A blowout loss against Syracuse is followed up by a blowout victory over Wichita State
The Tigers finished their trip to Florida with a 1-1 record in the Emerald Coast Classic. Missouri was forced to up their offensive skills and learn to get around their opponents.
Missouri vs. Syracuse
The Tigers struggled offensively against Syracuse, their first opponents of the Emerald Coast Classic, losing 82-59.
Grace Slaughter began the first quarter with a 3-pointer and a layup, giving the Tigers an early 5-0 lead.
Ashton Judd followed suit, with another 3-pointer for the Tigers, strengthening the lead 8-1. Syracuse quickly caught up, tying the score 12-12.
Some big free throws for the Orange had them leading the first quarter 27-22.
The Tigers started the second quarter slow as they failed to score and allowed Syracuse to take advantage.
The Orange were in complete control, leading the game 44-28 after a 17-6 run during the second quarter.
The Tigers attempted to claw their way back in the third quarter, with layups from Angelique Ngalakulondi and free throws from Nyah Wilson bringing the score to 35-56.
But these efforts fell short of comeback, as Syracuse controlled the Orange into a 82-59 win.
Slaughter was the top Tiger scorer with 13 points and four rebounds. Randle was one of the Tigers’ top defenders with seven rebounds and nine points, cleaning up on the glass.
Missouri vs. Wichita State
Following the 82-59 loss to Syracuse, Missouri flipped the script and took down Wichita State in the third place game 85-57 the next day. The win moves Missouri to 6-3 on the season.
In the blowout victory, the Tigers saw five players score in double figures: Judd, Randle, Slaughter, Wilson and Ngalakulondi. Judd led the way with a season-high 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting including 4-of-6 from three.
While Judd led the team in points, her turnover woes continued. Judd accounted for five of Missouri’s 14 turnovers, which brings her season total to a team-high 32 turnovers.
Randle recorded her second double-double of the season, hauling in 10 rebounds to go along with 12 points. The Tigers as a whole out-rebounded Wichita State 44-30. Sixteen of those Tiger rebounds were on the offensive glass, doubling the eight Wichita State offensive rebounds. This led to the Tigers outscoring the Shockers 23-9 in second-chance points.
Missouri was able to pour in 44 points in the paint, more than doubling the Shockers’ total of 20. The Tigers also had more fast break points, points off turnovers and bench points than Wichita State.
Defensively, the Tigers were able to hold every Shockers player under 10 points. This included keeping Shockers guard Salese Blow to 1-for-13 shooting from the field. The Tiger defense flocked around the perimeter and kept the Shockers to 4-for-17 from three.
The Tigers headed back to Columbia, as they hosted Jacksonville State on Dec. 1. This marks the beginning of a seven-game home stand that lasts through the Jan. 2 contest against South Carolina.
Edited by Dylan Heinrich | dheinrich@themaneater.com
Copyedited by Emma Short | eshort@themaneater.com
Edited by Emily Skidmore | eskidmore@themaneater.com