It was a first half to forget for the Missouri women's basketball team.
After 20 minutes, Missouri had scored just 14 points and trailed Mississippi by 15.
Not much improved in the second half. Missouri dropped a home game for just the second time this season, a 61-45 loss to the 25th-ranked Rebels that dropped the Tigers to 16-7 and 5-5 in the SEC.
In that first half, the Tigers shot just 30% from the field, staggeringly low compared to their season average, an SEC-best 47%. Mississippi’s size and length proved to be too much for a much smaller Missouri team.
Mississippi dominated Missouri on the offensive glass, which led to 22 second-chance points from 16 offensive rebounds. Missouri had just three offensive rebounds and four second-chance points.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with size,” head coach Robin Pingeton said. “We’ve proven to other teams that we understand the assignment. To me, it’s who’s the assessor, who’s grittier, attention to detail, one possession at a time.”
Mississippi’s smothering defense provided very few outside looks for the Tigers, who went a dismal 0-7 from 3. It was the first time in 13 years the Tigers hadn't made a three in a game. That was a streak of 424 consecutive games with a triple. The Rebels defense also forced 21 turnovers, 12 of them steals. They lead the SEC in steals per game (10.6).
“You hold a team to 61 [points] in the SEC, you’re feeling pretty good about yourself,” Pingeton said. “I mean, yeah, they scored more than we did. But the bottom line is you had 21 turnovers, gave up 16 offensive boards and scored 14 points in the first half. Not good enough. Not gonna get it done.”
LaDazhia Williams was the lone bright spot for Missouri’s offense. She was effective in the paint, but was often outworked on the glass. She finished with 24 of the team's 45 points, but just two rebounds.
“Not surprised,” Pingeton said. “I ask her all the time if my expectations for her are too high, because I think she’s a super elite-level player. We just need her to continue to be aggressive and assertive. Defensively, she could’ve done a better job on some rebounding. She’s too good not to be a two-way player.”
Aijha Blackwell’s streak of consecutive double-doubles came to an end at 11. Blackwell did grab ten rebounds, but scored just two points on 1-for-5 shooting. The guard has 17 double-doubles through 22 games, the second highest total in the NCAA.
The Tigers still have a lot to play for, and this February will be big; Missouri has difficult road games against No. 7 Tennessee and No. 14 Georgia in addition to home games against Arkansas and Mississippi State this month.
“We’re definitely gonna have to look in the mirror over the next few days and look back at this film and get back to work,” Hayley Frank said. “But ultimately, we just have to show up and be us. I thought we didn’t do that tonight. [We need to] go out there and be us the next time we step on the floor.”
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