@MizzouWBB Set to Host Tennessee for Pink Out on Sunday

Sunday, February 17

Columbia, Mo.

4:00 P.M. CT

University of Missouri

Tennessee

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@MizzouWBB Set to Host Tennessee for Pink Out on Sunday

2/16/2019 7:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Mizzou and Tennessee to Tipoff at 4 p.m. CT on ESPN 2

Mizzou vs. Tennessee
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	TV	LISTEN	STATS	GAME NOTES
Tennessee	Mizzou Arena	Sunday, Feb. 17	4:00 p.m.	ESPN 2	KTGR	Stats	Notes

THE MATCHUP

Mizzou Women's Basketball (19-7, 8-4 SEC) returns to Mizzou Arena for its penultimate home contests of the season as the Tiger welcome the Tennessee Lady Volunteers (16-8, 5-6 SEC) on Sunday, Feb. 17. Tipoff in Columbia is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT on ESPN 2 with Paul Sunderland and Steffi Sorensen on the call. Mizzou enters the game on a three-game win streak after picking up its biggest victory of the season on Valentine's Day, as the Tigers defeated No. 5 Mississippi State, 75-67 on Thursday. The win was Mizzou's first win in Starkville, and its highest ever over a ranked opponent on the road in the regular season. Tennessee is coming off a 73-62 win over Auburn on Thursday, and have won four of their last five games. The Lady Vols hold a 8-3 advantage in the all-time series between the two school, but Mizzou has won the last two matchups, including a 66-64 win in Knoxville earlier this season on Jan. 6, Mizzou's first ever win in Knoxville. A win on Sunday would be Mizzou's 20th of the season, giving the Tiger their fourth consecutive 20-win season, a feat which has not been accomplished since Mizzou won 20 games between the 1983-84 and 1986-87 seasons.

#S3NIORSOPH

Senior guard Sophie Cunningham has played some of her best basketball over Mizzou's last eight games, as she is averaging 22.6 points per game over the last month with six 20-point games. Cunningham ranks near the top of numerous statistical categories in the SEC, as she ranks fourth in scoring (17.4 ppg), fourth in three-point percentage (43.0 percent) and fifth in three-pointers made (2.5). In conference games only, Cunningham leads the SEC in three-point percentage (53.4 percent) and three-pointers made per game (3.3). 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.
Mizzou's leading scorer for each of the last three seasons - senior guard Sophie Cunningham - has enjoyed a hot stretch over her past eight games, as she is averaging 22.6 points per game with six 20-point games.
Cunningham scored 24 points to lead Mizzou to victory over Mississippi State on Thursday, as she became the third player in program history to reach 2,000 career points as the Tiger senior joins Joni Davis (1981-85 – 2,126 points) and Renee Kelly (1983-87 – 2,199 points). Cunningham has now scored 2,015 points in her career. Cunningham also became Mizzou's most prolific free throw shooter in the game, as she has now sank 484 career free throws, surpassing Nancy Rutter (1974-78) and Renee Kelly's (1983-87) mark of 481 free throws made. Cunningham's 24-point performance is her 12th 20-point game of the season and the 45th of her career.
Cunningham was named SEC Player of the Week for the second time this season 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 continues to lead active SEC players with 11 weekly honors in her career.
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.
Cunningham shot 16-for-18 from the free throw line 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.

HISTORIC ROAD WINS

Mizzou has recorded two historic road wins this season, as the Tigers have beaten two top-10 ranked opponents on the road.
Mizzou defeated No. 5 Mississippi State on Feb. 14, its first ever win in Starkville, as the Tigers snapped a 26-game SEC regular season win streak and 32-game home win streak for MSU.
Mizzou's win over the fifth-ranked Bulldogs is the highest ranked win on the road in a regular season game in program history and the second-highest road win over a ranked opponent overall, trailing only Mizzou's win over No. 4 Georgia in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 18, 2001.
Mizzou's first ever regular season road win over a top-10 ranked opponent came on Jan. 6, as the Tigers beat the then-No. 10-ranked Tennessee Volunteers, 66-64.
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.

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 57.0 points per game. Mizzou has held its opponents to 65 points or less in 22 of 26 games this season.
Mizzou ranks third in the SEC in scoring defense at 57.0 points per game and third in field percentage defense at 36.2 percent. In conference games, Mizzou ranks second the SEC in scoring defense (58.3) and field goal percentage defense (36.3 percent). The Tigers have forced 10 or more turnovers in 19 of 26 games this season, and have held their opponents to less than 40 percent from the field in 18 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.

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 19 of 26 contests. As a team, Mizzou leads the in the SEC in three-pointers made per game, as the Tigers average 8.2 threes per game (212 total). Among conference contests, Mizzou also ranks first in three-point field goal percentage (.410) and second in three-pointers made per game (8.3).
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).

HOME SUCCESS

Mizzou has enjoyed much success at Mizzou Arena over the last four seasons, as they have posted a record of 51-8 overall and 24-6 in SEC play in front of the Black & Gold faithful.
Mizzou recorded its eighth win over an SEC ranked opponent since the start of the 2015-16 season in a 70-65 overtime win over Texas A&M on Feb. 7.
Some of Mizzou's highest-ranked wins in program history have come at home, including wins over No. 4 South Carolina (83-74, 1-7-18) and No. 11 Tennessee (77-73, 2-18-18) last season. Mizzou's win over the previously NCAA Champion Gamecocks was Mizzou's highest win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 4 Baylor on Jan. 4, 2006.
Overall, Mizzou is 8-2 overall on its own home floor against ranked opponents since the start of the 2015-16 season, including a 3-0 mark in the 2016-17 season.

HOT SHOOTING

Mizzou has shot 40 percent or better from the field in 12 of its last 14 games, and currently ranks second in the SEC in field goal percentage (44.2 percent) and third in three-point field goal percentage (35.5 percent). In conference games, Mizzou ranks first in three-point percentage (41.0 percent) and second in field goal percentage (46.6 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.

NO. 500 FOR COACH P

Mizzou Head Coach Robin Pingeton reached 500 career victories in Mizzou's win over Vanderbilt on Feb. 10. 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 501 career wins ranks second in the Southeastern Conference behind only Texas A&M's Gary Blair (783 wins) and 32nd overall among D-I head coaches.
Earlier this season, Pingeton registered win No. 150 as Mizzou's head coach in a 59-36 win over SIU Edwardsville on Nov. 19.
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.