@MizzouWBB Set for SEC Tournament in Greenville

Thursday, March 7

Greenville, S.C.

Approx. 1:30 P.M. CT

Missouri

Florida

3/6/2019 10:33:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Mizzou will open on Thursday with winner of Ole Miss/Florida at approximately 1:30 p.m. CT

Mizzou vs. Ole Miss/Florida
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	TV	LISTEN	STATS	GAME NOTES
Ole Miss/Florida	Greenville, S.C.	Thursday, March 7	Approx. 1:30 p.m.	SECN	KTGR	Stats	Notes

THE MATCHUP

Mizzou Women's Basketball (21-9, 10-6 SEC) will open the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Thursday, March 7 as the No. 5 seed, its second-highest seed in the tournament since joining the league in 2012-13. Mizzou will face the winner of Ole Miss/Florida at approximately 1:30 p.m. CT at the Bon Seceours Wellness Arena, with a broadcast coverage on SEC Network with Courtney Lyle, Tamika Catchings and Steffi Sorensen on the call. Mizzou closed the regular season in dominant fashion on Sunday, as the Tigers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide, 82-47, behind a cobmbined 40-point effort from its seniors - Sophie Cunningham (22), Cierra Porter (11) and Lauren Aldridge (7). With the win, Mizzou improved to 10-6 in SEC play on the season and secured its third consecutive season with 10+ wins in conference play for the first time since 1982-85, which were the first three seasons of round robin play in the Big Eight Conference.

#S3NIORSOPH

Senior guard Sophie Cunningham, an All-SEC First Team Selection for a third consecutive season, has played some of her best basketball during Mizzou's stretch run of the season, as she has scored in double figures in 12 consecutive games and is averaging 20.7 points per game with seven 20-point performances during the stretch. In Mizzou's win over Mississippi State (Feb. 14), Cunningham reached 2,000 career points, becoming just the third player in program history to reach that mark. Cunningham ranks near the top of numerous statistical categories in the SEC, as she ranks fourth in scoring (17.3 ppg), fifth in three-point percentage (40.7 percent) and third in three-pointers made (2.3). In conference games only, Cunningham leads the SEC in three-point percentage (46.5 percent) and three-pointers made per game (2.9). 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 and the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award.

ALL-SEC RECOGNITION

Mizzou had three players earn All-SEC recognition as senior guard Sophie Cunningham was named to the All-SEC First Team, senior forward Cierra Porter was named the Sixth Woman of the Year, and Akira Levy was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team.
With her third consecutive All-SEC First Team honor, Cunningham is the first player in program history to earn All-Conference First Team honors in three consecutive seasons. The SEC's active career scoring leader with 2,082 points, Cunningham is currently averaging 17.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Her 72 three-pointers rank fifth in a single season in program history.
Porter is the second player in Mizzou history to be named SEC Sixth Woman of the Year, and the first since Morgan Eye earned the honor in 2013. After originally medically retiring due to nagging knee injuries in June, Porter returned to the court in late December, when she came off the bench in her first seven contests. She is currently averaging 7.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting a career-best 86.7 percent from the free throw line (39-for-45).
Levy provided a spark off the bench with 4.8 points and 2.1 assists per game before her season was cut short due to a season-ending knee injury. She is the third Tiger to make the All-SEC Freshman team in the last four seasons, joining teammates Cunningham in 2016 and junior guard Amber Smith in 2017. Among SEC freshman, Levy tallied the fourth-most assists with 58 and the seventh-most steals with 24. She scored in double figures in five games, and recorded three or more assists in 11 contests.

