COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women's Basketball (13-1) opened Southeastern Conference play with a gritty road win, holding off Alabama (10-4), 62-56, on Sunday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Sophomore guard Jordan Chavis sparked Mizzou offensively with 17 points, including five clutch free throws in the final minute to stave off a Crimson Tide comeback in the fourth quarter. Defensively, the Tigers held Alabama to 28.6 percent shooting from the field and allowed just 37 points through three quarters. Since dropping its season opener, Mizzou has now won 13 consecutive games, matching the longest win streak in program history. Mizzou has won back-to-back SEC openers.

Turning Point

Trailing 17-15 early in the second quarter, Mizzou used a quick 8-0 run to catapult into the lead for good. After Chavis sank her second of four 3-pointers, redshirt junior Lauren Aldridge drained a trey of her own in transition on the next possession. Frericks followed with a deep jumper and the Tigers surged in front, 23-17.

Mizzou went on to end the frame with an exclamation point as Chavis collected a steal in the backcourt and heaved in a wild off-balance 3-pointer that beat the halftime buzzer. The trey gave the Tigers a double-digit advantage, 33-23, at the break and Mizzou led for the rest of the game.

Top Tigers

• Junior Sophie Cunningham reached double figures for the seventh consecutive game, scoring 13 points. She added five rebounds and two assists.
• Sophomore Amber Smith scored eight points and matched her season-high with six rebounds.
• Redshirt senior Jordan Frericks chipped in nine points, converting 5-of-5 free throws, and grabbed six rebounds.
• Sophomore Jordan Chavis matched her career-high with 17 points, draining four 3-pointers. Chavis has now made multiple treys in a game 14 times in her career. Mizzou is 11-3 in those contests.
• Chavis also corralled a season-best five rebounds in 33 great minutes of the bench.
• Redshirt senior forward Kayla Michael scored a season-high seven points. She made her second 3-pointer of the season in the process, converting 3-of-4 field goal attempts.

Notes

• Mizzou has won 13 consecutive games, matching the longest streak in program history. It's the third time the Tigers have won 13 games in a row in program history.
• The 13-game win streak is tied for the third longest current streak in the nation.
• Mizzou has now won three of the last four meetings against Alabama.
• Chavis' 17 points were the most since scoring 17 vs. Indiana State on Nov. 22, 2016. She has made at least three 3-pointers in a game on four different occasions so far this season.
• The Tigers improved to 12-0 on the season when holding their opponents under 60 points. Today's win was the 11th-straight game Mizzou allowed fewer than 60 points.
• Mizzou put together its best performance from the charity stripe as a team this season, making all 14 attempts at the free throw line.

Up Next

Mizzou returns home to face LSU on Thursday before hosting No. 4 South Carolina on Sunday. Tip off Thursday at Mizzou Arena is set for 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network +.