COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball picked up its 15th win of the season, beating Georgia, 61-35, at Mizzou Arena Thursday night. The Tiger defense was dominant all night long, holding Georgia to just 35 points, the lowest total ever allowed by Mizzou in conference play. It was also the lowest point total for the Bulldogs since they were held to 26 back in the 2014-15 season by Auburn. The Tigers now move to 4-1 in SEC play with the win.
Senior guard Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) was fantastic again for the Tigers, scoring 23 points while grabbing eight rebounds and snagging five steals, leading the team in all three categories. Junior forward Amber Smith (Shreveport, La.) and freshman guard Akira Levy (Baxter, Tenn.) also had quality outings against Georgia, as Smith went for nine points and five boards, while Levy racked up seven points and five assists.
TURNING POINT
The Tigers and Bulldogs both struggled to score in the early going, as the team’s only combined for nine points midway through the first period. Then, Mizzou turned it on, going on a 21-8 run that spanned the second half of the first period and all of the second quarter.
Cunningham, Smith and redshirt freshman guard Haley Troup (Gadsden, Ala.) led the charge during the game-changing run, as the trio combined for 20 of the Tigers’ 25 first half points. The run was highlighted by a late shot clock heave from Troup that dropped in from about 35 feet and by Cunningham’s layup at the first half buzzer that stretched the lead to 12 going into the intermission.
TOP TIGERS
- Cunningham finished the game with 23 points, eight rebounds and a career-high five steals. It was Cunningham’s seventh 20-point game of the season, and her seventh game of 18+ points in the last 11 games.
- Senior forward Cierra Porter (Columbia, Mo.) continues her upward trajectory since returning to the court, scoring eight points, while grabbing five rebounds.
- Smith put up another balanced line, going for nine points, five rebounds three assists and a steal.
- Levy scored seven points and recorded a season-high five assists.
NOTES
- Mizzou held Georgia to 35 points, the fewest points ever scored against Mizzou in a conference game.
- It was the fewest points allowed by the Tigers since Nebraska scored 35 during the 2016-17 season (11/14/16).
- Those 35 points were also the Bulldogs’ lowest total since they were held to just 26 against Auburn during the 2014-15 season (2/22/15).
- Mizzou had 15 assists against Georgia, the 10th time this season the Tigers have registered at least 15 helpers.
- Cunningham dropped 20 points for the 40th time in her career against Georgia.
- Cunningham registered 23 points and eight rebounds, her sixth performance this season with at least 20+ points and 5+ rebounds.
- Cunningham also snatched five steals, a new career-high.
- With her 23 points, eight rebounds and five steals, Cunningham is just the third Tiger in the last 21 seasons to record such a stat line, joining Jordan Frericks (27 points, 17 rebounds, six steals at Bradley, 12-6-14) and Christine Flores (25 points, 14 rebounds, five steals vs. Eastern Illinois, 12-7-11).
- Levy had five assists in the game, the most in her young career.
UP NEXT
Mizzou next travels to Columbia, S.C., where they will take on the Gamecocks at on Monday, Jan. 21. Tipoff is set to tip at 6 p.m.
— Mizzou Athletics —