Missouri women’s basketball remained unbeaten after a 4-0 performance last week. The Tigers faced off against three 2020 NCAA tournament teams and capped off the week with a championship in the Christmas City Classic tournament at Lehigh University.
Missouri found a variety of ways to win and showcased depth throughout the lineup, while continuing their best start since the 2015-16 season when they began 15-0. Here are takeaways from each of the Tigers’ four victories last week:
Nov. 21 – Missouri 75, Idaho State 47:
Missouri’s depth can carry them to victory:
For the first time all season, an opponent held Missouri junior guard Aijha Blackwell under 10 points.
Idaho State’s defense swarmed Blackwell anytime she touched the ball, limiting her offensive looks and opening up opportunities for the Tigers’ supporting cast to shine. Missouri scored 43 points off the bench, including a career-high 18 points from freshman guard Izzy Higginbottom.
The Tigers’ bench unit combined to shoot 70% from beyond the arc, providing a much-needed spark following a slow offensive start by the starting five.
Missouri mustered only two points for the first 6:30 of the game, but the bench trio of Higginbottom, redshirt senior forward LaDazhia Williams and sophomore guard Sara-Rose Smith combined for 17 consecutive points late in the first quarter.
The 17-0 run showcased efficiency on offense, a strong defensive presence and established a tone that guided the Tigers to their fourth victory of the season. Even without familiar faces leading its offense, Missouri showcased its depth in the win.
Higginbottom can compete for a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team:
Higginbottom’s 18 points marked the second consecutive game she produced a career-high in points following her 17-point outing against Saint Louis. The career night brought her field-goal percentage to 57.1% and 3-point percentage to an impressive 64.7%.
Following the performance, Higginbottom was named SEC Freshman of the Week. At the time of the selection, Higginbottom led the SEC in 3-point shooting among qualifying players and her 11 3-pointers through four games were the most for any Missouri player since the 2014-15 season.
Through her first four games, Higginbottom averaged 12.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game, while helping the Tigers jump out to their best start since the 2015-16 season.
Going forward, Higginbottom’s scoring potential and efficient shooting off the bench should give Missouri confidence that its bench unit can make an impact every game.
Nov. 23 – Missouri 76, Troy 63:
Missouri has improved in late-game situations:
Last year, the Tigers lost eight games by single-digits. Over the offseason, Missouri head coach Robin Pingeton placed heavy emphasis on late-game situations and closing out games. The victory over Troy exhibited the Tigers’ willingness to fight late into the game and displayed improvements Missouri made from last year.
The Tigers led 61-60 when they called a timeout with 4:20 remaining in the fourth quarter. Although the momentum shifted toward Troy after a quick 4-0 run, the Tigers capitalized out of the timeout.
On the first possession, redshirt senior guard Haley Troup connected on a 3-pointer from the top of the arc. Following the shot, Smith intercepted a tipped pass and sophomore guard Mama Dembele drew a foul on a drive to the basket. After making one of her two attempts, Missouri led 65-60.
Troy responded with a free throw of its own to bring the score to 65-61 with 3:10 remaining. However, after missing the second shot, Missouri’s rebounding set the tone. The Tigers grabbed three offensive rebounds on the ensuing possession and drained nearly two minutes off the clock.
When Troy finally regained possession, only 1:35 remained. The Trojans missed their next shot and then began fouling Missouri. The Tigers went 11-14 from the free throw line in the last 1:22 to close out the victory.
Missouri’s determination on the boards and its efficient free-throw shooting proved to be the difference in the final minutes. The Tigers showed they can close out a tight game and make shots when they need to, which will serve them well in late-game situations.
Blackwell’s rebounding is essential to Missouri:
Missouri faced off against the nation’s best rebounding team in its matchup against Troy. After the final horn sounded though, the Tigers had outrebounded the Trojans 42-38.
Blackwell led the team with 18 rebounds to go alongside her 21 points. Frank added 8 rebounds, while Troup tacked on 5 of her own. The rebounding advantage proved a deciding factor in the closing minutes.
Missouri’s aforementioned three offensive rebounds within the final few minutes of the fourth quarter didn’t result in any points on the board. However, they took time off the clock, opening up opportunities for Missouri to push Troy defensively and keep the Trojans off the scoresheet.
