LEXINGTON, Ky. – Mizzou Women's Basketball fell to No. 24 Kentucky, 64-62, on Thursday night at Memorial Coliseum. The Wildcats used a second quarter run to push in front and held on for the victory despite a furious fourth quarter Mizzou comeback. Mizzou drops to 11-5 overall and 1-1 in Southeastern Conference play.
Senior Sierra Michaelis (Mercer, Mo.) led Mizzou with 22 points behind four three-pointers. She added seven rebounds. Michaelis has posted back-to-back 20-point performances to open SEC action and has reached 20 points in a game four times this season. Michaelis is averaging 21.0 points per contest through two conference games.
Sophomore Cierra Porter (Columbia, Mo.) continued her strong play in the paint, notching seven points and 10 rebounds. She has now recorded at least 10 rebounds in five of the last seven games.
Sophomore Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) added 16 points and five rebounds while freshman Amber Smith (Shreveport, La.) chipped in eight points in 14 efficient minutes off the bench. Smith matched her season-high with two triples on Thursday.
Mizzou got off to strong start in the opening quarter on both ends of the floor. The Tigers held Kentucky to just eight points in the first frame and have now held opponents under 10 points in a quarter 10 different times this season. Mizzou finished the quarter on a 13-2 run and led 15-8 after 10 minutes of play.
Kentucky roared back in the second quarter and surged in front by double digits behind six three-pointers. Smith drained a corner trey for the Tigers to beat the buzzer but the Wildcats took a 34-21 lead into halftime.
After an even third frame, Michaelis caught fire and steered Mizzou to a gritty fourth quarter comeback. The senior guard poured in 18 of her team-high 22 points in the final 20 minutes. Following a pair of threes from Sophie and senior Lindsey Cunningham (Columbia, Mo), Michaelis sunk one of her own to cut the deficit to 60-51 with 1:41 remaining.
Mizzou turned up the pressure defensively and forced back-to-back Wildcat turnovers. Both turnovers led to a pair of free throws for Sophie Cunningham and another triple for Michaelis as the Tigers clawed back to within four with 1:15 left.
After a three-point play by Kentucky's Evelyn Akhator gave the Wildcats a seven-point lead, Mizzou forced two more turnovers that resulted in a pair of buckets. Kentucky held a 63-60 edge with nine seconds left and managed to hold off Mizzou's comeback attempt with a clutch free throw.
Mizzou now returns home to face Alabama on Sunday at Mizzou Arena. Tip off is set for 2 p.m. CT on SEC Network Plus.
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