Aug. 31, 2009

Columbia, Mo. - Former Missouri Tiger Matt Lawrence has signed a professional contract with the Tromso Storm out of Tromso, Norway. The 6-foot-7 guard inked the deal with the league champions of the BLNO, the premier basketball league in the country, this weekend.

"It was an interesting process, but it's exciting to have it done and I can't wait to get out there," Matt Lawrence said. "It's a great team. They won the regular season of their league and have some good players. I really enjoyed talking with the head coach. He's an American and he's been there for 23 years and loves it, so I'm excited to see it for myself. I hear it's beautiful."

Lawrence leaves St. Louis next Tuesday and will begin training immediately upon his arrival. The league is scheduled to begin play in October.

Last season the Tromso Storm won the BLNO regular season title with an 18-3 overall mark, but fell to the Ulriken Eagles in the finals of the playoffs.

Lawrence was a four year letterwinner at Mizzou and started three seasons for Head Coach Mike Anderson. A 1,000-point scorer during his Tiger tenure, the former Lafayette High School star finished his career second all-time at Missouri in three-point makes (244) and was named the Big 12 Conference's Co-Sixth Man of the Year in 2009.

Lawrence is the third Tiger to sign a professional contract after last season's 31-win campaign. DeMarre Carroll was a first round draft pick of the Memphis Grizzlies in this summer's NBA Draft, while Leo Lyons inked a deal with Israel-based Hapoel Jerusalem.

Missouri Basketball opens its 2009-10 campaign on Nov. 6 with an exhibition contest against Truman State at Mizzou Arena. Regular-season play begins on Nov. 17 against Tennessee-Martin.

For more information on Tiger Basketball, please visit our website at mutigers.com.

## MIZZOU -- THE FASTEST 40 MINUTES IN BASKETBALL ##