How Mizzou women's basketball handled Missouri State to start 1-0
Missouri women's basketball got back at the in-state team that beat them thoroughly last season.
Missouri State (0-1) lost 68-51 to the Tigers (1-0) on Monday night on opening day at Great Southern Bank Arena. The loss snapped the Lady Bears' three-game winning streak against their rivals from up north.
The Lady Bears started a group that had a combined one start in Missouri State uniforms. They were without star fifth-year senior Sydney Wilson who Cunningham said was a game-time decision entering the contest.
Struggles at both ends of the floor followed an inexperienced group that was playing its first game together. The Lady Bears finished the game shooting 31.3% compared to a Missouri team that returned four starters and shot 52.9%.
MSU led by as many as five in the first quarter before the Tigers went on a 20-2 run that went into the second. After bringing the game within seven, Missouri scored the final seven points of the first half and took a 14-point lead into the break. From then on for the Lady Bears, it was about looking for the positives to build off of.
Dayton transfer Capria Brown appeared to be a defensive leader for the Lady Bears, especially in Wilson's absence. There never appeared to be a question of effort although the team found itself out of position throughout. There were also things to build off of with Colorado transfer Kennedy Taylor's presence in the post — mainly her strength and ability to get to the basket.
But the struggles outweighed the good by a long shot. The Lady Bears weren't good from the field even with extra opportunities off offensive rebounds. As they did a year ago, they weren't efficient from beyond the arc and they weren't productive from the free throw line. For as much potential as the frontcourt players have, the Tigers dominated in the paint.
Strafford legend Hayley Frank, now a senior at MU, finished the game with a game-high 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Former West Plains standout Ashton Judd, a freshman for the Tigers, grabbed four rebounds and scored two points.
Patience will be needed around a young team that played six players with limited or no Division I experience. The Lady Bears will look to take a step forward when they host Saint Louis at 6 p.m. on Nov. 15 before hosting Oklahoma State two days later.
Missouri proved a point. The Tigers returned the favor against the program that beat them thoroughly 79-51 last season in a win that was certainly a blemish on MU's tournament resume in the end.
Uncharacteristically, Robin Pintegon's team only made one 3-pointer Monday night. But, Sara-Rose Smith's 10-point and 10-rebound double-double playing a team-high 31 minutes is a welcome sight.
MU opens its home slate against Bradley on Nov. 10.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Mizzou women's basketball handles Missouri State to start 1-0
