Mizzou Women's Basketball Faces Vanderbilt in Music City on Thursday

Thursday, February 20

Nashville, Tenn.

7:00 P.M. CT

University of Missouri

Vanderbilt

2/19/2020 2:41:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Mizzou and Vanderbilt to tip at 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network +

Mizzou at Vanderbilt
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	TV	LISTEN	STATS	GAME NOTES
Vanderbilt	Nashville, Tenn.	Thursday, Feb. 20	7:00 p.m. CT	SEC Network +	KTGR	Stats	Notes

Mizzou Women's Basketball hits the road for its next SEC tilt, as the Tigers face Vanderbilt on Thursday, Feb. 20 in the Music City. Tipoff from Nashville is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CT on SEC Network + with Kevin Ingram and Jessica Holman on the call. Both teams will be looking to halt a two-game skid on Thursday, as Mizzou has lost its most recent matchups to LSU (66-58 on Feb. 10) and Florida (75-67 on Feb. 16) and Vanderbilt has lost to Texas A&M and South Carolina in the last week.

Sunday's game will be the 10th meeting between the two programs, as Mizzou holds a 6-3 advantage in the all-time series. Last time Mizzou and Florida played, the Tigers defeated the Commodores, 69-46, on Feb. 10, 2019 at Mizzou Arena. The win was head coach Robin Pingeton's 500th career victory.

Mizzou's elite freshmen duo 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 SEC's top-30 in scoring. Blackwell's scoring average of 14.0 points per game ranks third among SEC freshmen and 11th overall, while Frank's mark of 11.7 points per game ranks seventh among SEC freshmen and 28th 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, the duo's scoring averages ranks fifth and sixth all-time among Mizzou freshmen.

Redshirt senior forward Hannah Schuchts has led the way on the defensive end this season for the Tigers, as she leads the team in blocks with 49 and ranks fourth in the SEC with 2.0 blocks per game. Schuchts ranks sixth in Mizzou's top-10 all-time with 129 career blocks, and her mark of 49 blocks this season already ranks eighth all-time among Mizzou seniors.
The Tiger senior has recorded multiple blocks in 17 games this season, and three or more blocks in five games. Schuchts produced two or more blocks in six consecutive games from Dec. 5 to Jan. 2, 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.

Mizzou freshman guard Aijha Blackwell has settled into her own during her freshman campaign, scoring in double figures in the last eight games and in 16 of her last 18 games. Blackwell has played her best basketball during the toughest competition, as the Tiger freshmen is averaging 16.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game in SEC play, marks which rank fifth, sixth and 17th, respecitvely.
Blackwell, the No. 9-ranked recruit in the Class of 2019, has posted five 20-point games this season, becoming the third freshman in program history to record five or more 20-point games, joining Julie Helm (11, 1996-97) and Sophie Cunningham (10, 2015-16).
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 was the first of Blackwell's career, and the first of the year for Mizzou.
Blackwell posted her first career double-double in Mizzou's win against LSU, scoring 15 points and grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds.
The Tiger freshman produced her second career double-double against Georgia (Feb. 6), as she set a new career high with 26 points while grabbing 11 rebounds.
Blackwell has scored eight or more points in all but two games this season, and has grabbed five or more rebounds in 21 contests. She is currently leads Mizzou in scoring (14.0 ppg), rebounds (6.6 rpg) and assists (2.5 apg).

One thing that has carried over from past seasons for Mizzou is its ability to connect from deep range. Mizzou currently ranks in the SEC's top-five and the nation's top-60 in three-pointers made (188 - third in SEC, 52nd nationally), three-pointers made per game (7.5 - third in SEC, 56th nationally) and three-point percentage (34.5 percent - fourth in SEC, 53rd nationally). Mizzou has made 10 or more threes in six games this season.
Senior guard Jordan Chavis is shooting a team-leading 45.3 percent from deep this season (43-of-95), and ranks seventh all-time at Mizzou with 137 three-pointers. Chavis has made multiple three-pointers in 15 games this season and 38 times in her career. In SEC play alone, Chavis is shooting an impressive 50.0 percent (20-of-40) from deep. Chavis' team-leading 1.8 three-pointers made per game ranks seventh in the SEC.
Redshirt senior forward Hannah Schuchts has connected on 31.8 percent (21-of-66) of her shots from three this season, and her career three-point percentage of 35.6 percent (64-of-180), ranks 10th all-time at Mizzou.
Senior guard Amber Smith's career three-point percentage of 36.3 percent (121-of-333) ranks ninth all-time at Mizzou. Smith has shot 33.8 percent (27-of-80) from three this season, and made a season-best four triples from deep against Tennessee (Jan. 2). Smith will look to join Chavis on the all-time three-pointers list, as she currently ranks 11th with 121 career threes.