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Category: Sports

Mizzou’s road woes continue with loss at No. 19 South Carolina

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riggertMissouriCOLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — That No. 19 South Carolina’s 81-72 win over Missouri was ugly hardly bothered Gamecocks coach Frank Martin.

South Carolina (16-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) missed shots, but they hit the boards and shook off any bad feelings from its first loss of the year, a surprising 21-point drubbing at Alabama.

“It wasn’t about making shots. It was about playing our kind of basketball. We weren’t great, but I thought we played more to who we are,” Martin said.

South Carolina outrebounded Missouri 41-26 and had 17 offensive rebounds to five for the Tigers. The Gamecocks made three of their 21 3-point attempts.

But while they never trailed, the Gamecocks also never could put the overmatched Tigers (8-9, 1-3) away either.

Missouri was playing its first game since banning itself from the SEC tournament and any other postseason appearances for NCAA violations. And the Tigers started the game without much fire, turning the ball over five times and missing two shots — including a 3-point attempt that wedged in the side of the rim — in their first seven possessions.

South Carolina went up 8-0, but never pushed the lead over 13 points the rest of the way.

“Some of the shots they we made were tough, deep shots. Once they started making shots, their confidence would build,” said Sindarius Thornwell, who led the Gamecocks with 22 points.

Mindaugas Kacinas added 14 points for South Carolina, while freshman PJ Dozier had 11.

Wes Clark led Missouri with a career-best 26 points and had eight assists, accounting for almost two-thirds of Missouri’s 28 baskets. He was 10 of 16 from the field and had six rebounds.

South Carolina looked lethargic at times. There wasn’t much movement to the offense, and they turned the ball over 13 times.

The defense struggled, too. Missouri shot 49.1 percent in the first half and Ryan Rosburg had 12 points, hitting all six of his shots.

“We’ve been down like that before, and it has gone the other way. Maybe we are learning something,” Missouri coach Kim Anderson said.

But it wasn’t enough for the Tigers to win their first road game for Anderson in his second season. Missouri’s last win on the road came 21 games ago at Arkansas in January 2014.

“Someday we will win one,” Anderson said. “It will be big news.”

TIP-INS

Missouri: The Tigers shot 36.8 percent from 3-point range. They came into the game shooting 32 percent from behind the arc. … Missouri’s leading scorer and rebounder, Kevin Puryear, had two points and one rebound in 12 minutes as he struggled with foul trouble.

South Carolina: The Gamecocks shot 66.7 percent (22 of 33) from the free throw line. Missouri made nine of 13 free throws. … South Carolina won three of its first four SEC games for the first time since 2011. … The team honored Thornwell before the game for being the 42nd Gamecock to score 1,000 points in his career.

CLARK’S RETURN

Clark’s last trip to South Carolina ended horrifically, when Michael Carrera landed on his arm in a scramble, leaving his elbow turned at a grotesque angle.

“There was a little nervousness. But as time went on, I got to playing and I didn’t think about it,” the junior said.

Martin noted Clark’s amazing game Saturday and the 11 points he scored against the Gamecocks before the injury last year.

“I tell you what — he loves kicking our tails,” Martin said.

SPECIAL GUEST

New South Carolina football coach Will Muschamp appeared at halftime, introducing his assistants. Offensive line coach Shawn Elliott got the biggest cheer. Elliott was the interim coach last season after Steve Spurrier stepped down and went 1-5 in the role. He was the only assistant Muschamp retained.

Muschamp didn’t say much, but ended with a promise.

“I can only guarantee you one thing: We’re not going to get outworked,” Muschamp said.

UP NEXT

Missouri hosts Georgia on Wednesday.

South Carolina is at Mississippi on Tuesday.

— Associated Press —

KU bench comes up big in Jayhawks 70-63 win over TCU

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riggertKULAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas coach Bill Self has long insisted that five-star recruits Carlton Bragg and Cheick Diallo might be the best players on his team — five years down the line.

They might have been the best on Saturday.

Bragg had 10 points and four rebounds, Diallo had nine points and nine boards, and their spark off the bench helped the top-ranked Jayhawks to an otherwise sluggish 70-63 victory over TCU.

“Coach is always telling them to be ready when their number is called,” Kansas guard Devonte Graham said. “And in practice, you can see them getting better and better each week, and they’re going to be huge for us down the stretch.”

Wayne Selden Jr. had 11 points and Graham and Perry Ellis added 10 points apiece for Kansas (15-2, 4-1 Big 12), which bounced back nicely from its loss at West Virginia earlier in the week.

