Thursday, February 11
Columbia, S.C.
6:00 p.m. CT
University of Missouri
at
South Carolina
Mizzou Women's Basketball Set for Thursday Matchup with No. 1/3 South Carolina
2/10/2021 7:49:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Tigers and Gamecocks to tip at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network in Columbia East
| MIZZOU AT SOUTH CAROLINA IN COLUMBIA EAST | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPPONENT | LOCATION | DAY | TIME (CT) | TV | LISTEN | STATS | GAME NOTES |
| South Carolina | Columbia, S.C. | Thursday, Feb. 11 | 6 p.m. CT | SEC Network | KTGR | Stats | Notes |
THE MATCHUP
- Mizzou Women's Basketball makes the trip to Columbia East this week as the Tigers are set to face No. 1/3 South Carolina on Thursday, Feb. 11. Tipoff from Colonial Life Arena is slated for 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network with Courtney Lyle and Carolyn Peck on the call. In Mizzou's last time out on Sunday, the Tigers defeated Auburn, 85-75, in a game which was originally scheduled to take place on Jan. 10. Dating back to the start of January, Mizzou has lost five games by an average of four points, including four setbacks to ranked teams, as the Tigers are ever so close to getting over the hump and recording a signature win for the 2020-21 campaign. South Carolina enters the contest a perfect 10-0 in league play and ranked No. 1 in the AP poll, but recently lost to No. 2/1 UConn on Monday in overtime, 63-59.
THE SERIES
- South Carolina holds a 7-3 advantage in the all-time series between the two programs, and has won the last three contests. Last season, the Gamecocks visited Mizzou Arena ranked atop the AP poll once again and came away with a 78-45 win in CoMo. Mizzou is 0-4 all-time in Columbia East. The Tigers' last victory over South Carolina came on Jan. 7, 2018 when Mizzou won 83-74 at home.
HIGH-POWERED OFFENSE
- Mizzou's high-powered offense has steered the way for the Tigers so far in 2020-21, as Mizzou leads the SEC and ranks third in the NCAA in field goal percentage at 49.8 percent (397-of-797). Mizzou has shot 50 percent or better from the field in eight of 14 games this season and 60 percent or better in two contests. More on Mizzou's hot shooting later. Mizzou's scoring has been a balanced attack as well, as three players are currently averaging double figures: redshirt junior forward LaDazhia Williams (14.5 ppg), sophomore guard Aijha Blackwell (14.1 ppg) and sophomore forward Hayley Frank (12.4 ppg).
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
- Always an elite scorer, sophomore guard Aijha Blackwell has elevated her rebounding production this season.
- Blackwell currently ranks third in the SEC and 19th in the NCAA at 11.2 rebounds per game. Blackwell has produced 10 or more rebounds 10 times this season, including six consecutive games. Over Mizzou's last six games, Blackwell has recorded 84 rebounds (14.0 rpg), posting 11, 16, 16, 19, 12 and 10 respectively. She is the first Tiger since at least 2002-03 to record 15 or more rebounds in consecutive games, let alone three straight. Her 19-board performance at Kentucky (Jan. 31) was the most since Jessra Johnson had 19 on Nov. 15, 2007. Her 11.2 rebounds per game would be the best mark-ever by a Mizzou sophomore and would rank second overall on the single-season list.
- Blackwell has scored in double figures in every game this season, giving her 10 double-doubles this season, the most by a Tiger since Cierra Porter had 12 in the 2016-17 season. Her six consecutive double-doubles is the longest streak in her career as she became the first Tiger to reach that mark since Christelle N'Garsanet had six straight in the 2005-06 season.
BALANCED SCORING
- Through 14 games this season, Mizzou has had a balanced attack leading the way in scoring, as three are currently averaging double figures: redshirt junior forward LaDazhia Williams (14.5 ppg), sophomore guard Aijha Blackwell (14.1 ppg), and sophomore forward Hayley Frank (12.4 ppg) with redshirt senior guard Shug Dickson (9.3 ppg) nearby.
- Consider the small sample size - 14 games - but the last Mizzou team to have four players average in double figures was the 2006-07 Mizzou Tigers.
