University of Missouri
South Carolina
#20 @MizzouWBB Visits #2 South Carolina Sunday for Early Start
1/8/2016 6:09:00 PM | Women's Basketball
| Opponent | Location | Day/Time | Media |
|---|---|---|---|
| at #2 South Carolina | Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, S.C. | Sunday, Jan. 10, 11 a.m. CT | Game Notes: Mizzou TV: SEC Network Radio: 100.5 FM & 1580 AM Online: WatchESPN | Live Stats |
OPENING TIP
• Mizzou started the season 13-0 for the first time in program history with an unblemished run through nonconference play, passing the 1982-83 team that started 9-0 for the best in school annals. The Tigers' run came to an end on Monday evening in a 71-55 loss to No. 12 Tennessee in front of a Mizzou Arena record 7,989 fans.
• On Thursday at Georgia, Mizzou bounced back for a hard-fought 54-48 win at Stegeman Coliseum. The Tigers led by 10 points at half before relinquishing the lead during the third quarter. In the final period, the Tigers outscored the Lady Bulldogs 16-8 and held Georgia scoreless for 6:22 during a 10-0 run to regain the lead for good. Jordan Frericks and Cierra Porter both finished with 11 points. Porter grabbed eight rebounds while Frericks finished with six boards. Morgan Stock added seven first-half points in reserve action, including her 100th career 3-pointer.
• The Tigers moved up three spots to No. 20 in Monday's Associated Press Top 25 poll, the highest ranking in the poll for the program since No. 18 on Dec. 30, 1984. When the Tigers broke into the AP poll three weeks ago, it marked the first national ranking for Mizzou since Jan. 9, 2006.
• Sophie Cunningham leads the Tigers with 14.6 points to go along with 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals per contest. In just her fourth career game on Nov. 22 vs. Wake Forest, Cunningham set a new school record with 42 points, which is the second-highest single-game total in NCAA Division I this season. Cunningham broke a nearly 30-year-old record of 41 points that was established by Renee Kelly on Jan. 25, 1986 vs. Oklahoma at the Hearnes Center. She has scored 14 points in a quarter three times (1st vs. Lamar on Dec. 20, 2nd and 4th vs. Wake Forest on Nov. 22).
#ZOUNOTES
• Mizzou head coach Robin Pingeton signed a new 5-year contract through the 2019-20 season that was announced on Oct. 2. She earned her 90th victory as Tigers head coach on Dec. 20 vs. Lamar.
• The Tigers rank 10th nationally in scoring margin (+20.3) and rebounding margin (+11.6), 20th in field goal percentage (45.6), 30th in free throw percentage (74.1), 31st in scoring offense (76.6 points per game), 35th in field goal percentage defense (35.3), are tied for 38th in 3-pointers per game (7.5) and 45th in scoring defense (56.3 points per game).
• Sophie Cunningham ranks 26th in the country in field goal percentage (56.5), which is fifth nationally among NCAA freshmen. She has gone 73-for-138 from the floor and 23-for-50 (46 percent) from 3-point range.
• Although she does not meet the NCAA minimum of five made field goals per game, Cierra Porter is shooting 58.7 percent (54-for-92) from the floor, which would rank 14th nationally with 21 more field goals.
ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA...
• The No. 2 Gamecocks are the two-time defending SEC champions and advanced to last year's NCAA Final Four.
• South Carolina is a perfect 14-0 and 2-0 in SEC play. The Gamecocks have opened the conference season with victories vs. Arkansas (85-32) Jan. 3 and at Vanderbilt (71-61) Jan. 7.
• Women's Basketball Hall of Famer Dawn Staley is 169-74 (.695) in her eighth season on the South Carolina sidelines.
• Sophomore forward A'ja Wilson (Hopkins, S.C.) averages a team-leading 16.0 points per game to go along with 9.0 rebounds. Senior guard Tiffany Mitchell (Charlotte, N.C.) is scoring 14.6 points while junior center Alaina Coates (Irmo, S.C.) averages 12.9 points and a team-best 9.1 rebounds per contest.
