Mizzou Women's Basketball Opens SEC Play at No. 22/23 Tennessee

Thursday, January 2

Knoxville, Tenn.

4:00 P.M. CT

Missouri

Tennessee

Mizzou Women's Basketball Opens SEC Play at No. 22/23 Tennessee

1/1/2020 11:30:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Mizzou and Tennessee to Tipoff at 4 p.m. CT on SEC Network +

Mizzou at No. 22/23 Tennessee
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	TV	LISTEN	STATS	GAME NOTES
Tennessee	Knoxville, Tenn.	Thursday, Jan. 2	4 p.m. CT	SEC Network +	KTGR	Stats	Notes

THE MATCHUP

Mizzou Women's Basketball opens Southeastern Conference play for the 2019-20 season with a road matchup at No. 22/23 Tennessee on Thursday, Jan. 2. Tipoff from Thompson-Boling Arena is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT on SEC Network and SEC Network + with Roger Hoover and Steve Hamer on the call. Mizzou will look to halt a four-game skid, while the Lady Vols enter SEC play ranked 22nd in the AP Poll and 23rd in the Coaches Poll with a 10-2 record.

THE SERIES

Thursday's matchup will be the 13th all-time game between the two schools, as Tennessee holds a 9-3 advantage in the all-time series. Mizzou has won two of the last three meetings between the two schools, including a 66-64 win last season on Jan. 6, 2019 in Knoxville. The win was the first-ever win in Knoxville for Mizzou, and just the 40th all-time loss by the Lady Vols at Thompson-Boling Arena, which opened prior to the 1987-88 season.

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-30 in scoring in the SEC. Frank's mark of 12.5 points per game ranks fourth among SEC freshman and 25th overall, while Blackwell's 11.6 points per game ranks sixth among SEC freshmen and 29th overall. 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 sixth.

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 19 steals this season, Chavis has already surpassed her mark of 14 steals last season, and has matched her career-best mark for a single season after posting 19 steals in her freshman campaign (2016-17). The Tiger senior has grabbed 10 steals in Mizzou's last four 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 29, and is nearing the top-10 in program history in blocks with 109 career blocks. The Tiger senior has recorded multiple blocks in 10 games this season, and three or more blocks in four games this season. She has posted two or more blocks in five consecutive games, 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 three 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, has posted two 20-point games this season, scoring 21 points against Nebraska (Nov. 10) and against Illinois (Dec. 20). Her 21 points against the Huskers was 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 two games this season, and has grabbed five or more rebounds in 10 contests. She is currently averaging 11.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
Frank has posted nine double-digit scoring efforts in Mizzou's past 11 games, a stretch where she is averaging 13.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting 93.3 percent (42-for-45) 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.
Frank made one or more three-pointers each of her first 12 games this season, becoming the first Tiger freshman in program history to record one or more three-pointers in each of her first 12 games. She surpassed Kassie Drew, who made 1+ three in her first nine games in 2004-05.

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 75.3 percent of its freebies (171-for-227) this season. Mizzou has posted marks of 75 percent or better from the free throw line in seven of 13 games this season, including six games of 80 percent or better.
Freshman forward Hayley Frank currently leads the SEC and ranks fifth nationally in free throw percentage at 93.6 percent (44-of-47).
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).