Mizzou Women's Basketball Heads to South Dakota for Thursday Matchup

Thursday, November 21

Vermillion, S.D.

7:00 P.M. CT

University of Missouri

South Dakota

Mizzou Women's Basketball Heads to South Dakota for Thursday Matchup

11/20/2019 11:03:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Mizzou and South Dakota to tipoff at 7 p.m. CT in Vermillion

Mizzou at South Dakota
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	TV	LISTEN	STATS	GAME NOTES
South Dakota	Vermillion, S.D.	Thursday, Nov. 21	7 p.m. CT	GoYotes.com	KTGR	Stats	Notes

THE MATCHUP

Mizzou Women's Basketball embarks on its second consecutive road trip, as the Tigers head to Vermillion, S.D., for a matchup with the South Dakota Coyotes on Thursday, Nov. 21. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. CT, with a live stream of the contest on GoYotes.com. After opening the season with a 97-89 overtime victory over Western Illinois on Nov. 5, the Tigers have dropped three consecutive games against Nebraska (90-85 OT on Nov. 10), Northern Iowa (78-73 on Nov. 13) and at Green Bay (72-64 on Nov. 16). It is Mizzou's first 1-3 start since the 2008-09 season.

THE SERIES

Thursday's matchup will be the third all-time game between the two programs, as the all-time series is currently tied at one game a piece. Last season, South Dakota defeated Mizzou, 74-61, on Dec. 15, 2018 at Mizzou Arena. The Tigers lone win in the series came on March 9, 1979 in the AIAW Region VI Championships, as the Tigers won 96-64 in Manhattan, Kan.

FAST START FOR SMITH

Senior guard Amber Smith has become Mizzou's go-to scorer in her senior campaign, as she has opened the season with a monster stat line of 19.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game. Against Green Bay (Nov. 16), Smith became the 37th member of Mizzou's 1,000-point club, and just the 25th player in program history to score 1,000 points and grab 500 rebounds. She recorded her 11th and 12th career double-doubles against Western Illinois (Nov. 5) and Nebraska (Nov. 10). Her 27-point, 15-rebound performance against WIU was just the 18th game of 27+ points and 15+ rebounds in program history. In the preseason, Smith was named to the Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List, and was tabbed as an All-SEC Preseason First Team selection by the league's coaches for her efforts in the Black & Gold. Mizzou is an impressive 31-12 in Smith's career when she scores in double figures.

DEEP THREAT SCHUCHTS

Mizzou senior forward Hannah Schuchts has continued her remarkable success from beyond the three-point arc for Mizzou, as she has connected on 66.7 percent (8-of-12) of her shots from three this season, a mark which ranks first in the SEC and second nationally.
Her success this season has raised her career three-point percentage from 37.7 percent (prior to season) to 40.5 percent, which ranks second all-time in program history, trailing only Lindsey Cunningham's mark of 40.6 percent.
Schuchts is the Mizzou first player since Alyssa Hollins (2006-07) to record a 66.7 percent mark from three in Mizzou's first four games while making at least eight threes (12-of-18, 66.7 percent).

1K FOR SMITH

Senior guard Amber Smith reached a career milestone against Green Bay (Nov. 16), as she became the 37th Tiger to join the 1,000-point club, and just the 25th player in program history to record 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. Smith recorded her 500th career rebound in the NCAA Tournament Second Round vs. Iowa (March 24).
With the departure of Mizzou's all-time leading scorer, Sophie Cunningham, the Tigers will look to lean on senior Smith in 2019-20. Smith was selected to the Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List and was tabbed a Preseason All-SEC First Team selection by the league's coaches after starting all 35 games in 2018-19 while averaging 12.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 28.5 minutes per game. Smith posted impressive shooting marks as well, as she shot 44.9 percent (169-for-376) from the field and 36.8 percent (39-for-106) from three.
The versatile Tiger led Mizzou in rebounds (243), rebound average (6.9) and double-doubles (eight) in 2018-19, while setting career highs in assists (76), blocks (28) and steals (31).
Good things seem to happen when Smith plays well, as Mizzou is 31-12 in her career when she scores in double figures.

THREE-POINT SPECIALISTS

One thing that will not change from past seasons is Mizzou's ability to connect from deep range. Seniors Jordan Chavis, Hannah Schuchts and Amber Smith, along with redshirt sophomore Haley Troup all have the capability to stretch the floor and drain the three-ball for the Tigers.
Schuchts has connected on 66.7 percent (8-of-12) of her shots from three this season, a mark which ranks first in the SEC and second nationally. Her success this season has raised her career three-point percentage from 37.7 percent (prior to season) to 40.5 percent (51-of-126), which ranks second all-time in program history, trailing only Lindsey Cunningham's mark of 40.6 percent.
Schuchts' career night against Duke (11/25/18) at the Gulf Coast Showcase set a program single-game record, as her 6-for-6 mark from deep was the most made threes in a game without a miss in program history. Schuchts joined Tracy Lozier (5-for-5, at Northern Iowa, 12/11/12) and Lindsey Cunningham (5-for-5, vs. Arkansas, 2/12/17) as the only players in program history to record a perfect mark from three when making at least five triples.
Smith's career three-point percentage of 37.0 percent (101-of-273) ranks ninth all-time at Mizzou.
Chavis and Smith will look to join Mizzou's top-10 all-time in threes made this season, as they rank 12th and 14th with 102 and 101 career threes, respectively.
Troup's debut season in the Black & Gold (2018-19) was among the best in terms of three-point shooting from Mizzou freshmen, as she ranked sixth all-time in threes made (30) and seventh in three-point percentage (.361) among Mizzou freshmen.
In 2018-19, Mizzou matched a program record for most threes made in as season, as their 292 tied a program record with the 2013-14 squad. The team's 36.0 percent success rate from deep also ranked fourth all-time in program history.

FRESHMEN STAND OUTS

Mizzou freshmen Aijha Blackwell and Hayley Frank have each posted impressive performances early on in the season, solidifying their top-30 ranks in the 2019 recruiting class.
Blackwell was among good company in her second career collegiate game, as she scored 21 points with four rebounds and four assists against Nebraska (Nov. 10). With her 21 points, Blackwell recorded the most points by a Mizzou freshman since Sophie Cunningham scored 23 against Texas in the 2016 NCAA Tournament (3/21/16).
Frank has posted back-to-back impressive marks in Mizzou's most recent games. Against Northern Iowa (Nov. 13), she posted career highs in 17 points and free throws (9-for-10). She then followed that performance with 12 points, four rebounds and three steals against Green Bay (Nov. 16).