Feb. 26, 2003

Box Score |  Quotes |  Notes

Norman, Okla. - The Oklahoma women's basketball team won a crucial Big 12 match up with Missouri, 74-69, on Senior Night, Wednesday at the Lloyd Noble Center. Senior Theresa Schuknecht recorded a double-double in her Sooner home finale and junior Maria Villarroel poured in a career-high 31 points as the Sooners moved into sole possession of fifth place in the Big 12 race. Oklahoma improved to 8-6 in the conference and 17-10 on the season, while Missouri dropped to 7-7 in the league and 16-11 overall.

"Beky Preston and Theresa Schuknecht got rebounds and I just ran down the court," said Villarroel. "That's how it was the whole game. My defender was too close to me, so I went to the baseline every time."

Despite trailing, 42-38, at the half and giving up a season-high 10 three pointers, the Sooners battled back to control the game from the free throw line in the final minutes of the second half. OU outscored Missouri 36 to 27 in the second half, getting 16 of those points at the charity stripe.

"It's definitely a huge win," said OU Head Coach Sherri Coale. "Missouri played well, we played well and I thought it was a great basketball game. Probably my favorite part about this is the fact that we never faltered during the first half when they could do no wrong. Every roll, every bounce they got. We couldn't get Chelsi to get the ball in the middle of the basket to save her life. Yet we never faltered and we hung in there. It was a great team effort."

Oklahoma's offense was clicking whether the game clock was running or not. The Sooners hit 44 percent (22-50) of their shots from the field and knocked down 30-36 free throws (83 percent). For only the second time this season OU failed to hit a three pointer.

Preston recorded her first career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard Dionnah Jackson collected nine points to go along with seven assists and seven rebounds.

Missouri shot 47 percent (16-34) from the floor and made seven of eight free throws. Mizzou was led offensively by Erin Unrau and Tracy Lozier who scored 17 points a piece.

"I thought we had OU's number tonight," said Missouri Head Coach Cindy Stein. "But when they're allowed to shoot 36 free throws to our eight, that's the ball game. But you have to give credit to them. I mean, OU's good with Jackson and Villarroel. Their inside kids rebounded real well and did a lot of quality things."

OU has not lost a season finale since the 1998-99 season, when ironically the Sooners fell to Missouri. Oklahoma has won the last four meetings with Missouri and heads to Oklahoma State the winners of two straight.

OU will go for the two-game series sweep of Oklahoma State as the Bedlam rivalry is set for Saturday, March 1, inside Gallagher-Iba Arena on the Stillwater campus.