Blackwell grabbed two of these rebounds, demonstrating her ability to earn second-chance opportunities and compete against one of the country’s best rebounding teams. Without her aggressive rebounding, Missouri may not be sitting at 7-0 right now.
Blackwell is currently ranked in the top 10 of the country in rebounds per game, even though Missouri sits at 153rd in the country in rebounds per game. Without Blackwell’s rebounding prowess, Missouri would be a different team. However, the combination of the Tigers’ efficient 3-point shooting and Blackwell’s skillful rebounding make Missouri uniquely gifted this season.
Nov. 27 – Missouri 87, Columbia 80:
Junior forward Hayley Frank is replicating last year’s success:
Last season, Frank shot 53.3% from the field , 45.1% from three and 87.0% from the free-throw line, displaying her offensive efficiency.
Entering the Columbia matchup, Frank’s 3-point percentage had fallen slightly from last season to 38.4%, while her field goal percentage and free throw percentage hovered around the same mark as her sophomore campaign.
However, Frank showcased her offensive efficiency at the Christmas City Classic.
Frank finished the game with a 62.5% mark from the field, including 54.5% from beyond the arc. She tied a career-high with 29 points and provided Missouri with enough offensive firepower to defeat an efficient Columbia team.
As the Tigers season heads toward a stronger non-conference schedule, Frank’s success is coming at the right time for Missouri. After setting multiple records throughout her first two seasons, Frank’s efficiency is no fluke and she will be a key name to watch going forward.
Nov. 28 – Missouri 88, Lehigh 67:
Missouri can count on junior guard Lauren Hansen to lead the offense:
The last time a Missouri Tiger scored more than 34 points was back in 2017-18, when former junior guard Sophie Cunningham scored 35 points against Florida Gulf Coast University.
On Sunday, Hansen added her name to the list with a career-high 34 points, including nine 3-pointers and a career-high 5 rebounds. After accumulating 42 total points over the first six games of the season, Hansen exploded for a career game, displaying the potential she has to lead the offense.
Following a sluggish first quarter for Missouri, Hansen sparked a run with back-to-back 3-pointers early in the second quarter to pull the Tigers within 3points of the Mountain Hawks. Hansen added four additional 3-pointers to lead Missouri’s 36 point quarter, which turned its 5 point deficit into a 16 point lead.
Hansen’s 9 third-quarter points helped push the Tigers’ lead to 25, which Lehigh could not overcome en route to a 21 point defeat. Missouri’s offense rolled with Hansen at point guard, and the attention she garnered from the defense opened up more opportunities for Blackwell and Frank, who combined for 30 points.
After a rocky start to the season, Hansen’s outburst against the Mountain Hawks gives the Tigers confidence that she can step up and lead the offense into battle when they need it. Missouri’s plethora of scorers emphasizes the talent the Tigers have, and Hansen’s career performance adds to the list of Tigers who enjoyed career-high games last week.
3-point defense is an area of emphasis going forward:
Although Missouri produced two of its best 3-point shooting games during the Christmas City Classic, they also allowed a high percentage of 3-pointers, which highlights a glaring weakness on the defensive side of the ball.
The Tigers rank 241st in 3-point shooting defense, allowing opponents to shoot 32.4% from beyond the arc. While they offset this with the 14th highest 3-point percentage, the at times porous defense allows opponents to fight back into games.
Columbia shot 55.2% from long range against Missouri, while Lehigh connected on 45.6% of its tries. Although the Tigers came away victorious in each game, Columbia currently only shoots 35.4% from distance and Lehigh shoots at a 35.7% clip.
The contrast between those percentages signals a worrisome trend for a Missouri team preparing for a stronger non-conference schedule and a journey through the SEC in conference play. Columbia and Lehigh do not showcase as much talent as the teams the Tigers will face going forward, so this will be an area to focus on.
Missouri improved to 7-0 with its four victories last week. Each game featured a different leading scorer, which shows the depth and talent within the team. After several breakout games for multiple players, the Tigers are starting to heat up.
Edited by Kyle Pinnell | kpinnell@themaneater.com