COLUMBIA, Mo. – Following her 43rd and 44th career 20-point games, Mizzou Women’s Basketball senior guard Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week, announced by the conference office Tuesday. Cunningham averaged 24.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in Mizzou’s wins over No. 18 Texas A&M (Feb. 7) and Vanderbilt (Feb. 10).
Cunningham continues to lead active SEC players with 11 weekly honors in her career. This is the second time this season, and the fifth time in her career she has been named the SEC Player of the Week. In 2015-16, Cunningham earned a conference record six Freshman of the Week nods, a mark which was tied today with Kentucky’s Rhyne Howard earning her sixth Freshman of the Week nod.
Cunningham has been recognized among the best in the nation this season, as she sits on the watch lists for the Naismith Trophy, Wooden Award, the Wade Trophy and the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award.
The Tiger senior led Mizzou to a 70-65 overtime victory over No. 18 Texas A&M on Thursday, as Cunningham notched her 12th career double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Cunningham matched a career-high with 12 rebounds and set a career high with 44 minutes played in the game. Cunningham accounted for six of Mizzou’s nine total points in overtime, and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the extra period.
On Sunday, Cunningham scored 27 points, grabbed eight rebounds and matched a career-high with seven three-pointers in Mizzou’s 69-46 win over Vanderbilt. Cunningham became the second Tiger to ever make seven threes in an SEC game, as she joins Morgan Eye, who made 11 against Auburn on Jan. 6, 2013. It marked the 11th time this season and the 44th time in her career she has reached 20 points, as Mizzou moved to 10-1 in games this season in which she has scored 20+ points.
Cunningham has been on a recent scoring-tear, as she has averaged 22.4 points per game over her last seven contests with five 20-point games. The Tiger senior ranks near the top of numerous statistical categories in the SEC, as she ranks fourth in three-point percentage (42.9 percent), fifth in scoring (17.1 ppg), fifth in three-pointers made (2.4) sixth in field goal percentage (49.5 percent), seventh in free throw percentage (79.7 percent). In conference games only, Cunningham leads the SEC in three-point percentage (54.7 percent) and three-pointers made per game (3.2), and ranks third in scoring (18.7 ppg), third in field goal percentage (55.8 percent), sixth in free throw percentage (87.8 percent).
Cunningham is the SEC career active scoring leader with 1,991 points, and ranks sixth in career rebounds (646) and seventh in assists (363). Among program records, Cunningham currently ranks second in career three-point percentage (.407), third in scoring (1,991 points), third in free throws made (480), third in free throw percentage (.830), third in three-pointers made (213), fourth in career points per game (16.7) and fifth in assists (363).
Mizzou hits the road this week for a matchup with No. 5 Mississippi State on Thursday before returning home to Mizzou Arena on Sunday to host Tennessee.
— Mizzou Athletics —