From foul trouble to third quarter difficulties, here are the final takeaways from Missouri women’s basketball
As the Missouri women’s basketball season comes to a close, here are three big takeaways from this season that we can reflect on when going into the off season.
The third quarter curse
Missouri’s structure seemed to fall apart in the third quarter of their games. This was first reported at the beginning of 2025 when the Tigers faced off against South Carolina on Jan. 2, losing 83-52.
Missouri went into the third quarter trailing by 10 points. As time progressed, the Tigers lost their fire. South Carolina scored 11 points in a row, doubling their lead against the Tigers to 59-37.
The most notable instance of third quarter failures was the contest against Oklahoma on Jan. 16, where Missouri lost 80-63. The Tigers started the third quarter down by seven points, but The Sooners racked in 12 points before Missouri had a chance to score. Oklahoma proceeded to bring in 13 more points and ended the quarter with the score 63-47.
“I felt disappointed in our Oklahoma game in the second half,” head coach Robin Pingeton said after the Kentucky loss. “We know that the third quarter has been our Achilles’ heel and we just can’t seem to figure that one out.”
Now that the regular season has concluded, taking a step back may help the Tigers rebuild their identity and solve their third quarter struggles.
Unfavorable fouls
It cannot be stated enough: The Tigers still struggle to get their fouls under control. Since the beginning of 2025, it has been obvious that Missouri’s defense needs serious improvement heading into next year.
The Tigers’ top defenders — senior forward Laniah Randle, sophomore guard Averi Kroenke and graduate forward Angelique Ngalakulondi proved to be the top foulers this season.
This was notable during the 76-71 loss against Tennessee on Feb. 2. While Randle was Missouri’s top defender with 11 rebounds and two steals, she also fouled out.
The same thing happened in the next game against LSU as the Tigers lost 71-60. Ngalakulondi was the top defender with 12 rebounds and two steals but also fouled out. Kroenke averaged less than two fouls per game, but during the Kentucky game, Kroenke, Randle and Ngalakulondi all walked away with four fouls.
While defense is an important skill, control and distribution are also important, especially when the defense needs its best players on the court. While Randle and Ngalakulondi will be departing next season, Kroenke will have plenty of time to develop into a defensive leader.
Senior send off
Randle, Ngalakulondi, senior guard Nyah Wilson and graduate point guard De’Myla Brown played their last game as Missouri Tigers on March 2. Since Randle and Ngalakulondi were Missouri’s top defenders, the question now remains: how will their absence affect the team moving forward?
While there is still promise from current Missouri players such as sophomore guard Grace Slaughter and Kroenke, it can be expected that the Tigers will be on the prowl for players to fill the gaps left by the outgoing seniors.
Edited by Colin Simmons l csimmons@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Chase Pray l cpray@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Natalie Kientzy | nkientzy@themaneater.com
Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com