COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou women’s basketball continued its perfect start to the season with a 79-63 victory over Lindenwood on Sunday at Mizzou Arena.
Senior guard Grace Slaughter posted 21 points to lead Mizzou (5-0, 0-0 SEC). Slaughter also added seven rebounds and four assists. With her second basket of the contest, Slaughter passed Erika Martin (1992-96) to move into 10th on the program’s all-time scoring list.
Sophomore guard Neveah Caffey notched 12 points, seven assists and three boards.
Sophomore guard McKenzie Mathurin contributed 12 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished four assists.
Leading by two over five minutes into the contest, the Tigers began to separate as consecutive triples from senior guard Abbey Schreacke sparked a broader 14-7 run that gave the hosts a nine-point advantage. Slaughter scored four to aid the push. Lindenwood responded with a couple of late baskets, which cut the gap to 25-20 at the end of one.
A triple from Caffey and back-to-back three-point plays from freshman forward Ellie Muller and Slaughter stretched Mizzou’s lead to 10 halfway through the second. The two programs traded conversions at the free-throw line in the minutes that followed before long-range makes by Schreacke and a buzzer-beating conversion by Caffey gave the Tigers a 45-34 lead at the break.
Mizzou ramped up its offensive intensity to begin the third. After Lindenwood opened the frame with a bucket, the Tigers mounted a 7-0 run led by Mathurin, who contributed five in the scoring charge to give Mizzou a 16-point lead. The Tigers’ defense slowed Lindenwood in the heart of the frame, but the visitors were able to slowly close the scoring spread as Mizzou led 60-49 at the conclusion of the quarter.
Slaughter connected on a triple in the early minutes of the fourth to push the separation to 14. Moments later, the Lions sank a 3-pointer to try to mount a comeback, but another make from beyond the arc by Slaughter silenced the effort.
Fifth-year guard Tanyuel Welch sparked a late 7-0 run with a pair of baskets before a Mathurin triple. Mizzou eased to victory with the late charge.
UP NEXT
Mizzou returns to action against Kansas State at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. The contest will not be televised but will air over the radio on the Mizzou Tigers app.