By BOB THOMPSON
of the Tribune's staff

The clothes have been unpacked, the souvenir gifts have been handed out, and the countless rolls of film have been developed. The Missouri women's basketball team's recent European excursion can only be described as "awesome" - at least that was the term most commonly used by the Tiger players after 12 days of fun and hoops across the big pond.

MU went 4-0 against teams from Belgium and the Netherlands and then spent a week touring Paris.

Although the competition wasn't exactly what they hoped for, the sightseeing certainly was.

"It was an awesome experience," junior Wannette Smith said. "We got to work on a lot of things and I really think it helped our team chemistry. What I liked most about it was just being able to hang out with my teammates. We had different roommates every time so it was fun to just hang out and take in all the sights."

The Tigers toured the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Palace of Versailles and Euro Disney. They saw many of Paris' most beautiful architectural landmarks including Notre Dame Cathedral. They spent some time in Amsterdam and Brussels and they took a boat ride on the Seine River.

"Paris was really nice - I wish we could've stayed there longer - and we all liked Amsterdam a lot," sophomore Amy Loftus said. "It's definitely a different culture over there and it takes some getting used to. They either love the Americans or don't like them at all Š But they treated us well. After one of the games, they tried to serve us wine, but the coaches didn't go for that."

While there was plenty of time to have fun, the Tigers also worked toward getting better for next season.

The Tigers won their four games by an average of 34 points, including a 105-30 thrashing of Houthalen BBC in Belgium in the finale. Although the scores were lopsided, MU coach Cindy Stein believes the team got a lot out of the trip because players such as Loftus, Tracy Lozier, and Terianne Wolford, who didn't get a lot of minutes during the regular season, got extended court time.

"It was very beneficial because all our kids got a lot of playing time and a lot of individual instruction on things that they needed to work on and really tried to implement them in the games," Stein said. "The second team we played was excellent and we really played well. The other three probably weren't at the level we wanted them to be, but at the same time, we got to work on a lot of things."

Assistant coaches Betsy Yonkman, Edith Thompson, and Tonya Warren spent some quality time getting to know their new players and seniors Tracy Franklin and Marlena Williams also made the trip, although Williams was not allowed to play because of her brief professional stint in the WNBA. It was a nice reward for an outstanding season, which resulted in a berth in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

Perhaps the only disappointment, other than a few weak opponents, was the fact that forward Melanie Fisher had to be left behind because of a passport fiasco.

Fisher, a 6-foot-2 sophomore who sat out last season after transferring from Southwest Missouri State, wasn't sure if she could even make the trip because she hadn't been released yet by SMS. Then, after finally getting cleared to play, she couldn't get her passport in time after it was sent to the wrong address and returned.

"It was definitely a disappointment, but I was excited that they went over there and did so well," Fisher said. "It could've been a depressing time for me, but I spent my time conditioning and getting ready for the season. I didn't have any choice, but to be OK with it. I wish I could've been there, but I'm sure I'll get another opportunity to go to Europe."

The Tigers now turn their attention to working hard in the weight room and the gym all summer to make sure they can capitalize on the momentum generated by the 2000-01 season and the Europe trip. Stein's squad returns seven players plus Fisher and MU will add three talented freshmen this fall.

"When we got back from the trip we gave each one of them a note card with four things we wanted them to improve on," Stein said. "If they can work hard on those four things this summer, then we'll have another successful year."

Reach Bob Thompson at (573) 815-1781 or bthompson@tribmail.com.