THE MATCHUP

• Mizzou Women's Basketball will hit the road for the first time in the 2020-21 campaign on Sunday, as the Tigers head to Fayetteville, Ark., to face the No. 10/10 Arkansas Lady Razorbacks. Tipoff from Bud Walton Arena is slated for 4:00 p.m. CT on SEC Network with Sam Gore and Christy Thomaskutty on the call. Mizzou is coming off a 74-59 setback to Alabama in its SEC-opening on Dec. 31, while Arkansas fell to No. 13/11 Kentucky, 75-64, in its first SEC contest. Arkansas has been fortunate in the early going of this season, as the Razorbacks have been able to play all 11 of its scheduled games to-date. Mizzou has had four games postponed or canceled due to COVID-19 related issues, with its upcoming Thursday contest against Vanderbilt also postponed. 

THE SERIES

• With a win on Sunday, Mizzou would pull even with the Razorbacks in the all-time series between the two schools, as Arkansas currently holds a 13-12 advantage over the Tigers. Arkansas swept both games against the Tigers last year, winning 90-73 in Fayetteville on Jan. 12 and 85-81 in overtime on Feb. 2. It marked the first time since the 2013-14 season Arkansas swept the seasons series between the two schools. Mizzou has historically struggled on the road against Arkansas, as they hold 4-8 record at Bud Walton Arena.

THREE-HEADED SCORING MACHINE

• Through six games on its schedule, Mizzou has been led by the three-headed scoring threat of sophomore guard Aijha Blackwell, sophomore forward Hayley Frank and redshirt junior forward LaDazhia Williams, who have scored in double figures in 16 of 18 combined games. Blackwell, who led the Tigers in scoring in 2019-20, is currently leading the way this season with 14.3 points per game, while Frank and Williams are both averaging 12.8 points per game. Each rank in the SEC's top-30 in scoring, ranking 19th, 26th, and 26th, respectively, while each also rank in the league's top 10 in other categories. Blackwell ranks seventh in rebounding (8.8 rpg), Frank ranks second in FT% (.917), and Williams ranks seventh in FG% (.561).

HOT SHOOTING

• One point of emphasis to explain the Tigers' hot start to the season is its ability to shoot the ball at an extremely high level. As of now, Mizzou leads the SEC in field goal percentage and ranks fourth in three-point percentage, shooting 51.7 percent (180-of-348) from the field and 37.8 percent from deep (37-of-98). 
• Nationally, the Tigers rank fourth nationally in field goal percentage and 33rd in three-point percentage.
• Redshirt junior forward LaDazhia Williams has led the charge from the field this season, as she currently ranks seventh in the SEC with a mark of 56.1 percent (32-of-57) from the field. Sophomore forward Hayley Frank leads the Tigers in shooting from deep, as she has made 10-of-17 shots from deep (58.8 percent) this season.
• Mizzou has shot the lights out this season, recording field goal percentages of 50 percent or better in four of its six games and 60 percent or better twice.
• Against New Orleans (Dec. 16), the Tigers shot an incredible 63.2 percent (36-of-57) from the field, the 10th-best mark in program history and their best mark since a 65.9 percent (27-of-41) performance against Ole Miss on Jan. 3, 2019. 
• Mizzou shot above 60 percent again in its win against Southern Illinois (Dec. 20), shooting 61.2 percent (30-of-49).
• Since the 1977-78 season (43 seasons), Mizzou has shot better than 60 percent from the field just 25 times, with six occurrences (24.0 percent) happening under head coach Robin Pingeton.
   

QUICK TO 500

• Sophomore guard Aijha Blackwell recorded her 500th career point against New Orleans (Dec. 19), needing only 34 games to accomplish the feat. 
• Blackwell is the quickest Tiger to reach 500 career points during the Pingeton era, and might be the quickest in program history (Mizzou does not have complete game-by-game records prior to 2003).  In comparison, it took Sophie Cunningham, Mizzou's all-time leader with 2,187 points, 36 games to reach 500 points.
• With 552 points through 37 career games (14.9 points per game), Blackwell appears to be in good position to challenge Cunningham for Mizzou's all-time scoring record, a mark which was set in 2019, the season prior to her arrival in Columbia.

PROGRAM WIN 800

• In Mizzou's 88-49 win over Oral Roberts on Dec. 19, the Tigers earned their 800th program victory, becoming the 74th team in NCAA Division-I history to reach 800 wins. Mizzou has had four head coaches in its program history, with current head coach Robin Pingeton leading the Tigers for the past 11 seasons with a mark of 184-143. Mizzou was also previously coached by Alexis Jarrett (1974-75, 9-8), Joann Rutherford (1975-98, 423-261) and Cindy Stein (1998-10, 185-177).

MILESTONE CHASING

• A host of milestones will be in-play this season for the Tigers. Below is a rundown of career achievements that have/could happen during in the 2020-21 season.
• Mizzou senior forward Shannon Dufficy will get to finish her already decorated career with a senior campaign at Mizzou. The Aussie native reached the 1,000-point career mark in Mizzou's season-opener against North Alabama (Nov. 27), and needs just 133 rebounds to eclipse 1,000 career boards. In three seasons at Utah State, Dufficy averaged 279.3 rebounds per season, including a single-season program record of 339 rebounds in 2018-19.
• Also wrapping up her collegiate career in CoMo, senior guard Shug Dickson will have the 1,000-point mark in her sights, as she currently has 751 points, needing 249 to reach the mark. In her sophomore campaign at Tulsa (2017-18), Dickson scored 410 points (14.1 ppg) in 29 games. 
• In her 11th season, head coach Robin Pingeton record at Mizzou sits at 184-142 (.564). The Tiger head boss needs just two wins to move past Cindy Stein (1998-10, 185-77) for second-place on Mizzou's all-time win list. She already ranks second in winning percentage, trailing only Mizzou Hall of Famer Joann Rutherford, who had a 61.8 percent winning percentage in 23 seasons (1975-98, 423-261). Pingeton is just 1 of 16 Power 5 active coaches and 1 of 31 active D-I head coaches to win 500 or more career games. 
• As a program, Mizzou captured its 800th win against Oral Roberts (Dec. 19) becoming the 74th program to reach the 800-win mark in NCAA history. In 47 seasons, Mizzou owns a mark of 801-589 (.557) all-time.

DAY IN THE MIDDLE

• A much needed presence in the middle of the paint, redshirt junior forward LaDazhia Williams has become a go-to offensive option through her first five games in the Black & Gold. She has scored in double figures in five of Mizzou's six games, first scoring 18 points in her Mizzou debut over North Alabama (Nov. 27), then 15 points against Missouri State (Dec. 14),14 points against New Orleans (Dec. 16), 14 points against Oral Roberts (Dec. 19) and 12 points against Alabama (Dec. 31). Her four-game stretch between Nov. 27 and Dec. 19 marked the first time in her career she has scored in double figures in four consecutive games.
• She has been highly efficient in her offensive output as well, as she is shooting 56.1 percent (32-of-57) thorough Mizzou's first six games. That mark is good enough to rank seventh in the SEC and 57th nationally.