
Schreacke scores a big 11 in the 4th quarter to secure the home W
Mizzou women’s basketball (8-3) helped the SEC lock up the ACC/SEC Challenge with a narrow 68-61 win over SMU (5-4) with a flair for the dramatic.
After leading all game, Mizzou gave up a 9-1 run to tie the game at 53 early in the 4th quarter. Luckily, the Tigers regained their lead thanks to the flamethrower that is Abbey Streaker. The sharpshooting sophomore finished the quarter with 11 points, scoring eight straight for the Tigers, including a pair of rhythm triples that looked oh so easy.
(Cal Tobias/Rock M Nation)
The final nail in the coffin came on Schreacke’s last triple, putting Mizzou up by 7 with under a minute to go. Laniah Randle also played a crucial part of the comeback with a layup, a steal, an assist and a forced turnover in the closing stretch.
“She’s a fierce competitor; she doesn’t like to lose,” head coach Robin Pingeton said of Randle. “She’s been a big part of what we do. I think her ability to defend multiple positions has been huge for us as well.”
The Tigers’ defense held strong, keeping the Mustangs to three points in the final five minutes.
Schreacke finished the game with 16 points, including 4-9 from three. Joining her in double figures was Grace Slaughter (17). Ashton Judd (14) and Nyah Wilson (10).
Slaughter recorded her first career double-double, adding 10 rebounds on the night to help the Tigers clean up on the glass. She added a couple nice assists, becoming more comfortable in her passing and seeing the whole floor.
“That’s been a goal that I’ve really talked with my coaches about. Being a sophomore now, I think just trying to take a bigger role on the team in different areas, and understanding that to be a well-rounded player you got to do some other things,” Slaughter said.
(Cal Tobias/Rock M Nation)
The Tigers opened the game ahead 21-13 (football score) after the first quarter. Slaughter Judd were back to their usual tricks, combining for 12 points on no turnovers. Defensively Mizzou kept the Mustangs in check, as they finished the quarter 4-15 from the field and 1-7 from three.
SMU worked their way back into the game late in the second quarter, cutting the lead to only two before a late bucket from Slaughter set the halftime lead at 33-29. After a fast start to the quarter, the Mizzou offense went ice cold, finishing 1-8 on their last eight FG attempts of the half.
The turnover monster started to rear its ugly head again; after committing only 2 in the first quarter, that number jumped to 5, bailing the Mustangs out on several possessions. The Tigers managed to keep Nya Robertson in check, scoring eight points on a wildly inefficient 2-11 from the floor. Robertson entered the game averaging 22.4 points, but was held to only 12 on 4-18 of the field.
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Both offenses picked up the slack to start the third, trading buckets back and forth. The Tigers worked to extend their lead to eight when it was all said and done. For Mizzou this quarter belonged to Judd, finishing with nine points including a tough and-one. The Mustangs hung around due to the work of Zanai Jones, scoring eight points in the quarter on a perfect 3-3, bringing her to a team-leading 15. The unlikely duo of Jones and Kylie Mitchell combined for 32 points, despite entering the game averaging 15 points between the two of them.
“Some kids that typically don’t shoot the ball that well hit some big shots for them,” Pingeton said.
This was the second annual ACC/SEC Challenge, as Missouri helped take home the 10-6 win for the SEC.
The Tigers continue this 7-game homestand with a matchup against Northern Illinois at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov 7.
(Cal Tobias/Rock M Nation)
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