THE MATCHUP

• Mizzou Women's Basketball (15-6, 4-3 SEC) returns home to Mizzou Arena to host the Auburn Tigers  (15-4, 3-2 SEC) on Sunday, Jan. 27 for Mizzou's We Back Pat Game, remembering legendary Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt. Tipoff from Mizzou Arena is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT with a broadcast on SEC Network + with Ben Arnet and Jarrett Sutton on the call. Mizzou is coming off a 51-42 loss to No. 15 Kentucky (Jan. 24) in its last contest, while Auburn fell to No. 24 Texas A&M, 69-67, on Thursday. Mizzou has won the last two meetings between the two schools, and leads the all-time series between the two schools, 6-4. At Mizzou Arena, Mizzou is a perfect 3-0 against the Auburn Tigers.

HEATING UP IN SEC PLAY

• Mizzou has played some of its best strech of basketball through the first seven games of SEC play, as the Tiger rank in the top three of 10 different statistical categories in conference games. Through seven SEC games, Mizzou ranks, first in three-point field goal percentage (.431), first in scoring defense (56.6), second in field goal percentage (.474), second in field goal percentage defense (.354), second in assists per game (14.4), third in scoring margin (+6.0), third in rebounding defense (32.4), third in assist-turnover ratio (0.9), third in three-point field goals made per game (7.6) and third in defensive rebounds (25.9).

CUNNINGHAM HEATING UP

• Mizzou's leading scorer for each of the last three seasons - senior guard Sophie Cunningham - has enjoyed a hot stretch over her last 12 games, as she is averaging 17.1 points per game with eight games of 18+ points.
• Getting to the free throw line has been key in Cunningham's recent scoring burst, as she has shot 88.3 percent (53-for-60) from the charity stripe in Mizzou's last 12 games, including a 16-for-18 performance against Arkansas (Dec. 30). Cunningham's 16 made free throws were the second-most ever by a Tiger, and the most since Kerensa Barr set the school record of 17 against Colorado on Jan. 24, 1987.
• The Tiger senior reached 20 points of the eighth time this season and the 41st time in her career with 24 points against South Carolina (Jan. 21). Cunningham also matched a season-high with four triples.
• Cunningham posted her 40th career 20-point game against Georgia (Jan. 17), as she led the Tigers in points (23), rebounds (eight) and steals (five). Cunningham's five steals were a career-high, besting her three steals which she recorded multiple times. With her 23 points, eight rebounds and five steals, Cunningham is just the third Tiger in the last 21 seasons to record such a stat line, joining Jordan Frericks (27 points, 17 rebounds, six steals at Bradley, 12-6-14) and Christine Flores (25 points, 14 rebounds, five steals vs. Eastern Illinois, 12-7-11).  
• With 20 points, Cunningham recorded her sixth 20-point game of the season against the Lady Volunteers on Jan. 6. The Tiger senior also recorded six rebounds and six assists in the game and was 5-for-6 from the free throw line.
• Cunningham scored a team-high 24 points in Mizzou's win over UMKC (Dec. 6), and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe.
• Cunningham recorded her 10th career double-double against South Dakota (Dec. 15), as she scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
• The Tiger senior recorded her 37th and 38th 20-point games against Texas State (Dec. 17) and Arkansas State (Dec. 30) as she scored 20 points in both games. 
• Cunningham has recorded two games of 20+ points and 5+ assists this season, giving her nine for her career, giving her nine of her career, the most by a Tiger since the 2000-01 season.

NEARING 500

• Mizzou Head Coach Robin Pingeton will be chasing down a major coaching milestone this season, as she currently stands three wins away from 500 career victories (497-271, .647). Earlier this season, Pingeton registered win No. 150 as Mizzou's head coach in a 59-36 win over SIU Edwardsville on Nov. 19. In her ninth season, Pingeton ranks second in winning percentage (.587) in program history, trailing only coach Mizzou Hall of Famer Joann Rutherford (.617, 422-262). Among active coaches, Pingeton's 497 career wins ranks second in the Southeastern Conference behind only Texas A&M's Gary Blair (779 wins) and 32nd overall among D-I head coaches. After an outstanding 2017-18 season, Pingeton was a top-10 finalist for both the Naismith National Coach of the Year Award and the WBCA National Coach of the Year Award.
• In 2017-18, Pingeton led Mizzou to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season for the first time since 1984-86. Mizzou earned a No. 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament, its highest seed in a 64-team tournament in program history and its highest seed overall since grabbing a 4-seed in the 32 team 1984 NCAA Tournament.
• Pingeton steered Mizzou to 24 wins for the first time since 1983-84. That marked the fifth-most wins in a campaign in program history. The Tigers now have at least 22 wins in three straight seasons for the first time since 1982-85.
• With Pingeton at the helm, Mizzou is one of just 15 Power 5 programs with at least 22 wins and an NCAA Tournament appearance in each of the last three seasons.