It was the 33rd consecutive win at Allen Fieldhouse for Kansas, matching the fourth-best streak in school history. It was also the Jayhawks’ seven straight win over the Horned Frogs.

“I was happy with Carlton, I thought he did some things in the first half,” Self said, “and I thought Cheick was a presence for the most part.”

Michael Williams had 13 points and Brandon Parrish and Chauncey Collins scored 11 apiece for TCU (9-8, 1-4), which remained close for a while thanks to a flurry of early 3-pointers.

The Jayhawks eventually took the perimeter away, and their size and depth in the post made it nearly impossible for TCU to score. Diallo finished with five blocks in just 21 minutes.

“They’re long. They’re really long,” Williams said. “So sometimes they’re not doing what they need to be doing offensively, and they struggle, but that length is really tough defensively.”

On the flip side, “I think my wife could score on us in the post,” TCU coach Trent Johnson said.

Malique Trent missed the Horned Frogs’ second straight game because of a violation of team rules. The transfer from New Mexico Junior College was tied for the team lead at 11.7 points per game.

His loss has been sorely felt for a team short on depth. The Horned Frogs were able to hang around with the Jayhawks for the first half, but their weary legs got the best of them late.

In fact, TCU built a 19-15 lead fueled almost entirely by 3-pointers before Kansas answered with a 16-2 run. But even after the Jayhawks took a 31-21 lead with about 4 minutes left before the break, the Horned Frogs were able to keep the game within striking distance.

It was still a 10-point game midway through the second half when the Jayhawks peeled off six quick points, first on a dunk by Ellis and then consecutive layups by Frank Mason III. And while TCU never truly went away, Kansas had enough depth and athleticism to prevent one more comeback.

Not to mention give Self another opportunity to tinker.

The Jayhawks’ coach is still experimenting with lineups, trying to find the best five guys — and the top guys off the bench — approaching the midpoint of the season. Bragg and Diallo made their case for more minutes, while Jamari Traylor and Landen Lucas seemed to backpedal a bit.

Bragg soared past his career-best of nine points while providing some energy on the defensive end and the glass, while Diallo provided a jolt with a series of crowd-thrilling rejections.

“They look the part. They play the part. And they’re playing with the right guy,” Johnson said. “They’re going to be good players. Great players, probably. I hope they leave after this year.”

FALSE ALARMS

Fire alarms sounded in Allen Fieldhouse with just over a minute left in the game. True to form at Kansas, the 16,300 seats were never empty — despite a bleating horn and flashing lights. The officials decided to play through it and finish up the game.

TIP-INS

TCU: Chris Washburn started for the third time after missing the early portion of the season with a broken finger. He finished with eight points. … TCU was 7 of 17 from beyond the arc.

Kansas: Ellis had nine rebounds. … Kansas was 5 of 20 from beyond the arc. … The Jayhawks had just 10 turnovers after piling up 22 in their loss to the Mountaineers.

UP NEXT

TCU plays Texas Tech on Monday night.

Kansas visits Oklahoma State on Tuesday night.

— Associated Press —

Kansas State falls at home to Iowa State

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riggertKansasStateMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Iowa State’s Georges Niang and Monte Morris both felt the ball hadn’t bounced their way in consecutive Big 12 losses.

They didn’t leave anything to chance on Saturday.

Morris scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half, Niang continued his form at Bramlage Coliseum with 15 points, and No. 17 Iowa State kept Kansas State at arm’s length in a 76-63 victory.

“We stayed together,” Morris said. “When they made runs, we always huddled up and kept our composure. I think when we are like this, I do not think anybody can beat us. When we focus, I feel like we play well and respond well to adversity.”

The win snapped a two-game skid for the Cyclones (13-4, 2/3 Big 12) after dropping nail- biters to Texas and No. 22 Baylor, and prevented Iowa State’s first 1-4 league start since 2010-11.

Niang entered Saturday’s game averaging 14.7 points in seven games against the Wildcats at Bramlage Coliseum.

Abdel Nader added 14 points and Matt Thomas had 11 for Iowa State, which shot 50.9 percent from the field — meeting its season average of 50.2. Three players finished with at least six rebounds.

First-year Iowa State coach Steve Prohm used a timeout with 9:35 play to spark a 7-0 run after Kansas State cut a double-digit lead to 50-45 on a basket by Justin Edwards.

“We had to get a stop,” Wildcats coach Bruce Weber said. “But they made their plays.”

