THE MATCHUP

• Coming off one of the best road wins in program history, Mizzou Women's Basketball returns home to Mizzou Arena to host Arkansas on Thursday, Jan. 10. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network +. Mizzou enters the contest on a five-game winning streak, its second of the season, and is coming off its first ever win in Knoxville, as Mizzou defeated No. 10 Tennessee, 66-64, on Sunday. It was also Mizzou's first ever road win over a top-10 ranked team in the regular season. Arkansas enters the matchup with a 12-4 record and a 1-1 mark in conference play. In the all-time series between the two schools, Arkansas holds a small advantage, 11-10. Mizzou has won the last five contests dating back to the 2015-16 season, including a 84-56 win in Fayetteville on Feb. 12, 2018, that last meeting between the Tigers and Razorbacks.

1-2 PUNCH

• Mizzou has been led all season by the dynamic duo of senior guard Sophie Cunningham and junior guard Amber Smith. Cunningham leads the team in scoring with 16.0 points per game, while Smith leads the team in rebounding at 7.7 rebounds per game. Cunningham and Smith are one of just two teammate duos to rank in the top-20 of the SEC in both scoring and rebounding, as Cunningham's 16.0 PPG ranks ninth and her 5.9 RPG ranks 19th, while Smith's 14.0 PPG ranks 16th and her 7.7 RPG ranks 11th. The only other pair of teammates in the SEC to rank in the top-20 of both categories is Mississippi State's Teaira McCowan and Anriel Howard. Cunningham has began to heat up lately, as she averaging 18.0 points per game in her last eight games which includes six games with 18+ points. Smith has carried much of the rebounding load for Mizzou, as she leads the team in rebounds with 123, 7.7 per game. Smith been a double-double machine in her junior campaign, as she has recorded six double-doubles in 16 games this season, a mark which ranks third in the SEC and 34th in the NCAA.

A HISTORIC WIN

• Mizzou recorded its first ever regular season road win over a top-10 ranked opponent on Jan. 6, as the Tigers beat the then-No. 10-ranked Tennessee Volunteers, 66-64. The Tigers were led by 20 points from senior guard Sophie Cunningham and 16 points off the bench from redshirt freshman guard Haley Troup.
• After coming up unsuccessful in its previous four trips to the Summitt, the victory was Mizzou's first ever at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville. The loss was only the 40th loss ever suffered by the Lady Vols in Thompson-Boling Arena, which opened in 1987-88.
• The win was also Mizzou's first ever road win over a top-10 ranked opponent in the regular season, and its first overall since beating No. 4 Georgia, 78-65, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 18, 2001.

HOT SHOOTING

• 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.

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 eight games, as she is averaging 18.0 points per game with six games of 18+ points.
• Getting to the free throw line has been key in Cunningham's recent scoring burst, as she has shot 87.5 percent (42-for-48) from the charity stripe in Mizzou's last eight 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.
• With 20 points, Cunningham recorded her sixth 20-point game of the season, and the 39th of her career 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 in the game.
• 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 also recorded six assists against Tennessee, marking her ninth career game of 20+ points and 5+ assists, the most by a Tiger since the 2000-01 season.

CIERRA PORTER RETURNS

• After originally medically retiring in June, senior forward Cierra Porter decided to return to the basketball court over the holiday break, first returning for Mizzou's game against Arkansas State (Dec. 30).
• Porter scored four points, grabbed two rebounds and had two steals in 11 minutes of action in her return to the court. With her four points, Porter notched the 1,000-point of her career, becoming the 36th member of Mizzou's 1,000-point club, and the fourth Tiger to reach the plateau in the last three seasons.  
• Porter's career totals are among the best in the SEC, as she  currently ranks 14th in scoring (1,007), fifth in rebounding (669) and fifth in blocks (100).
• Between 2015-18, Porter averaged 10.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while recording 98 blocks and 68 steals. Porter earned All-SEC Freshman Team honors in 2015-16 after scoring 8.6 points and grabbing 5.4 rebounds per game.
• In a stellar sophomore campaign, Porter averaged 13.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game while shooting 81.0 percent from the free throw line (141-for-174). Porter led the team in rebounds (266) and blocks (45).
• Last season, Porter helped Mizzou advance to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season after averaging 9.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game while leading the team with 31 blocks. 
• Her 266 total points in her debut season rank as the tenth-most in school history. Among program records, Porter ranks seventh all-time in free-throw percentage (.794) and career rebounding average (7.0), and ninth in free throws made in a season (141, 2016-17).

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 11 of 16 contests. As a team, Mizzou ranks leads in the SEC in three-pointers made per game, as the Tigers average 8.2 threes per game (131 total).
• Mizzou drained 10 threes in its win over No. 10 Tennessee on Jan. 6, as the Tigers shot 45.5 percent from three (10-for-22). The Tigers' mark from deep was the third-best of the season, as redshirt freshman guard Haley Troup drained four threes, while senior guard Sophie Cunningham and redshirt senior guard Lauren Aldridge each drained three.
• The Tigers drained 12 triples and shot 33.3 percent (12-for-36) from beyond the arc against South Dakota (Dec. 15). Cunningham and Aldridge led the way with four and three, respectively.
• Mizzou sank 11 threes and shot 39.3 percent from deep in a 68-51 road win over West Virginia (Dec. 2). Junior guard Amber Smith led the way with four triples, while Troup and junior guard Jordan Chavis each drained three.
• Mizzou's three-point shooting led the Tigers to its win over Duke (Nov. 25) in the consolation finals of the Gulf Coast Showcase, as Mizzou made a season-high 16 three-pointers. Mizzou's 16 triples were the most made in a game as a team since Dec. 20, 2015 when Mizzou also made 16 against Lamar. Five Tigers made threes against Duke, led by junior forward Hannah Schuchts with six.
• Five Tigers are shooting better than 30 percent from deep on the season, led by Aldridge at 42.3 percent (30-for-71). Following close behind is Cunningham at 36.9 percent (31-for-84), Schuchts at 35.1 percent (13-for-37), Troup at 34.9 percent (15-for-43) and Smith at 34.0 percent (18-for-53).

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 54.0 points in its 13 victories. Mizzou has held its opponents to 65 points or less in 14 of 16 games this season.
• Mizzou ranks third in the SEC in field goal percentage defense at 35.8 percent, and fourth in scoring defense at 56.4 points per game. The Tigers have forced 10 or more turnovers in 12 of 16 games this season, and have held their opponents to less than 40 percent from the field in 12 games.
• 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.
• Freshman forward Grace Berg recorded a team-high four steals against SIUE, becoming the first freshman to record four steals in a game since Jordan Chavis did so against Indiana State on Nov. 22, 2016. As a team, Mizzou recorded nine steals in the game, the most since having nine steals against Indiana (Dec. 17, 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.

IN PURSUIT OF WIN NO. 500

• Mizzou Head Coach Robin Pingeton will be chasing down a major coaching milestone this season, as she currently stands five wins away from 500 career victories (495-268, .649). 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 (.589) in program history, trailing only coach Mizzou Hall of Famer Joann Rutherford (.617, 422-262). Among active coaches, Pingeton's 495 career wins ranks second in the Southeastern Conference behind only Texas A&M's Gary Blair (773 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.