STIFLING DEFENSE

• A trademark of head coach Robin Pingeton-led team's, Mizzou has been suffocating on the defensive end this season, as it has held its opponents to 52.7 points in its 15 victories. Mizzou has held its opponents to 65 points or less in 18 of 21 games this season.
• Mizzou ranks second in the SEC in field goal percentage defense at 35.8 percent and third in scoring defense at 56.1 points per game. The Tigers have forced 10 or more turnovers in 16 of 21 games this season, and have held their opponents to less than 40 percent from the field in 145games.
• In Mizzou's 61-35 win over Georgia, the 35 points Mizzou allowed was the fewest points ever scored against Mizzou in a conference game. It was the fewest points allowed by the Tigers since Nebraska scored 35 during the 2016-17 season (11/14/16), and was the Bulldogs' lowest total since they were held to just 26 against Auburn during the 2014-15 season (2/22/15). The previous low Mizzou held a conference opponent to was 36 against Iowa State on Jan. 28, 1977.
• The Tigers held Illinois to 45 points on Dec. 21, the second-lowest point total Mizzou has allowed this season. Mizzou was able to keep the Illini to a smouldering 14.3 percent shooting from the three-point line (2-for-14).
• Mizzou recorded a season-high 11 steals in a 69-50 victory over Texas State on Dec. 17. Senior guard Sophie Cunningham and junior guard Jordan Roundtree led the way with three steals each, while the Tigers held the Bobcats to 37.3 percent shooting from the field and 19.2 percent shooting from three.
• In Mizzou's 68-51 road win over No. 21 West Virginia, Mizzou's defense held the Mountaineers to 34.8 points below its season average as the Mountaineers scored 51 points on Sunday. West Virginia entered the game averaging 85.8 points. The Tigers were also able to hold West Virginia to season lows in field goal percentage (27.9 percent), three-point percentage (27.8 percent), field goals (17) and three-pointers (five). Junior guard Amber Smith, redshirt junior forward Hannah Schuchts and redshirt freshman guard Haley Troup all set career highs in rebounds with 13, nine and six, respectively, as Mizzou outrebounded West Virginia, 42-34. Smith also contributed a team-high three blocks in the game.
• Mizzou held SIUE to 36 points on Nov. 19, the lowest point total Mizzou has given up since allowing 35 points to Nebraska on Nov. 14, 2016. The Tigers held the Cougars to 27.8 percent shooting from the field (15-for-54), the lowest field goal percentage Mizzou has allowed since last season when SIUE shot 25.8 percent (16-for-52) on Dec. 10, 2017.
• Mizzou held Qunnipiac (Nov. 24) to a season-low 21.4 percent shooting from the field as the Bobcats were only successful on 15-for-70 shooting from the field.

HOT SHOOTING

• Mizzou has shot 40 percent or better from the field in eight of its last nine games, and currently leads the SEC in three-point field goal percentage (43.1 percent)  and ranks second in field goal percentage (48.6 percent) and in conference games. In all games, Mizzou ranks third in both categories (.438 FG%, .347 3PT%).
• Mizzou shot 51.9 percent from the field (27-for-52) in its win against Arkansas on Jan. 10, its third game shooting 50 percent or better from the field this season. 
• In Mizzou's SEC-opening win over Ole Miss on Jan. 3, the Tigers recorded its best shooting night from the field in over 30 years.  MIzzou shot a blistering 65.9 percent (27-for-41) from the field and 60 percent (9-for-15) from the three-point arc in a 78-55 win over the Rebels.
• Junior guard Amber Smith paced the Tigers in the victory, as she scored 18 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field and 2-for-2 shooting from three. Three Tigers recorded perfect shooting nights from the field, led by senior guard Sophie Cunningham, who was 4-for-4 from the field and 3-for-3 from the three-point range. Freshman forward Grace Berg shot 3-for-3 from the field in the game, while senior forward Cierra Porter was 2-for-2.
• Mizzou's shooting performance from the field was its highest field goal percentage recorded since shooting 66.7 percent from the field (44-for-66) against North Texas on Dec. 11, 1987. It also marked the highest field goal percentage mark in league play since Mizzou shot 66.7 percent from the field (34-for-51) against Kansas State on Feb. 5, 1985.
• The Tigers 60 percent success rate from deep (9-for-15) was its best shooting night from three since shooting 61.5 percent (8-for-13) against South Carolina on Jan. 7, 2018.
• Since the 1977-78 season (41 seasons), Mizzou has shot better than 60 percent from the field just 23 times, with four occurrences (17.4 percent) happening under head coach Robin Pingeton.

LETHAL FROM THREE

• Mizzou has been lethal from beyond the three-point arc this season, as the Tigers have made seven or more three-pointers in 15 of 21 contests. As a team, Mizzou ranks second in the SEC in three-pointers made per game, as the Tigers average 7.9 threes per game (165 total). Among conference contests, Mizzou also ranks first in three-point field goal percentage (.431) and third in three-pointers made per game (7.6).
• Five Tigers are shooting better than 30 percent from deep on the season, led by redshirt senior guard Lauren Aldridge at 42.4 percent (36-for-85). Following close behind is senior guard Sophie Cunningham at 39.0 percent (41-for-105),  junior guard Amber Smith at 34.8 percent (23-for-66), redshirt junior forward Hannah Schuchts at 34.1 percent (14-for-41) and redshirt freshman guard Haley Troup at 34.5 percent (19-for-55).