Edwards scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Kansas State (11-6, 1-4).

Three times late, Kansas State pushed back but couldn’t get any closer than 66-59 with 3:12 remaining on a 3-pointer by Kamau Stokes. The Wildcats cooled off after hitting 10 3-pointers against Texas Tech on Tuesday, completing just 4 of 21 attempts from beyond the arc.

“I think we let our lack of offensive execution and shot-making affect our defense,” Weber said. “That meant we didn’t have any energy, but you have to let the defense create the energy.”

The first half had the makings of a blowout. A 7-minute scoring drought for Kansas State allowed the visitors to take a double-digit lead. The Wildcats were 1 of 15 from the field during the spell and turned the ball over four times. At one point, Kansas State scored three points on 19 possessions.

Morris scored with 5:09 remaining in the half to make it 26-9. D.J. Johnson responded for the Wildcats with a tough layup inside that started a 14-6 run to cut the deficit to 32-23 by halftime.

“I have learned a lot in my short time in this league, and we just have to continue to get better each day,” Prohm said. “But to come here and win like this in double figures, it shows that we are not going to let people push us out and say that Iowa State is done this year.”

QUOTABLE

Barry Brown had averaged 17.3 points per game in Big 12 play for Kansas State, including 15 points against Texas Tech on Tuesday, but the freshman guard was held to four on 1-of-10 shooting Saturday.

“Coach (Chester) Frazier asked him, `You’ve been in the gym every day during break. You have a big game against Texas Tech, were you in the gym on Wednesday?’ I think the answer is pretty obvious. If you want to be a good player, you have to be in the gym.”

TIP-INS

Iowa State: Backup guard Hallice Cooke did not make the trip due to a suspension that is a non-legal issue. . The Cyclones snapped a three-game losing streak in Manhattan, Kansas.

Kansas State: Wildcats starting bigs Dean Wade and Stephen Hurt combined for just eight points on 4-of-15 shooting.

UP NEXT

Iowa State: hosts No. 2 Oklahoma on Monday.

Kansas State: is at No. 22 Baylor on Wednesday.

— Associated Press —

Northwest women struggle early, lose to Ichabods 60-43

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Northwest2013riggertThe Northwest Missouri State women’s basketball team couldn’t find its offensive rhythm Saturday evening in Topeka, Kan., losing to Washburn, 60-43.

The Bearcats fall to 2-15 overall and 0-11 against conference opponents, while the Ichabods improved their record to 11-6 and 7-4 in the MIAA.

Tember Schechinger tallied her fifth double-double this season, totaling 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The Bearcats closed the game on a 9-2 run. Taylor Shull opened the run when she knocked down a 15-foot jumper, closing the gap to 58-36. After the Ichabods hit a layup with 4:24 to play, Northwest held them scoreless for the rest of the night. Shelby Mustain dropped in an easy layup off a nice pass from Macy Williams before Tember Schechinger made a driving layup and-one. Schechinger closed the scoring on the next possession after a nifty pass from Shull.

The Bearcats will open a three-game homestand on Thursday, Jan. 21 when Nebraska-Kearney comes to town. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30.

— Northwest Athletics —

Huskers win at Illinois for third straight victory

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riggertNebraskaCHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — On offense Saturday, Andrew White III started slowly. He hit just one shot from the field in the first half and went to the locker room with six points.

But he also had a half dozen rebounds — something to build on.

White finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Cornhuskers (11-8, 3-3 Big Ten) by Illinois, 78-67.

“I think mainly what got me going was getting on offensive rebounds,” White said. “My rebounding on both ends was what sparked my offensive game.

The win was Nebraska’s third in four games.

Illinois (10-9, 3-3) has lost four of its last five and continued to miss injured big men Mike Thorne Jr. and Leron Black.

Both are out for the season and, without them, the Illini have struggled on the boards and to create any sort of inside offense. On Saturday, that left the Illini to launch 3-pointers, 37 of them in all, 62 percent of their 59 shots. They made just 11.

Illinois coach John Groce said his team should never have taken that many long-range shots.

“No. Shot selection was awful,” he said. “It was terrible.”

Glynn Watson Jr. scored 17 for Nebraska while Tai Webster added 16 and Shavon Shields 14.

Nebraska used a 17-2 run to go up by 10 points late in the first half and never trailed over the game’s final 28 minutes.

Malcolm Hill led Illinois with 17 points and seven assists. Kendrick Nunn added 15 points.

