Aijha Blackwell and Hayley Frank have been a dynamic duo ever since they both stepped foot on Norm Stewart Court for the first time in 2019.
Now, both juniors, nothing has changed. The pair combined for 40 of the Tigers’ 73 points — 20 each — in Missouri’s 73-49 win over Morgan State.
Blackwell picked up right where she left off on Thursday. The junior guard was a rebound away from a first-half double-double with 13 points and nine boards and didn’t miss from the field, making all six shots she attempted. She added seven points from the free throw line.
Frank was much more effective on offense than she was in the opener. She scored 12 points in the first half and went 5-6 from the field — against Murray State on Thursday, she scored 14 all game and was just 1-3 from beyond the arc.
Perhaps the biggest piece to Frank’s game is her defense in the paint. The 6-foot-1 forward has drawn multiple offensive fouls in each of the first two games. Her ability to create turnovers, especially charges, has sparked Missouri’s entire offense.
“A lot of times, defense does go under the radar, which is unfortunate,” head coach Robin Pingeton said. “We praise it all the time. I think that really reveals your character. There’s no glory involved in it. Frankie leads the team with this, but I think everybody has embraced opportunities to take chargers and make them momentum shifts for us.”
Frank has solidified herself as a big offensive threat, especially from beyond the arc, but her ability to draw charges is certainly not under the radar anymore.
“It’s just something I’ve always taken pride in,” Frank said. I’ve just always been willing to sacrifice and try to just get the team going in that aspect.”
Frank isn’t the only Tiger who has shown flashes on “D.” Mama Dembele’s full-court and half-court press has caused big problems for the opposition so far this season — nearly every time it brings the ball down the court with Dembele defending, she’s gotten a hand on the ball. She had two steals in the first half against Morgan State, and had four on Thursday against Murray State.
“Mama is just relentless,” Pingeton said. “I think she really sets the tone for us defensively. Everyone has different strengths, and that’s certainly one of Mama’s. I know that we can all count on her night in and night out.”
Though Missouri impressed offensively with efficient shooting, the Tigers easily could’ve scored more. Turnovers were an issue throughout the game — Missouri coughed up the rock 10 times in the first 20 minutes and 11 times in the final 20. Pingeton knows her team has work to do to better take care of the ball; she began her press conference by crediting Morgan State’s “relentless” defense, which forced 21 turnovers against the Tigers.
“The sense of urgency to value that ball wasn’t where it needed to be tonight,” Pingeton said. “We’ve got to get better in that area. Collectively, we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
The Linthacum sisters made their first appearances of the season, and for Sarah, it was her Missouri debut. Both were effective offensively in the paint, combining for 10 points and five rebounds.
“I thought they did well,” Pingeton said of the sisters. “I thought Micah had a couple good finishes, kept the ball high. Sarah ended up shooting the ball well. [I] was happy for them to get out there. I think there’s a really high ceiling for them.”
The pieces seem to be there for the Tigers. Now, it’s about putting them together and cutting down on mistakes. And when Blackwell and Frank score 20 points apiece like they did today, anything can happen.
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