Sophie Cunningham was struggling.

Early in the third quarter of Tuesday’s 65-61 home-opening victory against Missouri State, she picked up her fourth personal foul and was benched.

Missouri held a 40-30 lead over the Lady Bears at the time, but Cunningham was having a miserable first half. The preseason All-SEC selection had scored just 2 points, missing four 3-pointers and a pair of free throws, all while racking up her four fouls.

“I’m going to have those nights, and I just have to get outside myself and impact the game in other ways,” Cunningham said. “Rebounding, assists, steals, bringing energy to the defensive end.”

Players such as freshman Akira Levy helped lead the Tigers’ charge and the team appeared to be comfortable with its lead as Cunningham departed. A dominant second quarter featured a number of highlight plays as Levy’s high-energy style spearheaded Missouri to a 15-point halftime lead as Cunningham seemed to fade into the background.

But as the second half wore on, it became clear that Missouri was not going to survive without its senior star.

With Cunningham out of the game, Missouri missed a staggering 11 consecutive shots from the field, part of a 0-for-16 streak to start the second half, and saw its double-digit lead dissipate as the third quarter became the fourth.

Cunningham had not contributed much for Missouri statistically, but as she stood gesticulating on the sideline, the Tigers on the court fell apart.

“It sucks being over there [on the bench], especially when I know I impact the game in so many ways,” Cunningham said.

With 6:54 remaining in the fourth quarter, Cunningham returned to the game with Missouri now nursing a 47-44 lead. About a minute later, she hit a jumper, giving the Tigers their first field goal of the second half.

Cunningham would go on to score 10 of Mizzou’s 22 fourth quarter points as the Tigers held on for the win. It was an off night for the Mayor of Columbia, but her fourth quarter return stopped Missouri’s bleeding and fended off the Lady Bears’ comeback.

“She knew the drill, and she knew we needed her out there,” Missouri coach Robin Pingeton said. “I just felt like for as tough of a three quarters as she had, she really finished the game strong, and her presence out there is huge… [she] still has the ability to impact the game in so many ways.”

This early in the non-conference schedule, games can often be seen as learning experiences as teams continue to feel out their systems and their potential. Tuesday’s lesson was that Missouri will always need Sophie Cunningham, no matter how much she struggles or how under control a game appears to be.

It was a difficult victory for Missouri. Pingeton listed it as a contender for one of the ugliest wins ever at Mizzou Arena. With mid-major powerhouse Green Bay arriving in Columbia for the Tigers’ next test on Friday night, there is work to be done.

Cunningham, the blue-collar engine behind Missouri’s evolving machine, made sure reporters knew that as she walked out of her postgame press conference:

“I’ll be shooting all night.”

_Edited by Adam Cole | acole@themaneater.com_