from the field and held a 35-24 rebounding advantage, including a 15-10 edge on the offensive end, and got a game-high 30 points from Lindsey Ballweg. Senior Kristi White, junior Kelly Mitchell and sophomore Hailee Deckard each scored 12 points to pace UMSL.

HEAD COACH LISA CURLISS-TAYLOR
Lisa Curliss-Taylor is in her third season as the head coach of the UMSL women’s basketball team where she owns a record of 24-54.

AN UMSL WIN AT ROCKHURST WOULD...
... send the Tritons to their first GLVC Tournament since 2005-06.
... snap a two-game losing streak.
... be the Tritons’ fourth win over Rockhurst.
... snap a three-game losing streak on the road.

LAST TIME OUT
Kentucky Wesleyan outscored UMSL 48-39 in the second half, breaking free from a 35-35 halftime tie en route to an 83-74 victory last Saturday. The Tritons outscored the Panthers 6-2 to open the second half to take a 41-37 lead before six straight Panthers points gave the host team a 43-41 lead with 16:34 to play. Then after a three-point bucket by junior Kelly Mitchell pushed the lead back UMSL’s way at 47-46, KWC scored seven unanswered for a 53-47 lead it wouldn’t relinquish. The Panthers pushed their advantage to eight twice, including 68-60 with 5:47 remaining before the Tritons got within 68-66 on a Lindsey Ransome three-pointer, but UMSL would get no closer. Sophomore Hailee Deckard led all scorers with 17 points.

BENCH GETTIN’ IT DONE
UMSL’s bench is outscoring its opponent’s bench by an average of 28.8 points to 21.1 points per game.

THREE’S THE WAY
In three years under the direction of Lisa Curliss-Taylor, the Tritons have been known for their three-point shooting. In her first season (2007-08), UMSL recorded 202 three-pointers, second most in a single season, and last year tallied 179, the fourth most in a single season. The Tritons have connected on 161 treys this year (currently the seventh best single season total), compared to their opponents’ 129.

THE WHITE STUFF
Senior Kristi White is the program’s all-time career three-point shooting leader (.411) and is also tied for fifth in three-pointers made (127), while ranking sixth all-time in career assists (285).

HOLDING THE THREE RANSOME
Senior Lindsey Ransome is also one of the program’s top three-point shooters. Ransome has drained 113 career three-pointers - the 10th best career figure in program history - and her career three-point shooting percentage of 34.6 ranks her ninth all-time in program history. Additionally, she has attempted 327 treys, the seventh most in program history.

KELLY MITCHELL CAN SHOOT THE THREE TOO!
Junior Kelly Mitchell is shooting at a 36.5 clip during her career from the three-point line, a figure that ranks as the fifth best career average.

MORE ON MITCHELL
Since missing the first seven games of the season, while recovering from an injury, Kelly Mitchell has quickly made her return to the court known. Mitchell has come off the bench to reach double figure scoring five of the last six contests, averaging 10.8 points during that stretch, and is shooting a team-best 51 percent from three-point range.

CARTER CAN
Junior Kelly Carter is second on the team in three-point shooting, connecting on 50 percent of her attempts. She is also among the team leaders in three-point makes, draining 30 - one better than the 29 she connected as a freshman and sophomore combined.

DECK THE FREE-THROW LINE
Sophomore Hailee Deckard has gone to the free-throw line 130 times this season - that’s more than twice of any other Tritons player. She has connected on 88 attempts for a 67.7 percentage. Her 88 free throws made are the fourth most by a sophomore in program history. She needs two to take over third place, 12 to move into second place and 13 to take over the top spot - currently owned by current graduate assistant coach Courtney Watts (‘05-’06).

STREAKS THAT SHINE
UMSL has had two three-game win streaks this season - the longest for the program since the 205-06 season, when the Tritons had win streaks of four and five games.

UP NEXT
UMSL closes out the regular season next weekend at home, hosting Missouri S&T Thursday night and Maryville on Saturday.
Return To Articles