“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.”
Similar to the infamous line in Charles Dickens’ novel “The Tale of Two Cities,” Missouri women’s basketball endured one of its worst losses of its season against Georgia on Feb. 17, before rebounding with one of its best performances of the season Sunday against Mississippi State.
The Tigers traveled to Athens, Georgia, in search of ending their three-game losing streak, but instead suffered a 74-49 blowout loss. Missouri’s NCAA tournament aspirations took a direct hit while its record continued to tumble.
With a 3-7 record in their last 10 games, the Tigers then returned home to face Mississippi State in a preview of a possible second-round SEC tournament matchup. Missouri flipped its script in front of a lively crowd at Mizzou Arena with a crucial 76-66 victory.
Both games featured differences throughout the box score, but the main disparity was on the offensive side of the ball. The Tigers bounced back from their 49-point showing with an efficient 76-point performance that brought back images of the high-scoring offense they showcased early in the season.
How did Missouri transform its offense so quickly? The answer lies in the tale of two Tiger offenses:
- Tale No. 1: Missouri 49, Georgia 74:
In the first meeting between these teams Jan. 17, Georgia used a strong first quarter to propel itself past a resilient Missouri team, 72-62. However, in their second bout on Feb. 17, the Tigers announced they would be without junior guard Aijha Blackwell, who scored 27 points with 13 rebounds in the first game.
Without Blackwell, Missouri lacked its primary rebounder and presence in the paint, which limited its ability to find success from beyond the arc. The Tigers shoot 38.6% from 3-point range on the season but struggled to find efficient shots en route to a 20% mark.
However, Missouri’s inefficienct shooting display did not stop there.
The Bulldogs held the Tigers to 35.2% from the field, including an 0-7 shooting performance from junior guard Lauren Hansen, which marked the first time since the season-opener where she did not record a point.
Missouri’s underwhelming offensive output also affected junior forward Hayley Frank, who ranks third in the SEC in shooting at 51.7% and second in 3-point shooting at 45%. Frank finished with 10 points on 25% shooting, including 33.3% from beyond the arc.
The Tigers’ offensive troubles extended into the turnover department, where Missouri committed 16 turnovers, leading to 16 Georgia points. From offensive fouls to errant passes, the Tigers found ways to punish themselves on sloppy giveaways.
Missouri grabbed 10 offensive rebounds but only scored seven second-chance points, while Georgia corralled 14 offensive rebounds and added 18 second-chance points. Blackwell’s absence contributed to the Bulldogs’ ability to out-rebound the Tigers 41-29.
Georgia outscored Missouri 40-26 in the second half, and by at least five points in every quarter during the lopsided affair. The Bulldogs made the same number of 3-pointers in seven fewer attempts, showcasing their overall dominance on the offensive side.
However, Missouri left Georgia with a few positives on the offensive side.
The Tigers’ backcourt duo of sophomore center Jayla Kelly and redshirt senior forward LaDazhia Williams combined for 20 points on 50% shooting from the field. Kelly grabbed five rebounds, stole three passes and blocked two shots while filling in for Blackwell.
Frank scored her 1,000th career point on a free throw early in the first quarter, becoming the 39th player in school history to accomplish the feat. She finished the contest at 1,006 career points and added three rebounds.
Despite Frank, Williams and Kelly combining for 30 points, Missouri’s offensive woes dictated the outcome once again. The Tigers’ inefficiency, careless ball handling and struggles with rebounding highlighted yet another offensive meltdown amidst a 3-7 stretch.
Would the addition of Blackwell have made the difference between a 25-point defeat and a competitive game? Although the question is impossible to answer, the second tale provides context for what could have been.
- Tale No. 2: Missouri 76, Mississippi State 66:
A steal and jumper from Frank just over a minute into the game gave Missouri something it never had against Georgia: a lead.
Frank’s basket sparked the Tiger offense immediately and provided much-needed momentum for a reeling Missouri team. Sophomore guard Mama Dembele followed Frank with a layup, allowing the Tigers to find their groove from beyond the arc.
Missouri’s first 3-pointer of the afternoon came from none other than the player who ranks second in the SEC in shooting from beyond the arc. Frank drained the basket from just beyond the top of the key, Hansen joined her with a 3-pointer from the corner and Frank capped off a 9-6 Tigers run with another 3-pointer from the left wing.
Within six minutes, Missouri already had as many 3-pointers as it made in its game against Georgia. Hansen and redshirt senior guard Haley Troup added a 3-pointer apiece to give the Tigers a total of five 3-point makes at the end of the first quarter.
Missouri freshman guard Izzy Higginbottom added to the 3-point barrage with two 3-pointers to begin the second half, giving the Tigers an 8-point advantage. Troup added her second 3-pointer later in the quarter to give Missouri eight 3-point makes on 15 attempts in the first half.
The first half offered a stark contrast to the Georgia game as Missouri finished the first half shooting 40% from the field and 53.3% from beyond the arc. The Tigers did have troubles within the arc, however, finishing the half shooting 26.7% from 2-point range.
With Blackwell coming off the bench in her return, she faced limited playing time throughout the first half. However, her presence was felt through her seven first-half rebounds, giving Missouri a slight 16-15 rebounding advantage.
After finding success from the perimeter in the first half, the Tigers changed game plans going into the second half and exposed Mississippi State within the arc. Missouri scored all of its 17 third-quarter points from the paint or free throw line, while only attempting three 3-point shots.
The Tigers grew their halftime lead from two points to nine by the end of the third quarter and displayed signs of a complete and balanced effort. Five different Missouri players recorded at least one point in the quarter, including Blackwell, who scored six points and grabbed four rebounds.
Frank began the fourth quarter with a jumper in the paint, and the Tigers used that to spark their most efficient quarter of the game. Missouri outscored Mississippi State 25-24 and shot 63.6% from the field, including 75% from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter.
The fourth quarter capped off a balanced scoring effort for the Tigers. Six Missouri players finished with six points or more, and the Tigers shot 11-22 from beyond the arc in the game. Missouri won the rebounding battle 37-31 behind Blackwell’s game-high 18 rebounds, and Frank scored a game-high 19 points.
After an inefficient showing against Georgia, the Tigers bounced back with a complete reversal on the offensive side of the ball. With the addition of Blackwell into the lineup, Missouri’s rebounding troubles ended and its 3-point shooters found open looks.
For the Tigers, the victory signified one of the season’s best moments after four consecutive losses, which culminated with the loss against Georgia.
The Tigers won a presumed must-win game regarding their NCAA tournament hopes after losing to Mississippi State earlier in the season.
Edited by Riley Gearhart | rgearhart@themaneater.com
