University of Missouri
3-1
Missouri State
1-2
Cunningham, Smith Power @MizzouWBB Past Missouri State, 69-59
11/19/2017 12:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Cunningham poured in a season-high 26 points
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women's Basketball won its third consecutive game and secured its first true road victory of the season on Sunday afternoon, downing Missouri State in Springfield, Mo., 69-59. Mizzou held Missouri State to 3-of-17 shooting in the final quarter with stifling defense and junior Sophie Cunningham recorded a team-high 26 points to fuel the win. Sophomore Amber Smith chipped in 17 points. The Tigers improved to 13-3 against in-state foes during the Robin Pingeton coaching era.
Turning Point
With Mizzou clinging to a 58-56 lead with 7:16 remaining, Mizzou turned up the heat defensively and used timely buckets to put together a game-changing 8-0 run and build a 66-56 advantage. The Lady Bears were held without a field goal for more than five minutes of game clock during the momentum swing.
Mizzou led 60-56 after a pair of free throws from junior Cierra Porter. Then redshirt junior Lauren Aldridge beat a dwindling shotclock with a tough layup in the paint to push the Mizzou lead to six. Aldridge played a team-high 37 minutes and posted six points and five assists while committing just one turnover. Another Porter bucket at the 2:35 mark gave the Tigers' their 10-point lead and Mizzou coasted to a victory over the final two minutes.
Top Tigers
- Cunningham notched a team-high 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting in just 31 minutes of action.
- Porter fell short of another double-double, scoring eight points and grabbing a team-best 12 rebounds.
- Sophomore Amber Smith matched her career-high with 17 points on 60 percent shooting from the field.
- Sophomore Jordan Roundtree played just nine minutes but scored five key points, including her second career 3-pointer.
Notes
- Mizzou has won three of its last four meetings with Missouri State and improved to 20-8 all-time against the Bears, including 8-3 in Springfield.
- Cunningham has reached at least 20 points in 22 career games, surpassing 25 points twice in four games to begin the 2017-18 campaign.
- Smith scored in double figures for the sixth time in her career. Mizzou is now 6-0 in those games.
Up Next
Mizzou travels to the Cal Classic tournament next weekend in Berkeley, Calif., for two games in two days beginning with a matchup against Coppin State on Friday at 6 p.m. CT. Mizzou then takes on either host California or Manhattan on Saturday.
