@MizzouWBB Set to Host No. 18 Texas A&M on Thursday

Thursday, February 7

Columbia, Mo.

6:00 P.M. CT

University of Missouri

Texas A&M

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South Dakota Coyotes vs. No. 22 Mizzou Tigers at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. Zach Bland/Mizzou Athletics

2/6/2019 6:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Mizzou and Texas A&M to tip at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network

Mizzou vs. No. 18 Texas A&M
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	TV	LISTEN	STATS	GAME NOTES
Texas A&M	College Station, Texas	Thursday, Feb. 7	6:00 p.m.	SEC Network	KTGR	Stats	Notes

THE MATCHUP

Mizzou Women's Basketball (16-7, 5-4 SEC) will host No. 18 Texas A&M (18-4, 7-2 SEC) in an SEC matchup on Thursday, Feb. 7. Tipoff from Mizzou Arena is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT on SEC Network with Pam Ward, Carolyn Peck and Steffi Sorenson on the call. Mizzou is coming off a 71-61 loss to LSU on Feb. 4, while the Aggies defeated Ole Miss, 72-60, in its most recent game. Old Big 12 foes, Texas A&M holds a 18-9 advantage in the all-time series between the two schools, however the Tigers and Aggies are an even 6-6 in Columbia, Mo.

#S3NIORSOPH

Senior guard Sophie Cunningham has enjoyed a hot stretch of scoring over her last 15 games, as she is averaging 17.8 points per game with 10 games of 17+ points. In that stretch, Cunningham has reached 20 points seven times, and has now reached 20 points 42 times in her career.
Cunningham ranks in the top-10 in the SEC in numerous categories, including points per game (7th, 16.6), three-point percentage (4th, .418), three-pointers made per game (6th, 2.2), field goal percentage (6th, .488) and free throw percentage (10th, .785). The Tiger senior has been recognized among the best in the nation this season, as she currently sits on the watch list for the Wooden Award, the Wade Trophy, the Naismith Player of the Year and the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award.
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 has now won a conference-leading 10 weekly honors in her career. This is the fourth time she has been named the SEC Player of the Week. In 2015-16, Cunningham earned a conference record six Freshman of the Week nods.
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 87.1 percent (61-for-70) from the charity stripe in Mizzou's last 15 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.
The Tiger senior reached 20 points of the eighth time this season and the 41st time in her career with 24 points against South Carolina (Jan. 21). Cunningham also matched a season-high with four triples.
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).
With 20 points, Cunningham recorded her sixth 20-point game of the season 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.
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 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.
Cunningham continues to climb up the Mizzou record book, as she currently ranks No. 3 in all-time scoring (1,942 points), No. 3 in career 3-pointers made (204), No. 4 in PPG (16.6), No. 3 in free throws made (470), No. 2 in three-point percentage (.407), No. 3 in free throw percentage (.829), No. 8 in field goal percentage (.504), No. 5 in assists (361) and No. 6 in career field goals made (634).
With 1,942 career points, Cunningham is the active career scoring leader in the SEC. She holds a lead over Florida's Funda Nakkasoglu by 47 points (1,895 points). Her career-point total ranks 17th among active players in the NCAA D-I. Among SEC career active leaders, Cunningham also ranks sixth in career rebounds (626) and seventh in career assists (361). Cunningham's career 82.9 percent success rate from the free throw line ranks 18th among active NCAA D-I players.

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 two wins away from 500 career victories (498-272, .647). 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 (.586) in program history, trailing only coach Mizzou Hall of Famer Joann Rutherford (.617, 422-262). Among active coaches, Pingeton's 498 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. 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.

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 53.4 points in its 16 victories. Mizzou has held its opponents to 65 points or less in 20 of 23 games this season.
Mizzou ranks third in the SEC in in scoring defense at 56.57 points per game and fourth in field percentage defense at 36.7 percent, while in conference games, Mizzou ranks second in scoring defense (58.0 ppg) and third in field goal percentage defense (37.5 percent). The Tigers have forced 10 or more turnovers in 17 of 23 games this season, and have held their opponents to less than 40 percent from the field in 15 games.
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.