University of Missouri
8-1
Saint Louis
4-7
Porter Powers No. 17 @MizzouWBB to 70-58 Victory Over Saint Louis
12/8/2017 6:39:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Mizzou has won 50 consecutive nonconference regular season home games
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women's Basketball extended its winning streak to eight games, pulling away from Saint Louis late to seize a 70-58 victory at Mizzou Arena on Friday night. The Tigers outscored the Billikens 31-17 in the final frame to secure the home win. Junior forward Cierra Porter played arguably the best game of her career to help avenge last year's loss to SLU, scoring 23 points and grabbing 18 rebounds in the win. Porter came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring the first nine Mizzou points in the frame, eventually finishing with 15 in the quarter overall. The Tigers dominated the glass as a team, outrebounding the Billikens, 42-29.
Turning Point
With Mizzou down two at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Porter took over down the stretch. The junior forward dominated on both sides of the ball, excelling in a variety of ways.
Porter started her fourth quarter surge by making a layup on a sweet dish from Amber Smith, and followed it up by taking a charge on the other end. On the next possession, Porter secured her second offensive rebound of the game to extend the possession, and eventually finished it off with another layup. Though SLU would answer with a three-point basket, Porter struck back almost immediately, hitting a turnaround jumper in the lane to cut the lead back to just one. After another defensive stand, Porter would again go to work down low, this time coming across the lane and scoring a hook shot while getting fouled. She would make the free throw.
After a basket on the other end, Porter again received the ball in the post, this time dropping a dime to Smith for an easy lay-in after SLU doubled her. To cap off the 13-7 run, of which she was responsible for nine points, Porter stepped outside, knocking down a long-range two to give Mizzou a four-point lead. The Tigers led the remainder of the game.
Top Tigers
- Junior Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) recorded her first double-double of the season, scoring 15 points and snaring 10 rebounds.
- Smith scored in double digits, chipping in 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
- Redshirt senior Jordan Frericks (Quincy, Ill.) contributed nine points and five rebounds.
- Porter finished with a season-best 23 points and a career-high 18 rebounds.
Notes
- Mizzou pushed its regular season nonconference home winning streak to 50 games with the win over SLU.
- With the win, the Tigers are now 21-1 against Saint Louis all-time.
- The win also pushes the Tigers current winning streak to eight games, their longest such streak since Nov. 13–Dec. 29, 2015, when they won 13 in a row.
- Mizzou's defense came out strong in the first frame. They held the Billikens to just eight points, the sixth time this season the Tigers have held an opponent under 10 points in a quarter. It was the second consecutive game that Mizzou accomplished the feat, as the Tigers only allowed New Orleans to score six points in the first quarter.
- The Tigers were dominant on the glass, snaring 42 rebounds to SLU's 29. It marked the third time this season that has Mizzou grabbed at least 40 rebounds in a game. The Tigers moved to 3-0 in such games.
- Cierra Porter scored a season-high 23 points and collected a career-high 18 rebounds. This game also marked the 16th time Porter has recorded a double-double in her Mizzou career.
- Sophie Cunningham registered her first double-double of the season, scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds in 40 minutes played.
- The duo became the first pair of teammates to finish with a double-double in the same game since Porter and Lindsey Cunningham accomplished the feat against SIUE last season nearly a year ago to the day (12/7/16).
- Amber Smith scored 13 points, finding double figures for the third time in her last four games. Mizzou is now 9-0 in games in which Smith scores 10 or more points in her career.
Up Next
Mizzou finishes a four-game homestand on Sunday with a matchup vs. SIU-Edwardsville. Tip off is slated for 2 p.m. CT on SEC Network Plus. Fans can purchase tickets at MUTigers.com/buytickets or by contacting the Mizzou Ticket Office via phone at 1-800-CAT-PAWS.