With 14:05 left in the game and Illinois trying to claw its way back, White drained a 3-pointer that pushed Nebraska out to a 51-39 lead, matching the Cornhuskers’ largest lead of the game to that point.

Nebraska outrebounded the Illini 42-24.

The absence of Thorne and Black has left the Illini short on big bodies, and their disadvantage on the boards has been glaring most of the season. Opponents have outrebounded Illinois 659-569 on the season.

“I felt like we had to win the paint to win the game,” Nebraska coach Tim Miles said “Because Thorne’s hurt, they don’t have a rim protector like (former Illinois center Nnanna) Egwu in the old days.”

Illinois’ frustration was obvious Saturday against a Cornhusker team that started no one taller than 6-foot-7.

“I hate to say,” said 6-10 forward Michael Finke, the tallest player on the Illinois roster. “That’s inexcusable.”

He finished with three rebounds and 11 points, nine of them on 3-pointers.

Illinois had closed the Nebraska lead to eight points on a 3-pointer by Nunn with six minutes to play and breathed life into what had been a mostly grumbling crowd.

But at the other end, Nebraska used a pair of offensive boards to turn a pair of misses into a pair of third-chance points from White that pushed the lead back to 10 at 67-57 and quieted the State Farm Center.

Nebraska went on a 17-2 run late in the first half that turned the game, opening up a double-digit lead in what had been a tight, back-and-forth contest.

A pair of free throws from Webster put the Huskers up 33-23 with 4:05 left in the half.

Illinois’ answer at the other was a quick, baseline 3-point attempt by Nunn that missed the basket by at least 3 feet.

“Jack a 3, might as well,” one fan yelled.

TIP-INS

Nebraska: The Cornhuskers have struggled to take care of the ball this season, averaging 13.5 turnovers coming into the game. They were better Saturday, with 10.

Illinois: Nunn, usually a starter when he is healthy, did not start Saturday. Groce said he came off the bench because of an unspecified violation of team rules.

IN THE PAINT

While Illinois relied on 3-pointers and scored just 20 points in the paint, Nebraska, even with a small lineup, quietly made the most of its inside game and the lack of an Illini presence inside. The Cornhuskers scored 34 points in the paint.

“And we’re a team of slashers,” Miles said. “It’s what we do.”

ILLINOIS CONNECTION

Watson and Ed Morrow Jr. are both from Illinois, and sparked the Cornhuskers early. They combined for 11 points over the first nine minutes.

But Watson has direct ties to the Illini. Former Illinois star Demetri McCamey is his older brother and current Illini guard D.J. Williams was his teammate last season at Simeon High School in Chicago.

Illinois never made an offer to Watson, but he deflected questions Saturday about whether that offered any motivation.

“No, I just stick to the game plan,” he said. “That was about it.”

UP NEXT

Nebraska visits No. 4 Michigan State on Wednesday.

Illinois visits Indiana on Tuesday.

— Associated Press —

Missouri State rolls to big win at Bradley

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riggertMSUPEORIA, Ill. (AP) — Obediah Church scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as Missouri State rolled to a 61-42 win over Bradley on Saturday night.

Ryan Kreklow added 12 points for the Bears (7-11, 3-3 Missouri Valley Conference). Camyn Boone had 10 points and five rebounds and Chris Kendrix chipped in nine points. Missouri Sate averaged 41.2 percent shooting from the field and 60 percent from the line.

Missouri Valley jumped to a 16-6 start and led 34-18 at the break.

Bradley surged 12-8 to start the second half to close the gap to 12 points, 42-30, but faded midway as Church dunked to extend the Bears lead to 46-32 with 8:14 to play. Boone followed a second Church dunk with one of his own to make it 57-37 with 3:03 left and the Bears cruised from there.

Callum Barker and Ronnie Suggs scored 12 points apiece for the Braves (3-16, 1-5).

— Associated Press —

Missouri football adds Joe Jon Finley as Tight Ends coach

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Courtesy Baylor Athletics
Courtesy Baylor Athletics

COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Head Football Coach Barry Odom has added Joe Jon Finley to his new coaching staff, as announced Friday.  Finley will serve as Mizzou’s tight ends coach, a position in which he was an all-conference performer in his playing days for the Oklahoma Sooners and has helped coach for several seasons at the Power Five level.  He spent the 2015 season on the coaching staff at Baylor, where he worked extensively with the tight ends as an offensive quality control specialist.

