Wednesday, December 18
Columbia, Mo.
7:00 P.M. CT
University of Missouri
vs
Princeton
Mizzou Women's Basketball Hosts Princeton in Wednesday Showdown
12/17/2019 5:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Mizzou and Princeton to Tip at 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network
| Mizzou vs. Princeton | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPPONENT | LOCATION | DAY | TIME (CT) | TV | LISTEN | STATS | GAME NOTES |
| Princeton | Mizzou Arena | Wednesday, Dec. 18 | 7 p.m. CT | SECN + | KTGR | Stats | Notes |
THE MATCHUP
- Mizzou Women's Basketball returns home to finish out the non-conference portion of its schedule with back-to-back games at Mizzou Arena. First, the Tigers will host the Princeton Tigers on Wednesday, Dec. 18. Tipoff from Mizzou Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on SEC Network + with Ben Arnet and former Mizzou guard Lauren Aldridge on the call. Mizzou is looking to halt a two-game skid, as the Tigers have dropped their most recent contests to Kansas City, 59-56 on Dec. 8, and No. 20/18 Missouri State, 79-72, on Dec. 15. Princeton enters the game with a 9-1 record on the season, and features the reigning two-time Ivy League Player of the Year, Bella Alarie.
THE SERIES
- Thursday's matchup will be the second matchup all-time between the two schools, as Mizzou won the only other meeting between the two schools, 80-56, on Nov. 29, 1998 at the Hawkeye Classic in Iowa City, Iowa.
ELITE FRESHMEN DUO
- Mizzou's elite freshmen class of guard Aijha Blackwell and forward Hayley Frank have lived up to their billing so far this season, as they both currently rank among the top-35 in scoring in the SEC. Frank's mark of 13.5 points per game ranks first among SEC freshmen and 14th overall, while Blackwell's 11.2 points per game ranks fifth overall among SEC freshman. In program history, only seven freshmen have ever averaged double figures for the Tigers, and never has there been more than one in a single season. Currently, Frank's scoring average ranks fifth all-time among Mizzou freshmen, while Blackwell's average ranks seventh.
FRANK'S HOT STRETCH
- Freshman forward Hayley Frank has settled into her freshman campaign quite well, as she has scored in double figures in eight of the last nine games, a stretch where she has averaged 15.0 points per game. Against New Mexico (Nov. 28) at the Cancun Challenge, Frank scored 29 points and grabbed six rebounds while shooting 9-of-14 from the field, 4-of-5 from three and 7-of-7 from the free throw line. Her 29 points was a new career-high, the most by a Tiger this season and the most by a Mizzou freshman since Sophie Cunningham scored 29 points against Kentucky on Feb. 25, 2016. Frank ranks sixth nationally and leads the SEC in free throw percentage (93.2 percent, 41-of-44). Among SEC freshmen, Frank ranks first in points per game (13.5) and second in three-pointers per game (1.6). Frank has made one or more three-pointers in every game this season, becoming the first Tiger in program history to record one or more three-pointers in each of her first 11 games. She surpassed Kassie Drew, who made 1+ three in her first nine games in 2004-05.
SENIOR DUO STEPPING UP ON DEFENSE
- Mizzou seniors Jordan Chavis and Hannah Schuchts have stepped up for Mizzou on the defensive end of the floor this season, leading the team in steals and blocks, respectively.
- With 18 steals this season, Chavis has already surpassed her mark of 14 steals last season, and is one away from matching a career-best mark for a single season after posting 19 steals in her freshman campaign (2016-17). Te Tiger senior has grabbed nine steals in Mizzou's last two games, including a career-high six steals against Kansas City (Dec. 8). It marked the most steals by a Tiger since Sierra Michaelis grabbed nine steals against Wichita State on Dec. 9, 2016.
- Schuchts leads the team in blocks by a wide-margin with 25, and is nearing the top-10 in program history in blocks with 105 career blocks. The Tiger senior has recorded multiple blocks in eight games this season, and three or more blocks in four games this season. She has posted three or more blocks in three consecutive games, matching the longest streak of her career. Against South Dakota (Nov. 21), Schuchts matched a career-high with five blocks, the second time in her career she has hit that mark. Schuchts needs just seven more blocked shots to enter the program's top-10 all-time (112), marks set by Cierra Porter (2015-19) and EeTisha Riddle (2003-07).
