Missouri women’s basketball continued its undefeated start to SEC play on Jan. 6., defeating Auburn 72-63 in overtime.
Auburn started the game with a 4-0 run. 6-foot-4 redshirt senior forward LaDazhia Williams responded with the first Missouri points of the night. Both teams traded baskets for the remainder of the quarter and ended with Auburn leading 17-13.
During the second quarter, Missouri was within six points of Auburn. Two layups by Williams and a 3-pointer by 6-foot-1 junior forward Hayley Frank gave Missouri its first lead. Auburn responded with a basket by 6-foot sophomore guard Aicha Coulibaly and a 3-pointer from 5-foot-9 junior guard Annie Hughes, allowing Auburn to recapture the lead. Auburn used the momentum to take a 32-28 lead into halftime.
Late in the third quarter, Missouri used a 12-0 run to pull ahead 45-42. Missouri continued to hold the lead until Auburn tied the game at 48 with 8:22 remaining in the fourth quarter. The game remained close for the remainder of the quarter and with less than a minute to go, the Tigers were up 59-57 after a made free throw by 6-foot junior guard Aijha Blackwell. Auburn responded with a basket from 5-foot-7 junior guard Sania Wells to send the game into overtime.
With five minutes to play, Missouri won the tip and executed its offense. On the first possession of overtime, 5-foot-8 junior guard Lauren Hansen drained a 3-pointer assisted by 5-foot-6 sophomore guard Mama Dembele.
Blackwell built onto the lead with a layup, becoming the 38th member of Missouri women’s basketball to reach 1,000 career points in the process. Blackwell became the 14th Tiger to reach 1,000 points before her senior season and is the 22nd player in program history to score 1,000 points while grabbing at least 600 rebounds.
With 1:20 left in overtime, Frank scored five consecutive points, extending Missouri’s lead to 11 with less than a minute left to play. Missouri continued its defensive pressure, ultimately outscoring Auburn 13-4 in overtime and earning the Tigers their second consecutive overtime victory.
Williams led Missouri’s scorers with a career-high 25 points. Hansen finished with 17 points and finished 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Frank added 15 points and set a new career-high for blocks with four. Blackwell recorded her 10th double-double of the season with 13 points and 14 rebounds, earning her 30 double-doubles in her career. Together, these four Tigers scored 70 of Missouri’s 72 total points and this game marked the third game in a row that the Tigers have had four players score in double digits.
Dembele finished with five assists, which is the 10th game in which she has finished with 3 or more assists. 6-foot-1 sophomore guard Sara-Rose Smith earned her first career start and finished with 2 points.
Missouri is now 9-0 at home this season and improved to 2-0 in SEC play with the victory.
Edited by Brandon Haynes | bhaynes@themaneater.com