Missouri women’s basketball continued its strong start to the 2021 season by winning the Christmas City Classic in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Tigers are now 7-0 this season, their best start since 2015-2016 with a 13-0 record. The Tigers won their first game against Columbia 87-80 in the semifinals to punch their ticket to the championship game against Lehigh.
The Tigers trailed 19-14 at the end of the first quarter and fell behind by 9 points in the second, but went on to outscore Lehigh by 21 points before halftime.
Missouri’s comeback started with 5-foot-8 junior guard Lauren Hansen. She hit her second 3-pointer in the second quarter, which sparked her team’s offense. Hansen went on to make all six attempts she took from the 3-point range in the second quarter.
The Tigers shot 13-of-19 from the floor in the second 10 minutes of the game and 9-0f-12 from the 3 point range. With a three from 5-foot-10 red shirt senior guard Haley Troup, two threes from 6-foot-1 junior forward Hayley Frank, and 6 points from 6-foot junior guard Aijha Blackwell, the Tigers ended the half with a 50-34 lead.
The Tigers controlled the second half as well. They ended the third quarter with a 74-48 lead. Lehigh never came within less than 19 points of Missouri, who sealed the championship with a 88-67 victory.
Several players contributed to the final box score. Hansen scored a career-high 34 points, which is the most points scored by a player since Sophie Cunningham did it with 35 points in the Tigers’ game against Florida Gulf Coast in 2018. Frank tallied 16 points and shot 4-of-7 from the 3-point range. Blackwell added 14 points and 7 rebounds, while. Troup ended with 7 of Missouri’s 19 assists. Hansen made the All-Tournament team, and Frank took home MVP honors.
The Tigers’ execution and chemistry helped them continue their unbeaten start to the season. Every basket, rebound, steal or assist was followed by a chorus of cheers from Missouri’s bench. Each teammate, whether they are on or off the court, jumps up with their hands in their air, cheering on their teammate. No matter who scores, everyone is there to congratulate their teammate. However, this is a major component that changes the flow of the game. An excited bench adds energy to the atmosphere. Players feed off that energy and it shows through their playing. This leads to great plays and sweet victories.
The Tigers’ host Southern Illinois University Edwardsville this Thursday at 7 p.m at Mizzou Arena.
Edited by Kyle Pinnell | kpinnell@themaneater.com