University of Missouri
7-2,0-0SEC
Northwestern
6-1,0-0Big Ten
Slaughter, Harper Earn Career Accolades in Women’s Basketball Victory Over Northwestern
11/29/2025 3:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Junior guard Grace Slaughter scored a career-high 33 points to lead Mizzou women's basketball past Northwestern 85-70 in the final game of the Ft. Myers Tip-Off on Saturday afternoon at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Florida.
The win marked career victory No. 400 for Mizzou head coach Kellie Harper.
Slaughter's final points of the contest marked the 1,000th of her collegiate career. The junior corralled nine rebounds and dished five assists to round out her statline.
Redshirt senior guard Jayla Smith recorded 15 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Sophomore guard Chloe Sotell, junior guard Shannon Dowell and senior forward Jordana Reisma all notched double-figure scoring outings to round out the Tigers' top performers.
Northwestern jumped out to an early lead following the opening tip, but led by Slaughter, the Tigers battled back with a 7-0 run throughout the middle of the frame that was bookended by a triple from Smith.
Slaughter continued to pace the first quarter offense, scoring 15 of her total in the period. Dowell converted an and-one play in the final seconds that gave Mizzou a 23-19 lead headed into the second.
Despite offensive efforts from Smith and Slaughter, Northwestern battled back in the contest and took a one-point lead at the halfway mark of the second quarter.
Seconds later, Sotell buried a step-back 3-pointer that ignited a 12-2 run, which was capped off by a triple from Slaughter from near the center-court logo.
The scoring charge gave Mizzou a 42-36 lead at the half.
The Tigers trailed by one two minutes into the third, Slaughter drove through the lane and converted an and-one layup that sparked an 8-0 run to give Mizzou seven points of separation.
The Wildcats tied the contest with just under two minutes remaining in the period. On the final possession, Dowell secured a steal and raced down the floor, where Slaughter tipped in a layup before the buzzer sounded to see Mizzou hold a 62-58 lead entering the final frame.
Northwestern hit a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter, before three straight layups from Slaughter, Dowell and Reisma, gave Missouri a seven-point advantage with just over five minutes remaining in the contest.
Closing the contest, the Wildcats had no answer for the Tigers' offense as a flurry of baskets saw Mizzou outscore Northwestern 17-7 down the stretch.
Four different Tigers registered points in the final push before the buzzer sounded.
UP NEXT
Mizzou will return home to face Cal in the annual ACC/SEC Challenge matchup at 8 p.m. Thursday in Mizzou Arena.
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