- Already this season, Mizzou has had five games where five players have scored in double figures, the most since the 2005-06 Tigers did so in seven contests, including four straight between Nov. 27 and Dec. 11, 2005.
SOPHOMORE DUO 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 664 points through 45 career games (14.8 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.
- Sophomore forward Hayley Frank also reached 500 points in Mizzou's game at Florida, Jan. 28, doing so in just 43 career games.
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 104 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 823 points, needing 177 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 recently recorded her 186th win at Mizzou (187-148, .558), passing 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 in her first season in the Black & Gold. She has scored in double figures in 13 of Mizzou's 14 games, including a career-best mark of 23 points at Kentucky (Jan. 31). Williams recorded her first career 20-points game with a then-career best 20 points against Texas A&M (Jan. 24).
- 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 60.4 percent (81-of-134) thorough Mizzou's first 14 games. That mark ranks second in the SEC and seventh nationally. Williams will set the all-time single season program record if she stays above 61.2 percent, and mark set be Kesha Bonds in 1995-96.
NOTES FROM LAST TIME OUT
- Mizzou shot 55.7 percent from the field (34-of-61) at Auburn (2/7), the eighth time this season Mizzou has shot at least 50 percent from the field. It also marked the 10th time this season the Tigers have shot 40 percent or better from the field.
- Mizzou shot 52.9 percent from three (9-of-17), its second-best mark of the season from deep, only trailing is 69.2 percent performance (9-of-13) against Southern Illinois (Dec. 20).
- Mizzou outrebounded Auburn, 35-27, the ninth time in 14 games it has outrebounded its opponent.
- The Tigers dished out 20 assists in the game, its second-best mark of the season, only trailing the 22 it dished out against New Orleans on Dec. 16.
- Redshirt junior forward LaDazhia Williams led the team in scoring for the sixth time this season with 19 points, the 13th time this season she has reached double figures and the sixth time she scored 15 points. Williams' six rebounds marked the eighth time this season and the 13th time in her career she's reached 15 points.
- Redshirt junior guard Haley Troup scored in double figures for the fourth time this season and the 11th time in her career with 13 points. The junior guard matched a season-best marks in three-pointers made (three) and assists (five).
- With 12 points, sophomore guard Aijha Blackwell continued her stretch of scoring in double figures, doing so for the 14th time this season and for the 29th consecutive game dating back to Jan. 12, 2020. Blackwell attacked the glass once again, as she grabbed 10 rebounds to record her sixth consecutive double-double, the 10th of her season and the 17th of her career. She is the first Tiger player to record six straight double-doubles since Christelle N'Garsanet did so during the 2005-06 season.
- Sophomore forward Hayley Frank scored 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting to record her 10th game in double figures this season and the 30th of her career.
- Redshirt senior guard Shug Dickson had 13 points to record her seventh game in double figures this season and the 33rd of her career.
- Freshman guard Mama Dembele recorded a career-best four steals in the game, the best mark of any Tiger this season.
HOT SHOOTING
- All season, Mizzou has been able to shoot the ball at an extremely high level. Mizzou currently leads the SEC and ranks third nationally in field goal percentage at 49.8 percent (397-of-797).
- Sophomore forward Hayley Frank has lit up the net so far this season, as her shooting percentages currently sit at 57.5 percent (61-of-106) from the field, 40.8 percent (20-of-49) from three and 86.1 percent (31-of-36) from the free throw line. Frank would rank near the NCAA's top in each category, but her makes per game fall below the minimum threshold.
- Redshirt junior forward LaDazhia Williams has also helped lead the charge from the field this season, as she is shooting 60.4 percent (81-of-134) from the field, a mark which ranks second in the SEC, seventh nationally and would be the top mark in a single season in program history.
- Mizzou has shot the lights out this season, recording field goal percentages of 50 percent or better in eight of its 14 games and 60 percent or better twice. Mizzou's eight games of 50 percent or better is its best since 2018-19 (six), while its two games of 60 percent or better ties the most in the Coach Pingeton era with the 2016-17 squad.
- 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.
Players Mentioned
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