COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou sophomore guard Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) was named Southeastern Conference Co-Player of the Week, announced Tuesday by the league office. It’s Cunningham’s first weekly honor since earning SEC Freshman of the Week six times last season and Mizzou’s second weekly award this season, with senior Sierra Michaelis receiving SEC Co-Player of the Week recognition in December.

Cunningham steered Mizzou to a pair of wins last week as the Tigers extended their win streak to three games. The sensational sophomore averaged 20.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists to lead Mizzou to victories over No. 25 Texas A&M and Arkansas.

On Thursday, Cunningham guided her team to an upset overtime win over No. 25 Texas A&M with the top scoring performance in the SEC during league play this season. Cunningham poured in a season-high 36 points on 10-of-19 shooting in the victory. She made a career-high 14 free throws, just three shy of the single-game program record. She is the first Tiger in 15 seasons with 10 field goals and 10 free throws in the same game and she has now accomplished that feat twice in her career (Wake Forest, Nov. 22, 2015).

Cunningham dominated late to beat the Aggies. Ten of her 14 free throws came after the 1:04 mark of the fourth quarter. Her game-tying, clutch layup with three seconds remaining sent the game to overtime and her free throws in the extra period sealed the win.

On Monday, in a blowout win on the road at Arkansas that saw nine Tigers find the scoring column, Cunningham chipped in five points and five assists. She added seven rebounds in the rout for the second consecutive game to complete an all-around solid effort. It marks the fourth time this season she’s recorded at least seven points and five assists in the same game.

After her stellar week, Cunningham is now the only player in the SEC shooting above 80 percent from the free throw line and above 45 percent from the field. She has reached 20 points in a game five times since returning from an injury in mid-December and has done so 16 times in 50 career games. For the season, Cunningham ranks third in the SEC in scoring with 16.9 points per game.

Mizzou begins a two-game homestand when it hosts Auburn on Thursday night at Mizzou Arena before a rematch with Kentucky on Jan. 30. The contest against Auburn is set to tip at 7 p.m.

— Mizzou Athletics —