University of Missouri
Saint Louis
No. 23 @MizzouWBB Earns Fifth Straight Win in 74-62 Road Victory over SLU
12/9/2018 10:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Four Tigers score in double figures, led by Cunningham’s 18 and Smith’s 15
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women's Basketball earned its fifth consecutive victory on Sunday evening as the Tigers defeated Saint Louis, 74-62, at Chaifetz Arena. Four Tigers scored in double figures in the game, led by senior guard Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.), who scored 18 points while dishing out a season-high eight assists.
Junior guard Amber Smith (Shreveport, La.) continued her productive ways in the game, as she recorded her third consecutive double-double and sixth of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Smith's 13 boards matched a career-high, which she set one week ago at West Virginia (Dec. 2).
Sophomore forward Emmanuelle Tahane (Bondy, France) and freshman guard Akira Levy (Baxter, Tenn.) joined Cunningham and Smith in double figures with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Tahane set a career-high with her performance, while Levy matched a season-high.
TURNING POINT
Mizzou held a 12-point lead at halftime and was able to withstand a valiant Saint Louis comeback in the third quarter that shrunk Mizzou's lead to five at 49-44 heading in the fourth quarter. After Smith drained one of her game-high three triples to start the quarter, Cunningham was able to get to the free throw line on two separate occasions on back-to-back trips down the floor for Mizzou. Cunningham was successful on all four attempts at the line, and Mizzou's lead was back to nine with 8:23 remaining in the game. Saint Louis was unable to get closer than six following that point, as Mizzou outscored the Billikens, 25-18, in the final quarter.
TOP TIGERS
- Cunningham scored 18 points to lead all scorers and turned in a season-high eight assists in the victory.
- With 15 points and 13 rebounds, Smith secured her third consecutive double-double. Smith has been a focal point of Mizzou's five game winning streak, as she has averaged 17.4 points and 10.2 rebounds with four double-doubles in her last five games.
- Tahane scored a career-high 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting from the field and 3-for-4 shooting from the free throw line.
GAME NOTES
- Cunningham became the third Tiger in the last 20 years to record 18 points and eight assists in a game, as she joins Liana Doty (2014, 21 points and 10 assists) and LaToya Boyd (2004, 20 points and nine assists).
- Smith recorded her third consecutive and sixth double-double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Smith recorded just two double-doubles in her first two seasons combined.
- Mizzou posted a season-high 20 team assists in the game, led by Cunningham's eight. Smith matched a season-high with four assists, while Levy had three.
- Mizzou received a big boost from its bench, as the Tigers' reserves outscored the Billikens' reserves, 28-8. Tahane and Levy led the way for Mizzou's bench with 15 and 13 points, respectively.
UP NEXT
Mizzou will return to Mizzou Arena for its next contest, as the Tigers host South Dakota on Saturday, Dec. 15. Tipoff from Columbia is scheduled for 3 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).