FRESHMEN STAND OUTS
- Mizzou freshmen Aijha Blackwell and Hayley Frank have each impressed early on in the season, solidifying their top-30 ranks in the 2019 recruiting class.
- Blackwell, the No. 9-ranked recruit in the Class of 2019, 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).
- Blackwell was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on Dec. 10 after averaging 14.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game against Saint Louis (Dec. 5) and Kansas City (Dec. 8). The weekly conference honor is the first of Blackwell's career, and the first of the year for Mizzou. She paced the Tigers a 17-point performance against Saint Louis (Dec. 5), filling the stat sheet while leading the Tigers to victory, as she also contributed six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. With 11 points against Kansas City, Blackwell scored in double figures for the third consecutive game and the fourth time in her career. Blackwell also recorded career-highs in rebounds (seven) and assists (six), and matched her career high in blocks (two).
- Blackwell has scored eight or more points in all but one game this season, and has grabbed five or more rebounds in eight contests. She is currently averaging 11.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
- Frank has posted eight double-digit scoring efforts in Mizzou's past nine games, a stretch where she is averaging 15.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting 92.8 percent (39-for-42) from the free throw line.
- Against Northern Iowa (Nov. 13), she posted 17 points and was a career-high 9-of-10 from the free throw line. She then followed that performance with 12 points, four rebounds and three steals against Green Bay (Nov. 16).
- Frank scored 29 points and grabbed six rebounds against New Mexico (Nov. 28), and shot 9-of-14 from the field, 4-of-5 from three and 7-of-7 from the free throw line. Her 29 points was a new career-high, the most by a Tiger this season and the most by a Mizzou freshman since Sophie Cunningham scored 29 points against Kentucky on Feb. 25, 2016.
- Among SEC freshman, Frank ranks first in points per game (13.5) and second in three-pointers per game (1.6).
- Frank has made one or more three-pointers in every game this season, becoming the first Tiger in program history to record one or more three-pointers in each of her first 11 games. She surpassed Kassie Drew, who made 1+ three in her first nine games in 2004-05.
THREE-POINT SPECIALISTS
- One thing that has carried over 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 37.9 percent (11-of-29) of her shots from three this season. Her career three-point percentage of 37.8 percent (54-of-143), ranks sixth all-time in program history, trailing only Lindsey Cunningham's (40.6 percent), Sophie Cunningham (40.0 percent), Carlynn Savant (40.0 percent), Morgan Eye (38.9 percent) and Marchele Campbell (38.0 percent).
- Smith's career three-point percentage of 37.1 percent (106-of-286) ranks ninth all-time at Mizzou.
- Against Saint Louis (Devc. 5), Chavis entered Mizzou's top-10 all-time for career three-pointers made, as she now ranks 10th all-time with 117 three-pointers, passing Amanda Hanneman (113, 2006-10). Smith will look to join Chavis on the all-time three-pointers list, as she currently ranks 13th with 108 career threes.
CHARITY STRIPE SUCCESS
- Mizzou has put an emphasis on getting to the free throw line this season, as the Tigers have connected on an SEC-leading 76.3 percent of its freebies (138-for-177) this season. Mizzou has posted marks of 75 percent or better from the free throw line in seven of 11 games this season, including six games of 80 percent or better.
- Freshman forward Hayley Frank currently leads the SEC and ranks sixth nationally in free throw percentage at 93.2 percent (41-of-44).
- Mizzou's mark of 31 made free throws against Nebraska (Nov. 10), was the most made free throws by a Tiger team since hitting the same mark against Wake Forest on Nov. 22, 2015. Mizzou made 31-of-38 shots from the free throw line against the Huskers.
- Mizzou had three players set individual career marks from the free throw line against the Huskers, as senior guard Amber Smith went 10-for-11, senior guard Jordan Roundtree was a perfect 9-for-9, freshman guard Aijha Blackwell was 5-for-10.
- Against Northern Iowa (Nov. 13), freshman forward Hayley Frank posted a 9-for-10 mark from the charity stripe.
- Mizzou shot an impressive (93.8 percent, 15-of-16) from the charity stripe against Arkansas (Dec. 5), its best mark since Feb. 28, 2019 (96.3 percent, 26-of-27 at Arkansas).
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