LINCOLN, Neb. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball earned a dominant 55-35 road victory at Nebraska on Monday night. Mizzou used a 23-2 first-half run to build a lead it would never surrender as the Tigers punched their ticket to Thursday’s Preseason WNIT Semifinals.
Nebraska’s 35 points on Monday matched the fewest the Huskers have scored in a game as an NCAA program, with the last time coming in 1975. Mizzou’s blue-collar defense has allowed just 40.5 points per contest through the first two games of the 2016-17 campaign.
Mizzou’s triumph on Monday at Pinnacle Bank Arena marked the first win for the Tigers at Nebraska since Feb. 17, 2007. Mizzou’s 20-point win was the Tigers’ largest margin of victory over their former Big 12 rivals since 2003.
Senior Sierra Michealis (Mercer, Mo.) and sophomore Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) poured in 18 points each to lead Mizzou. Michaelis buried four three-pointers and is now tied for fourth in career treys among active players in the SEC with 121 career trifectas. Cunningham added 10 rebounds to secure her fifth career double-double. She’s now scored in double figures in seven of her last eight games.
Sophomore forward Cierra Porter (Columbia, Mo.) also helped on the glass as Mizzou outrebounded Nebraska, 49-39. Porter corralled 10 rebounds and posted 10 points, tallying double-doubles in back-to-back games for the first time in her career after a 12-rebound, 10-point performance in the season-opening win over Abilene Christian.
Trailing 9-7 less than six minutes into the game, Mizzou caught fire and ended the opening quarter on a 9-0 run, highlighted by three-pointers from redshirt senior Lianna Doty (St. Louis, Mo.) and Michaelis. Mizzou went on to hold Nebraska scoreless for 7:58 of game clock during a convincing run that saw the Tigers grab a 23-9 lead. After another trey and a reverse layup from Michaelis and freshman guard Jordan Chavis’ first career bucket, Mizzou held a 30-13 advantage. The Tigers eventually took a 14-point lead into halftime.
Mizzou’s defense continued to stifle the Huskers in the second half as the Tigers held Nebraska to just four made field goals over the final 20 minutes. Cunningham scored 10 second-half points to help Mizzou maintain its commanding lead down the stretch. Her back-to-back driving layups handed Mizzou a 20-point edge with 3:04 remaining as head coach Robin Pingeton’s squad began the year 2-0 for the sixth consecutive season.
Mizzou now awaits the winner of the Washington-Colorado State quarterfinal game. The Preseason WNIT Semifinals are set for Thursday, Nov. 17, with location and game times yet to be determined by tournament officials.
— Mizzou Athletics —