This past season, the Baylor offense was among the most potent in the nation, as the Bears led the country in both total offense (616 ypg) and scoring (48.1 ppg), while ranking in the top-25 nationally in numerous other categories, just a few of which included rushing (2nd – 327 ypg), passing efficiency (3rd – 171 rating),  fewest sacks allowed (15th – 1.1 per game), 3rd down percentage (16th – 46.7%) and passing yardage (24th – 290 ypg).

Finley’s appointment rounds out the hiring of Odom’s full-time coaching staff.  Details of Finley’s contract will be released once fully executed, along with the completion of human resources procedures.

“Joe Jon brings great energy and enthusiasm to our program, he is a winner who has proven himself in a short time to be a valuable asset offensively in run game organization, concepts and teaching,” said Odom.  “He has great experience working with the tight end position at a couple of very successful programs, and he’s gone from playing that position at a very high level to carrying that over into coaching.  I’m excited about his experience with tempo, as well as his deep ties with recruiting in Texas, where both his father and brother have been high school coaches.  His knowledge of that area, as well as his prior relationships with our staff make him a great fit for what we’re looking for,” he said.

Finley has ties to three members of Odom’s new staff at Mizzou, as his time at Oklahoma as a player (2003-07) and staff member (2012-13) overlapped with current MU offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel (coached at OU from 2003-04, 2006-14), current MU defensive line coach Chris Wilson (coached at OU from 2005-09) and current MU safeties coach Ryan Walters (coached at OU in 2012).

“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity at such a great university and with a program that I believe is going to do big things,” Finley said.  “I’m very excited to get to work with Coach Odom and the staff he’s put together.  I’ve known of Coach Odom for a long time, I’d heard about him and his family growing up and I’m very excited to be part of his team.  I can tell he’s going to bring great energy and work ethic to the table for this staff and program.  I’m also looking forward to working again with Josh Heupel.  I know what kind of worker he is and the mind he has, he’s done nothing but win everywhere he’s been.  It’s a great step for me at a great place and I can’t wait to get to work,” he said.

Following his playing career at Oklahoma, Finley spent parts of five seasons with the San Francisco 49ers (2008-10 practice squad), Detroit Lions (2010-11) and Carolina Panthers (2012 training camp).  He was activated to the 53-man roster for the Lions during the 2011 season.  After being released from the Lions in 2011, he started his coaching career at Los Fresnos (Texas) High School, where he assisted with the offensive line under head coach and older brother Clint.  After spending time in training camp in 2012 with the Carolina Panthers, Finley got back into the coaching side, as he became an offensive graduate assistant (quality control) for his alma mater Oklahoma.

At OU, he assisted the tight ends/tackles coach in every facet of the job, and assisted in game planning for Heupel as the Sooners posted a 10-3 record, shared the Big 12 title and earned a berth in the Cotton Bowl as part of the 2012 season.  Oklahoma followed with an 11-2 season in 2013, which included a 45-31 win over #3 Alabama to cap the season in the 2014 Sugar Bowl.  He spent the 2014 season back at Los Fresnos High School, before joining Baylor for the 2015 campaign.  Los Fresnos reached the third round of the state playoffs in 2014, marking the deepest post-season run in school history.

Finley was a standout tight end at Oklahoma, where he was a four-year letterman for the Sooners, and part of three Big 12 championship squads (2004, 2006 and 2007).  He totaled 775 yards and 10 touchdowns on 62 career receptions in 50 games.  He captained OU’s 2007 Big 12 championship team which finished ranked 8th nationally, and was on the 2004 Big 12 title squad that played in the BCS Championship Game.  He earned All-Big 12 honorable mention acclaim as both a junior and senior, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from OU in 2008.

— Mizzou Athletics —

K-State’s Gronkowski added to Reese’s Senior Bowl roster

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riggertKansasStateMANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State junior fullback Glenn Gronkowski, who has graduated from K-State and will forego his senior season to enter the 2016 NFL Draft, has been added to the 2016 Reese’s Senior Bowl roster as a fourth-year junior graduate.

Gronkowski is one of two Wildcats to play in this year’s game, joining outgoing senior offensive lineman Cody Whitehair. K-State has now had five players in the game over the last four years, including Tyler Lockett (2015), Arthur Brown (2013) and Chris Harper (2013).

The Senior Bowl showcases up to 110 of the top seniors and fourth-year junior graduates in the nation in its annual game at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. The game will be played on Saturday, January 30, following a week’s-worth of practice, as kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on NFL Network.

