@MizzouWBB Travels to Face No. 5 Mississippi State on Thursday

Thursday, February 14

Starkville, Miss.

8:00 P.M. CT

University of Missouri

Mississippi State

@MizzouWBB Travels to Face No. 5 Mississippi State on Thursday

2/13/2019 6:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Mizzou and Mississippi State to tip at 8 p.m. CT on Thursday

Mizzou at No. 5 Mississippi State
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	TV	LISTEN	STATS	GAME NOTES
Mississippi State	Starkville, Miss.	Thursday, Feb. 14	8:00 p.m.	SEC Network	KTGR	Stats	Notes

THE MATCHUP

Mizzou Women's Basketball (18-7, 7-4 SEC) travels to Starkville, Miss., for a Valentine's Day matchup with No. 5 Mississippi State (22-1, 10-0 SEC), who sits alone atop the SEC, on Thursday, Feb. 14. Tipoff from Humphrey Coliseum is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT on SEC Network with Pam Ward, Carolyn Peck and Steffi Sorenson on the call. Mizzou enters the game winners of its last two contests, as the Tigers defeated No. 18 Texas A&M in an overtime thriller, 70-65, on Feb. 7, and defeated Vanderbilt, 69-46, on Feb. 10. The Bulldogs have won 12 straight games dating back to Dec. 20, and are coming off a 91-63 win over Tennessee on Feb. 10. Mississippi State owns a 7-1 advantage in the all-time series between the two schools. Mizzou's only win over the Bulldogs occurred on Jan. 14, 2016, as the Tigers won 66-54 over the sixth-ranked Bulldogs at Mizzou Arena.

#COACHP500

Mizzou head coach Robin Pingeton reached a significant milestone in Mizzou's win over Vanderbilt on Sunday, as she recorded her 500th career victory. Among active coaches, Pingeton's 500 wins ranks second in the SEC and 32nd in the NCAA. 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). 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. 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.

#S3NIORSOPH

Senior guard Sophie Cunningham has played some of her best basketball over Mizzou's last seven games, as she is averaging 22.4 points per game over the last three weeks with five 20-point games. Cunningham was named SEC Player of the Week for the second time this season on Feb. 12 after averaging 24.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in Mizzou's wins over No. 18 Texas A&M (Feb. 7) and Vanderbilt (Feb. 10). Cunningham notched her 12th career double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds in Mizzou's OT win over the Aggies, and scored 27 points while draining a career high seven threes against Vanderbilt. Cunningham ranks near the top of numerous statistical categories in the SEC, as she ranks fourth in three-point percentage (42.9 percent), fifth in scoring (17.1 ppg), fifth in three-pointers made (2.4) . In conference games only, Cunningham leads the SEC in three-point percentage (54.7 percent) and three-pointers made per game (3.2). The Tiger senior has been recognized among the best in the nation this season, as she currently sits on the watch lists for the Wooden Award, the Wade Trophy, the Naismith Player of the Year and the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award.
Cunningham scored 27 points, grabbed eight rebounds and matched a career-high with seven three-pointers vs. Vanderbilt. Cunningham became the second Tiger to ever make seven threes in an SEC game, as she joined Morgan Eye, who made 11 against Auburn on Jan. 6, 2013. It marked the 11th time this season and the 44th time in her career she has reached 20 points, as Mizzou moved to 10-1 in games this season in which she has scored 20+ points.
Cunningham has now recorded 10 or more 20-point games in each season of her collegiate career (10 in '15-16, 10 in '16-17, 13 in '17-18, 11 in '18-19).
Cunningham produced her 12th career double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds against Texas A&M (Feb. 7). Cunningham accounted for six of Mizzou's nine total points in overtime, and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the extra period.
Cunningham was named the SEC Player of the Week on Jan. 29 after averaging 23.5 points per game t nationally-ranked Kentucky (Jan. 24) and Auburn (Jan. 27).
Cunningham scored 30 points and drained a season-high six three-pointers in Mizzou's 74-65 win over Auburn (Jan. 27), moving the Tiger senior into third-place on Mizzou's all-time scoring list with 1,928 points. She surpassed Julie Helm, who scored 1,925 points from 1996-00. Cunningham also reached 200 made three-pointers in the game, becoming just the third player in Mizzou history to reach that mark.
Cunningham's 30-point game was her second of the season, and the ninth of her career. She is the SEC's only player this season to record multiple 30-point games, and now has the third-most 30-point games of any Mizzou player (nine), trailing only Renee Kelly's 16 and Joni Davis' 13. In Cunningham's 30-point performances, Mizzou is 7-2 overall.
Getting to the free throw line has been key in Cunningham's recent scoring burst, as she has shot 87.7 percent (71-for-81) from the charity stripe in Mizzou's last 17 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.
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).
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.

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 53.7 points in its 18 victories. Mizzou has held its opponents to 65 points or less in 22 of 25 games this season.
Mizzou ranks third in the SEC in scoring defense at 56.6 points per game and third in field percentage defense at 36.1 percent. In conference games, Mizzou leads the SEC in scoring defense (57.5) and field goal percentage defense (36.0 percent). The Tigers have forced 10 or more turnovers in 18 of 25 games this season, and have held their opponents to less than 40 percent from the field in 17 games.
Mizzou held Vanderbilt to 29.5 percent shooting from the field and just 15 points in the first half. It was the third time this season that Mizzou has held an opponent to 15 points or below in one half.
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).
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 11 of its last 13 games, and currently ranks second in the SEC in field goal percentage (43.8 percent) and third in three-point field goal percentage (35.2 percent). In conference games, Mizzou ranks first in three-point percentage (40.8 percent) and second in field goal percentage (45.9 percent).
Mizzou shot 48.9 percent (22-for-45) in a 74-65 victory over Auburn on Jan. 27. The Tigers made 11 three-pointers in the first half, the most in any half since Mizzou made 13 of them in the second half against Bradley on Dec. 18, 2013.
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. Mizzou's field goal percentage is the highest recorded by an SEC team this season.
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 18 of 25 contests. As a team, Mizzou leads the in the SEC in three-pointers made per game, as the Tigers average 8.0 threes per game (201 total). Among conference contests, Mizzou also ranks first in three-point field goal percentage (.408) and second in three-pointers made per game (8.1).
Senior guard Sophie Cunningham matched a career high with seven made threes against Vanderbilt. She became the second Tiger to ever make seven threes in an SEC game, as she joins Morgan Eye, who made 11 against Auburn on Jan. 6, 2013.
Cunningham ranks fourth in the SEC in three-point percentage (42.9 percent) and fifth in three-pointers made (2.4). In conference games only, she leads the conference in three-point percentage (54.7 percent) and fifth in three-pointers made (3.2).
Led by redshirt junior Hannah Schuchts' 6-for-6 performance from deep against Duke (Nov. 25), Mizzou drained 16 three-pointers, the most by any SEC team this season.
Five Tigers are shooting better than 30 percent from deep on the season, led by Cunningham at 42.9 percent (60-for-140). Following close behind is redshirt senior guard Lauren Aldridge at 42.7 percent (44-for-103), junior guard Amber Smith at 35.4 percent (28-for-79), Schuchts at 31.1 percent (14-for-45) and redshirt freshman guard Haley Troup at 31.1 percent (19-for-61).