COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball (17-9, 7-5) beat Arkansas, 67-56, on Sunday night, earning its fourth consecutive home win. With the victory, Mizzou clinched its fifth consecutive winning season for the first time since 1985-1990.
The Tigers completed their first season sweep over the Razorbacks since joining the SEC. Mizzou is now 13-1 at home during the 2016-17 campaign and have seven conference victories overall for the third straight season.
Mizzou scorched the nets Sunday, shooting 59.1 percent from 3-point range, its best performance from deep in conference play, as the Tigers claimed their ninth double-digit win this season. Mizzou made at least 10 triples as a team for the fourth time in 2016-17 and the third time against an SEC opponent.
Redshirt senior Lindsey Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) poured in a career-high 21 points to lead Mizzou and added six rebounds. She made a career-high five three-pointers, shooting 5-of-5 from beyond the arc. She’s now put together three perfect games this season from three-point range.
Freshman Amber Smith (Shreveport, La.) tallied 11 points and a career-high 10 rebounds to seal her first career double-double. Mizzou improved to 5-0 this season when Smith reaches double digits.
Sophomore Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) contributed 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. She has scored at least 10 points in eight of the Tigers’ 12 conference games.
The Razorbacks took an early lead in the first quarter, but Mizzou catapulted in front with hot-shooting from beyond the arc. Mizzou drained six three-pointers, with five different Tigers making at least one, in the first period of play to take a 20-16 lead through 10 minutes of action.
Mizzou hit three more treys to begin the second quarter as the Tigers’ first nine field goals of the game all came from three-point range. After the Cunningham sisters knocked down a triple each on back-to-back possessions, the Tigers owned a 10-point advantage. Mizzou ended the opening half on a 16-6 run and entered the break up 41-25.
Arkansas clawed back to within 11 midway through the third quarter but the Tigers seized momentum back behind the efforts of Smith. The freshman got an offensive rebound and putback on two consecutive possessions to push Mizzou back up 17. Lindsey Cunningham hit another three-pointer to beat the buzzer at the end of the frame and the Tigers entered the final quarter with a 55-38 lead.
Sophie Cunningham sealed the victory with eight points in the fourth quarter. She’s scored in double figures in four consecutive games.
Mizzou finished the night shooting 16-of-20 (80 percent) from the free throw line. The Tigers have now shot 70 percent or better from the charity stripe 23 times in 26 contests.
Mizzou heads to Gainesville, Fla., next to take on Florida on Thursday. Tip is set for 6 p.m. CT
— MU Athletics —