COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball guard Sophie Cunningham has been named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week, it was announced Tuesday.

Cunningham had the top debut of a freshman during the Robin Pingeton era with 23 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block in the season-opening 71-55 win Friday at Missouri State, the Missouri Valley Conference preseason favorite.

In the second half alone, Cunningham scored 19 points and grabbed four rebounds. Her 3-pointer with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter gave Mizzou a 51-50 advantage and a lead that would not be relinquished. From that point, she went on a personal 7-0 run to put the game out of reach. She finished the game 7-for-11 from the field, 2-for-4 from 3-point range and 7-for-8 from the foul line.

Through two collegiate games, Cunningham is averaging 17.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game. She is shooting 60 percent (12-for-20) from the floor and 43 percent (3-for-7) from beyond the arc.

Cunningham is the first McDonald’s High School All-American to join the Mizzou Women’s Basketball program. She was ranked the No. 14 recruit in the nation by Blue Star Report and led Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Missouri, to four state titles during her prep career. She played in the 2015 Jordan Brand Classic and was the 2015 Co-Miss Show-Me Basketball. Cunningham was the Missouri Class 5 Player of the Year as a junior and senior, and also was named the 2014 USA Today Gatorade Missouri Player of the Year.

— Mizzou Athletics —