20 & 10

Mizzou has reached 20 wins and 10 conference wins for the fourth and third consecutive seasons, respectively, feats with have not been accomplished since the mid-1980s.
With a 73-67 win over Arkansas on Feb. 28, Mizzou secured its fourth consecutive 20-win season for the first time since 1983-87, which was the tail end of a seven-year stretch of 20-win seasons for the Tigers led by Mizzou Hall of Famer Joann Rutherford.
Head coach Robin Pingeton has now led Mizzou to 22, 22, 24 and 21 wins, respectively, since the 2015-16 season. The Tigers also appear to be on the verge of their fourth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, a feat which has not been accomplished since 1983-86.
Mizzou defeated Alabama, 82-47, to close the regular season on March 3 and record its third consecutive season with 10+ wins in conference play, a feat which has not been accomplished since 1983-85, the first three seasons of round-robin play in the Big Eight Conference.

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 57.2 points per game. Mizzou has held its opponents to 65 points or less in 25 of 30 games this season, the SEC's top mark, ahead of LSU, Kentucky and Georgia (22).
Mizzou closed the regular season by leading the SEC in ield percentage defense at 36.3 percent while ranking third in the SEC in scoring defense at 57.2 points per game. In conference games only, Mizzou ranked first in the SEC in scoring defense (58.4) and field goal percentage defense (36.4 percent).
The Tigers have forced 10 or more turnovers in 21 of 30 games this season, and have held their opponents to less than 40 percent from the field in 22 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.

#S3NIORSOPH'S ASSAULT ON THE RECORD BOOK

Senior guard Sophie Cunningham is closing out her outstanding Mizzou career with another highly notable campaign. Cunningham was named to the All-SEC First Team for a third consecutive season, and continues to move up the Mizzou record book in numerous categories.
Cunningham scored 24 points to lead Mizzou to victory over No. 5 Mississippi State on Feb. 14, 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 2,082 points in her career, and is just 44 points away from reaching the top of Mizzou's all-time scoring list.
Cunningham is Mizzou's most prolific free throw shooter, as she has sank 503 career free throws, ahead of Nancy Rutter (1974-78) and Renee Kelly's (1983-87) mark of 481 free throws made. The Tiger senior is also one of just three players in program history to make 200 career threes, as she ranks third with 225. She only trails Morgan Eye (2011-15 – 367) and Alyssa Hollins (2005-09 – 226).
Among all program career records, Cunningham currently ranks No. 3 in all-time scoring (2,082 points), No. 3 in career 3-pointers made (225), No. 4 in PPG (16.8), No. 1 in free throws made (503), No. 3 in three-point percentage (.405), No. 3 in free throw percentage (.834), No. 9 in field goal percentage (.500), No. 4 in assists (378) and No. 5 in career field goals made (677).

HIGH SCORING OUTPUTS FROM CUNNINGHAM

Mizzou's leading scorer for each of the last four seasons, senior Sophie Cunningham has scored in double figures in 24 of 30 games this season, while scoring 20+ in 13 games and 30+ in two contests. Cunningham is currently on a 12-game stretch where she has scored in double figures in all 12 contests with seven 20-points games. Of Cunningham's 13 20-point performances, eight have come in SEC play.
This season, Mizzou is 12-1 when Cunningham scores 20+ points, and 2-0 when she scores 30+.
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, 13 in '18-19).
Against Georgia (Jan. 17), Cunningham led the Tigers in points (23), rebounds (eight) and steals (five), as she was 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).
In her 20-point games, Cunningham has recorded 5+ assists in two games, giving her nine for her career, giving her nine of her career, the most by a Tiger since the 2000-01 season.
Cunningham's 30 points in Mizzou's win over Auburn (Nov. 6) was her ninth career game with 30+ points, which ranks third in Mizzou history, trailing only Renee Kelly's 16 and Joni Davis' 13. Davis is Mizzou's all-time leading scorer with 2,126 points, while Kelly ranks second with 2,119 points. Mizzou is an all-time 7-2 in games where Cunningham scores 30+ points.

