Just three short weeks ago as the world rang in the new year, optimism abounded for the Missouri women’s basketball team. In coach Robin Pingeton’s second season, the team was off to a 10-1 start in nonconference play and was primed to improve on its five-win total from Big 12 Conference play last year.
But six games later, the team is still in search of its first conference win. Saturday’s 62-58 loss to the Oklahoma State Cowgirls at Mizzou Arena was gut-wrenching as players struggled to hold back their emotions in the post-game press conference.
Pingeton took the blame for the performance but pointed out that the team’s play simply wasn’t at the level it needed to be.
“I’m extremely disappointed,” Pingeton said. “It’s unacceptable. I take absolutely full responsibility for the way our players played.”
Pingeton said she thought the team wasn’t ready to play at the game’s outset and continues to struggle with execution and turnovers.
“We have to play pretty well to have a chance and this is probably the toughest loss of the season so far,” Pingeton said.
Senior forward Christine Flores echoed Pingeton’s sentiments.
“I agree with (Pingeton) 100 percent,” Flores said. “Not all of us stepped up today. It was a disappointing game, and we all have to be ready. It takes every one of us to get a win.”
Pingeton has continued to insist that this year is just another step in a rebuilding process, something that isn’t easy in the nation’s top RPI rated women’s basketball conference, according to RealTimeRPI.com.
Four out of six of the team’s conference games have come against teams ranked in the top 30, including No. 1 Baylor. The schedule doesn’t get any easier as the team travels to face No. 14 Texas A&M on Wednesday.
“We know it is one of the toughest conferences in the nation, but we really want to get that win,” freshman guard Morgan Eye said. “It’s really frustrating when you go to work each and every day and you just really want it to show up on the scoreboard.”
Eye offered simple solutions for the Tigers to get back on track in areas she feels the team can control: limiting turnovers and mental errors while playing hard for the full 40 minutes.
Senior forward BreAnna Brock said the team has to remain positive and focus on what it can control.
“We could easily be down because we are losing,” Brock said. “But we have to continue to move forward and we’re not going to move forward if we dwell on what’s been happening.”
Although Pingeton has critiqued her team’s performance routinely, she has rarely questioned their effort.
She reiterated her pride in the team Saturday as it continues to be resilient, work hard and come to both practice and games with the right mindset during this losing streak.
“I think we work harder in practice than we do in a game, which absolutely makes no sense to me,” Pingeton said.
Despite the team’s lack of success, fans have continued to come out to Mizzou Arena to support the team. Saturday’s game drew a season-high 3,015 fans.
“Our fans have been so wonderful,” Pingeton said. “They deserve better. They absolutely deserve a better effort.”