COLORADO COLLECTS ANOTHER CONFERENCE VICTORY

Sunday, January 18

Boulder, Colo.

2 p.m.

Colorado

14-2, 3-1

Missouri

9-6, 0-4

Team	1	2	F
Missouri	30	24	54
Colorado	41	30	71

January 18, 2004 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Associated Press

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - Tera Bjorklund overcame a hyperextended right knee and scored 21 points to help No. 15 Colorado to a 71-54 victory over Missouri on Sunday.

Kate Fagan added 16 points for Colorado (14-2, 3-1 Big 12), which beat Missouri at home for the 14th straight time. Bjorklund missed eight minutes in the first half after injuring her knee.

“I did not have to tell them too much,” head coach Ceal Barry said, on rallying her troops after Bjorklund went down. “They are smart enough to know that they all have to pick it up. They knew that she may not comeback, so everybody had to play with some more edge.”

Colorado native Evan Unrau had 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead Missouri (9-6, 0-4).

The Buffaloes led 41-30 at the break, but failed to score a field goal in the first 5:30 of the second. The Tigers took advantage and closed within four points.

Fagan hit a 3-pointer from the right baseline, pushing the Buffs' lead to seven.

“We went on a little five minute spree (in the second half) where we didn't take care of the ball well,” Barry said. “We let them back in the game, and then Kate (Fagan) hit a big 3.

From that point on, the Buffs had no trouble closing out the victory ? their second consecutive of the conference season, but first at home after dropping the conference opener to Kansas State last weekend in Boulder.

Jasmini Ilic made her debut with the Buffs playing the final three minutes of the game. Illic, a native of Serbia who joined the team on Dec. 29, had three points and a rebound in her initial appearance with the Buffs.

Colorado now turns its attention to Wednesday's match-up against Texas A&M. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Coors Events Center.