When the final buzzer went off, Missouri coach Robin Pingeton left the court with her 400th win.
But she accepted the audience’s applause with a grim, close-lipped smile.
“It wasn’t pretty, but we found a way to get it done,” Pingeton said.
Mizzou (5-1) gained the lead four minutes into the game and stayed ahead of the Loyola (IL) Ramblers (2-4) to win 56-45.
Sophomore forward Jordan Frericks put up another strong performance, leading the Tigers in both points scored and rebounds grabbed and getting her second double-double of the season with 14 points and 15 rebounds.
“It’s been amazing to see her grow as a player from her freshman year to where she’s at now,” Pingeton said. “She’s so explosive and confident on the offensive end, and she’s off to a great start for us.”
Ramblers head coach Sheryl Swoopes said her team had planned to handle Frericks, but failed to execute.
“She’s one of those players that wanted to have to work for everything she got,” Swoopes said. “We did a good job of that first half, but second half she had her way with us, especially on the boards.”
While Missouri usually runs a man-to-man defense, the Tigers switched to a zone look to force the Ramblers to shoot from the three-point line. Loyola had only made 12 three pointers in its previous five games.
Swoopes said she expects opponents to run a zone defense until the Ramblers start to score more perimeter shots.
“They obviously did a nice job of scouting our players and knowing what our strengths and weaknesses are,” Swoopes said. “But at some point you have to make adjustments and start penetrating the zone. In the end it came down to knocking shots down, and we weren’t able to do that tonight.”
One player who had no trouble knocking down perimeter shots was junior guard Maddie Stock, who made four of her seven attempts from deep. Pingeton said it was great to see her get on a hot streak.
Missouri will play again Friday, at Bradley, where Pingeton will be looking for victory No. 401.
“I’ve been very blessed with some amazing assistant coaches and tremendous players, and I think anyone who’s been in this business understands it goes way beyond the head coach,” Pingeton said.