COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball (18-7, 7-4) cruised to a 69-46 victory over Vanderbilt (6-17, 1-9) on Sunday afternoon at Mizzou Arena. With the win, head coach Robin Pingeton recorded her 500th career victory as the Tiger improved to 6-0 at Mizzou in SEC play.
Senior guard Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) led the charge, scoring 27 points and tallying eight rebounds. Senior forward Cierra Porter (Columbia, Mo.) contributed 15 points, a season-high, and snagged 7 rebounds. The Tigers also scored 12 second-chance points, largely thanks to sophomore forward Emmanuelle Tahane (Bondy, France) pulling down five offensive boards.
TURNING POINT
The Tiger offense started the game on fire, opening the game on a 12-2 run. Cunningham led the team as she drilled four three-pointers in the first five minutes of the game. The defense also chipped in, holding Vanderbilt to just 15 points in the first half. The Tiger defense also held the Commodores to only seven field goals in the first half.
TOP TIGERS
- With 27 points and eight rebounds, Cunningham continued her recent dominance. She now has scored 20+ points 11 times this season. Cunningham also tied a career-high in three-pointers as she drilled seven shots from beyond the arc.
- Porter tallied 15 points and snagged seven rebounds. Her 15 points are the most she has scored since returning to the court this season.
- Tahane pulled down eight rebounds, a career-high, while scoring six points. The sophomore forward also snagged five offensive boards, a season-high.
NOTES
- Pingeton notched her 500th career victory with the win over Vanderbilt. At Mizzou alone, she now has 165 victories. Among active head coaches, she stands in second place in the SEC and 32ndoverall among Division-I head coaches.
- Redshirt senior guard Lauren Aldridge (Marshfield, Mo.) dished out five assists today, pushing her over 400 career-assists. She now has 176 assists in her career at Mizzou.
- With eight rebounds on the day, Tahane recorded a career-high. Tahane also snagged a season-high five offensive boards.
- Cunningham drilled seven three-pointers in the game, setting a new season-high and tying a career high that came against SIUE (12/10/17).
- Cunningham tallied 27 points, the 11th time this season that she has recorded 20+ points. The Tigers move to 10-1 on the season when Cunningham scores 20 points or more.
- Over her last seven contests, Cunningham is averaging 22.4 points per game with five 20-point games.
- Porter recorded 15 points, the highest mark since she has returned to the court this season. She previously had 12 against Auburn (1/27/18)
- With three free-throws made, Porter now ranks 10th all-time at Mizzou with 323.
- With two free throws, Cunningham has made 480 free throws in her career, just two behind of sole possession of first place all-time in Mizzou history.
- The Tiger defense came up strong, holding the Commodores to 22% from the field and just 15 points in the first half. This is the third time this season that Mizzou has held an opponent to 15 points or below in one half.
- Mizzou has now held its opponents to 65 points or less in 22 of 25 games this season.
UP NEXT
Next, Mizzou hits the road as the Tigers are set to battle No. 6 Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss. on Thursday, Feb. 14. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m.
— Mizzou Athletics —