University of Missouri
2-0 (0-0)
Missouri State
0-2 (0-0)
@MizzouWBB Beats Missouri State, 65-61 in Home Opener
11/13/2018 10:24:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Cunningham, Smith and Aldridge score 13 of the team’s final 16 points to secure the win
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women's Basketball defeated Missouri State, 65-61, in the team's home opener on Tuesday evening at Mizzou Arena. The Tigers outscored the Lady Bears 16-12 in the final five minutes to close out the game, sinking eight free throws in the final minute. The freshman duo of forward Grace Berg (Indianola, Iowa) and guard Akira Levy (Baxter, Tenn.) combined for 23 points while shooting 53 percent from the field to lead the Tigers.
After shooting 59 percent from the field in the first half and outscoring the Lady Bears, 29-14 in the second quarter, the Tigers headed into the locker room with a 15-point lead at halftime.
Missouri State kept the game close in the second half, but Mizzou was able to close the game by going 8-for-12 from the charity stripe in the game's final minute to seal the game. Cunningham was 4-for-6 from the line in the game's final minute, while Aldridge was 3-for-4.
TURNING POINT
With six minutes left in the second quarter, the Tigers found themselves in a deficit, trailing the Bears 23-21. Mizzou then reclaimed the lead courtesy of a 12-0 run, led by Levy with six points. Mizzou ended the half on a 19-2 run, outscoring Missouri State, 29-14, in the period to open a 15-point lead at the game's intermission. Levy led the way with six points and assisted on another two baskets during the stretch, while sophomore forward Emmanuelle Tahane (Bondy, France) scored two baskets in the period's final minutes to give Mizzou its 40-25 lead.
TOP TIGERS
- With a career-high 12 points, Berg led the team in scoring in her second career game as she shot 50 percent from the field (3-for-6) and a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line.
- Levy was a steady force for the Tigers all night, scoring 11 points on on 5-for-9 shooting from the field, while also recording five rebounds and three steals.
- Senior guard Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) scored 10 points in the final five minutes, including four clutch free throws in the final 50 seconds of the game to lift her team to victory. She finished the game with 12 points and seven rebounds.
NOTES
- With her 12 points against Missouri State, Cunningham moved into sole possession of seventh place on Mizzou's all-time scoring. Cunningham now has 1,606 points in her illustrious career, and needs just 18 more points to tie Lorraine Ferret for sixth place all-time.
- Redshirt freshman guard Haley Troup (Gadsden, Ala.) scored her first collegiate points, nailing a three-pointer at the top of the key with just under nine minutes to go in the second quarter.
- Berg and Levy each reached double-digits, making them the first true freshman duo to score in double-figures in the same game since junior guard Amber Smith and junior Jordan Chavis did so against Vanderbilt on Jan. 15, 2017.
- Mizzou's defense dominated Missouri State only allowing the Bears to shoot 36.5 percent from the court. Last week, Mizzou held Western Illinois to 28.8 percent. The last time the Tigers held two consecutive teams to under 37 percent shooting came when the Tigers held Arkansas (2/12/18) to 33.9 percent (19-for-56) and Auburn (2/15/18) to 28.0 percent (21-for-75).
UP NEXT
Mizzou will continue its home stand at Mizzou Arena on Friday, Nov. 16, as Mizzou hosts Green Bay. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. (CT), and will be broadcast on SEC Network.
For all the latest on Mizzou Women's Basketball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team @MizzouWBB (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).