SEC'S ACTIVE SCORING LEADER

With 2,082 career points, senior Sophie Cunningham is the active career scoring leader in the SEC, and ranks 15th among active players in the NCAA D-I. She holds a lead over Florida's Funda Nakkasoglu by 66 points (2,016 points).
Among SEC career active leaders, Cunningham also ranks seventh in career rebounds (681) and sixth in career assists (378). Cunningham's career 83.4 percent success rate from the free throw line ranks 18th among active NCAA D-I players.

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 21 of 30 contests. As a team, Mizzou finished atop the in the SEC in three-pointers made per game, as the Tigers average 8.2 threes per game (246 total). Among conference contests, Mizzou also ranks first in three-point field goal percentage (.404) and three-pointers made per game (8.4).
Senior guard Sophie Cunningham matched a career high with seven made threes against Vanderbilt (Feb. 10), as 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 finished the season ranked third in the SEC in three-point percentage (40.7 percent) and three-pointers made (2.4). In conference games only, she led the conference in three-point percentage (46.5 percent) and fifth in three-pointers made (2.9). Cunningham's 72 made threes this season currently ranks fifth in a single-season in program history.
Mizzou holds the top-two single-game three-pointers made totals in the SEC this season, as the Tigers sank 16 against Duke (Nov. 25) and 15 against Alabama (March 3).
Five Tigers are shooting better than 30 percent from deep on the season, led by redshirt senior guard Lauren Aldridge at 41.8 percent (51-for-122). Following close behind is Cunningham at 40.7 percent (72-for-177), junior guard Amber Smith at 35.2 percent (32-for-91), redshirt junior forward Hannah Schuchts at 38.2 percent (21-for-55) and redshirt freshman guard Haley Troup at 34.3 percent (24-for-70).
Four Tigers rank in Mizzou's top-10 for career three-point percentage, led by Cunningham, who ranks third at 40.5 percent, followed by Aldridge (sixth - 39.2 percent) and Schuchts and Smith (10th - 36.6 percent).

HOT SHOOTING

Mizzou has shot 40 percent or better from the field in 16 of its last 18 games, and finished the season ranked second in the SEC in field goal percentage (44.4 percent) and third in three-point field goal percentage (35.9 percent). In conference games, Mizzou ranked first in three-point percentage (40.4 percent) and second in field goal percentage (45.6 percent).
Mizzou shot better than 50 percent in five games this season, including a 53.8 percent (28-for-52) clip against Alabama (March 3) to close the regular season. The Tigers were 5-0 in the contests which they shot better than 50 percent from the field.
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.
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.
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.

MAKING THE FREE ONES COUNT

Mizzou made sure to not let the free ones get away, as the Tigers ranked second in the SEC in free throw percentage at 73.3 percent
Mizzou shot a remarkable 96.3 percent (26-for-27) from the free throw line against Arkansas (Feb. 28), its best mark when making 10+ free throws since shooting 100 percent (14-for-14) from the free throw line Alabama on Dec. 31, 2017.
The Tigers' success from the charity stripe is the sixth-best free throw shooting performance in program history (minimum 10 made), trailing only 100 percent performances against Oklahoma (21-for-21) on Jan. 28, 2004, Illinois (10-for-10) on Dec. 19, 2007, North Florida (10-for-10) on Nov. 20, 2011, Alabama (14-for-14) on Dec. 31, 2017 and a 96.4 percent performance against Indiana State (27-for-28) on Nov. 22, 2016.
Senior forward Cierra Porter was a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line in the game, matching her career-best performance from the charity stripe when she shot 11-for-11 against Kentucky on Jan. 30, 2017. She moved to No. 9 all-time at Mizzou in career free throws made with 336, surpassing Jordan Frericks (327, 2013-18).
There have only been four perfect performances from the free throw line (minimum 10 made) in program history, and Porter now has two such performances. She joins Lisa Plummer (14-for-14 vs. Kansas, Nov. 24, 1979) and Tracy Ellis (14-for-14 vs. Tennessee Tech, Dec. 12, 1987).
Senior guard Sophie 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.