Mizzou overcomes offensive struggles, takes down Southern in home opener

Nov 8, 2024 | Uncategorized

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Missouri forward Hannah Linthacum (34) attempts to block a pass during Missouri basketball’s matchup against Southern University on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024 at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia. (MICHAEL BANIEWICZ/ROCK M NATION)

The Tigers fell into a funk offensively after the first quarter, but a stifling defense kept them upright en route to their first win of the season.

Thursday’s result was a little closer than Mizzou women’s basketball would’ve liked, but the Tigers got the job done.

Behind a stellar defensive effort and big offensive outings from Ashton Judd and Grace Slaughter, MU rebounded from a horrendous loss at Vermont with a 66-51 win over Southern.

“One game does not define us. It’s how we responded.” head coach Robin Pingeton said after the game. “I thought the girls did a nice job tonight.”

Mizzou suffocated Southern on defense over the first 10 minutes, as it led 21-4 after the first quarter. The Jaguars could rarely ever generate open looks, and when they did, they usually couldn’t convert, as the road underdogs shot just 1/13 in the first quarter. While Mizzou couldn’t carry that momentum over the entirety of the final three quarters, the opening frame proved to be a large enough cushion for Pingeton’s crew.

“I felt like we were really disrupted when we played Vermont,” Judd said. “I think we played better as a whole offensively, just letting the game come to us, getting through our flow actions, moving the ball…it just wasn’t forced.”

Slaughter led the way in scoring with 15 points, with 10 of them coming in the second half. She proved to be a key stabilizer once again; Slaughter led Mizzou in minutes played with 32, and her plus-minus of 17 was the second-highest on the team.

Judd, on the other hand, did most of her scoring in the first half, as 12 of her 13 points were scored in the first two quarters. However, the junior didn’t just contribute on the scoring front; it felt like Judd was everywhere all the time on both ends of the floor. She registered six rebounds, four steals and a charge taken. Early on, she effectively helped on traps, creating multiple turnovers that helped Mizzou to a 17-point advantage after the first quarter.


Missouri guard Ashton Judd (24) reaches for thr ball during Missouri basketball’s matchup against Southern University on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024 at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia. (MICHAEL BANIEWICZ/ROCK M NATION)

“She’s willing to take over any role that we need her to,” Pingeton said. “I think that’s one of the things that makes her special.”

The only major negative from her performance is that she shot 0/4 in the second half (all four attempts were from three-point range). Even after some failures, however, Judd would turn around and succeed on the other end. A little over midway through the third quarter, for example, Judd airballed a three-pointer, but she hustled back on defense and pulled off a chase down block.

“The way that she can impact the game on the defensive end, when she’s locked in, I think can be really impactful for us,” Pingeton said. “And then obviously, (she’s a) really, really good rebounder.

Elsewhere, Laniah Randle found the bottom of the net numerous times in the paint. All 12 of her points came from inside of the arc, as she was able to convert multiple layups through contact.

“I feel like it’s what we do in practice,” Randle said on how she’s able to succeed through contact. “We’re really aggressive, so I feel like in-game, it’s just kind of slight because we’re real aggressive and we push each other. I feel like it’s easier to finish through contact (in a game).”

The Southern Illinois transfer also grabbed 10 rebounds and had the highest plus-minutes on the team with plus-20. Although she didn’t record any steals or blocks, Randle’s interior presence on defense was stout.

“She’s got a chance to be a really explosive player for us,” Pingeton said. “She’s probably one of our better defenders, maybe our best defensive player.”

Abbey Schreacke also beat the buzzer not once, but twice from downtown; she had nine points, all of which came from three-point land.

But as noted previously, the Tigers couldn’t string together consecutive strong quarters. Mizzou outscored Southern in the first and third quarters 41-15, but it got outscored in the second and fourth quarters 36-25.

There were common themes in the periods where MU performed worse. Southern was able to not just generate more open shots, but the Jaguars converted at a much higher rate, too. The Tigers also shot just 3/11 from downtown, and overall, there were stretches where they looked discombobulated on offense.

One theme that presided over the entire game, however, were turnovers. Following a game where Mizzou committed 26 turnovers against the Catamounts, the Tigers didn’t do much better by committing 20 on Thursday.


Missouri guard Averi Kroenke (21) looks for an open teammate to pass to during Missouri basketball’s matchup against Southern University on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024 at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia. (MICHAEL BANIEWICZ/ROCK M NATION)

The assist-to-turnover ratio of .75 is far better than the paltry .15 that the team posted against Vermont, but it’s still not a number head coach Robin Pingeton will be satisfied with.

“Ball security is something that is going to keep me up at night,” Pingeton said. “It’ll continue to do so until we get that figured out.”

Mizzou will host Norfolk State on Sunday at 2 p.m..

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