For the 11th game in a row, the Missouri women’s basketball team (10-12, 0-11 Big 12 Conference) couldn’t find a win, this time hosting Iowa State (14-8, 5-6 Big 12) on Wednesday at Mizzou Arena. Even though multiple players had their best games of the season, the Tigers couldn’t find a way to catch the Cyclones, losing 65-52.
The game started out evenly, with the teams locked in a 5-5 tie four minutes in.
Then the Cyclones went on a 17-2 scoring run in a span of seven minutes. Within the final minute, the Cyclones had their largest lead of the game with 19 points and went into halftime leading 39-22.
The Tigers, who usually suffer from foul trouble and a high number of turnovers, were instead plagued by poor shooting throughout the half. The Tigers converted on just 25 percent of their shots from the field and 20 percent from behind the arc.
After the game, Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly said his team’s performance in the first 10 minutes was the deciding factor in the victory.
“I think probably from the 17-minute mark to about the 10-minute mark we got up 15-5, and we made some shots,” Fennelly said. “We were pretty efficient from the three-point line. We’ve been a team that has defended fairly well all year, and I felt like as long as we were smart and didn’t foul, we’d be good.”
Entering the second half, the Tigers appeared to have found some life in their offense with a quick five points from senior forward Christine Flores and freshman guard Kyley Simmons. But the Tigers were never able to get within 12 points of Iowa State throughout the half.
The Missouri freshmen had perhaps their most impressive outing of the season. Simmons led the team with 14 points, four assists and two steals in 39 minutes of play, and freshman Morgan Eye racked up 10 points and nine rebounds in 38 minutes of play.
“I have to push and give my team everything for the whole 40 minutes,” Simmons said. “When I’m out I have to get back in with the same energy I had at the start of the game.”
The seniors had opposite results. Flores, who leads the team in multiple offensive categories, had her least productive game of the season with only seven points. Senior forward BreAnna Brock appeared to be motivated by not starting for the second game this season, putting up 14 points and nine rebounds, most of which came in the second half.
Simmons, though frustrated by the loss, said she and the rest of the team would not back down at any point the rest of the season.
“Nobody likes to lose,” Simmons said. “We all hate to lose on the team. Even though we have not won a conference game, we still go in and watch film day after day to improve. There are little things that we continue to get better at each game.”
Coach Robin Pingeton reiterated Simmons’ sentiment.
“You just got to stay the course,” she said. “We are not quitters. We are just going to keep working hard. We aren’t going to feel sorry for ourselves and we are not pointing fingers. If there is a player that is going to quit on this team, they won’t be on this roster at the end of the season. We are laying a foundation. We are building a program. There is absolutely no quit (in this team).”