Gronkowski played in 39 career games with 20 starts, earning All-Big 12 honors each of his three years, including first-team accolades as a sophomore in 2014. Aside from being an excellent blocking back, Gronkowski was also a threat through the air as he recorded 369 receiving yards and five touchdowns on only 15 career catches, good for a 24.6-yard average. Of his 15 receptions, nine went for at least 15 yards.

A native of Amherst, New York, Gronkowski rushed 11 times for 45 yards this season – including an 11-yard touchdown at Kansas – while he also threw a four-yard touchdown pass to fellow fullback Winston Dimel against Iowa State. He also excelled in the classroom, earning three-straight First Team Academic All-Big 12 accolades, while he earned First Team Academic All-District 7 honorees each of the last two seasons.

Gronkowski is looking to become the fourth member of his immediate family to play in the NFL. One of his older brothers, Rob, is in his sixth season as a tight end for the New England Patriots, while two other older brothers – Dan and Chris – have also played in the NFL.

— KSU Athletics —

No. 24 Missouri women upset 7th-ranked Mississippi State

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riggertMissouriCOLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri got a jump on Mississippi State for its first victory over a ranked opponent this season.

Sophie Cunningham scored 18 of her 22 points in the final 15 minutes and No. 24 Missouri rode a big early lead to a 66-54 victory over No. 7 Mississippi State on Thursday night.

Missouri (15-2, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) scored on 11 of 14 first-quarter possessions to take a 23-11 lead. The Tigers made 10 of 15 field-goal attempts in the first quarter, and three of those misses were collected for offensive rebounds and turned into second-chance points.

“Our mentality at the very beginning of the game was supreme confidence, and that’s how we took the court,” said Jordan Frericks, who added 10 points and 10 rebounds for Missouri.

Victoria Vivians led Mississippi State (16-2, 3-1) with 19 points. The Bulldogs had won 11 straight.

“That was pretty much a good old-fashion getting taken to the woods for a woodshed whipping,” Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer said.

Mississippi State is the highest-ranked opponent Missouri has beaten since it upset then-No. 4 Baylor on Jan. 4, 2006.

The Bulldogs grabbed 23 offensive rebounds, but that wasn’t enough to offset their 27.6-percent shooting from the field.

“That’s sometimes life on the road,” Schaefer said. “We obviously didn’t shoot it well, didn’t play very well, and you got to give them all the credit for causing that.”

Missouri’s hot start was a stark contrast compared to its two other games this season against ranked opponents. The Tigers trailed Tennessee 24-11 less than 10 minutes into a 71-55 loss on Jan. 4 and trailed South Carolina 25-10 just more than 13 minutes into Sunday’s 83-58 loss.

Thursday’s result could prove to be a key one for a Missouri team seeking its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2006.

“We all agree one win against a Top 10 team isn’t going to define our season,” Missouri coach Robin Pingeton said, “but certainly when you look at the big picture of selection show Monday and what people are looking for and how they match you up against other teams, you got to have that win. You got to have that win against a ranked opponent.”

Cunningham, a freshman guard, entered the game as Missouri’s leading scorer at 14.3 points per game, but she had been held to single digits in each of her first three SEC games.

Foul trouble limited her to seven minutes in the first half against Mississippi State, but she took control after halftime. During one stretch in the second half, 16 of Missouri’s 20 points came from Cunningham, as the Tigers edged away after the Bulldogs started the second half strong.

“It was just me actually executing, me staying focused,” Cunningham said. “Those first (three) games in the SEC, those were some tough, tough games, but I’m also a freshman, so I have to learn from my mistakes.”

The Tigers had their largest lead at 33-13 after Frericks’ put-back with 4:59 remaining in the second quarter, causing Schaefer to call a timeout. The Bulldogs closed the half on a 12-3 run. They trimmed their deficit to 38-31 on Teaira McCowan’s basket with 7:11 left in the third quarter. The Bulldogs never got any closer.

TIP-INS

Mississippi State: Vivians reached double figures scoring for the 17th straight game, but she was 6 for 18 from the field. She entered Thursday leading the SEC in scoring at 17.9 points per game. The Bulldogs entered Thursday ranked 13th nationally in scoring defense, allowing 52.2 points per game. Missouri became Mississippi State’s seventh opponent this season to score at least 60 points.

Missouri: Three of the Tigers’ first four SEC games have come against ranked opponents. Missouri beat Mississippi State for the first time in five tries.

UP NEXT

No. 7 Mississippi State hosts Mississippi on Monday.

No. 24 Missouri visits Arkansas on Sunday.

— Associated Press —

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