Throughout Sunday’s game, Missouri women’s basketball proved to No. 8 Texas A&M that it would not be the Sunday afternoon stroll that the Aggies had envisioned in the first quarter.
Still, Missouri fell 70-66 in its first game since a thrilling loss to LSU last Monday.
“We’ve got a team of competitors that want to win,” Coach Robin Pingeton said. “They have high aspirations, and days like this are tough, but we just have to keep proper perspective and continue to embrace this journey.”
Apart from the second quarter, when the Tigers got just four rebounds and 12 points, Missouri held the game close.
Texas A&M suffered their first loss to LSU in overtime just 10 days ago. The Aggies played in the second quarter like a team looking for redemption.
However, the Tigers came back after a tough finish to the half , due in part to the scoring duo of forward LaDazhia Williams and Aijha Blackwell.
Williams led the Tigers with 20 points on the afternoon. Blackwell followed behind with 11 points of her own.
The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth battle, with neither team leading by more than four points for the majority of the quarter.
This is Missouri’s second game in a row that ended in a close loss, with the Tigers finishing within four points of their opponent.
“Yeah, it is a tough pill to swallow,” Blackwell said. “We know we’re right there, but I think it just gives us the motivation. We’ve got something special in our locker room.”
Blackwell helped keep Missouri in the game, leading the Tigers on the glass with 16 rebounds, a career high for the sophomore. Blackwell was the only Tiger with more than three rebounds that night.
Rebounding proved to be a challenge for Missouri, as it had only three offensive rebounds throughout the game. The Tigers will need to improve on the rebound if they hope to stick with Florida or No. 12 Kentucky in the coming week.
“This is a moral victory,” Blackwell said. “We know what we have to work on; we know what practice is going to look like moving forward and going into Florida. It’s important for us to just know what we need to work on and put it all together.”
With a chance to tie the game, a frequent Missouri issue came to light again, this time with a win on the line. Blackwell’s final free throw came up just short.
The Tigers did not pick up their first free-throw attempt until the final quarter.
Creating and capitalizing on extra possessions will be necessary as Missouri faces more ranked opponents. Missouri scored just nine points off of turnovers, whereas Texas A&M was able to put up 23 points on Missouri’s.
“[We are] trying to create some of those extra possessions and opportunities for ourselves,” Pingeton said. “Whether it be from [turnovers] or the free-throw line, you got to find a way to get some extra points on the board.”
Still, the Tigers proved that they have potential after hanging in with No. 8 Texas A&M. Any confidence gained from this game will be important in the coming week. With three of its next four games being against ranked opponents, Missouri must certify their improvements.
“[We] don’t have time to hang our heads,” Pingeton said. “We’ve got a tough schedule in front of us. We have got to continue to watch film and understand some things. We have to make those adjustments and keep soldiering on.”
The Tigers will hit the road for their next game in Gainesville, Florida, on Thursday, Jan. 28 at 5 p.m. CT.
_Edited by Jack Soble | jsoble@themaneater.com_