Point guards pace Mizzou women to win over North Alabama

Mizzou women’s basketball beat the University of North Alabama (1-1) on 83-72 Tuesday night at Mizzou Arena. Mizzou is now 3-1 on the young season. Point guard play drove the Tigers on Tuesday.

In the first quarter, Mama Dembele sparked the Tigers on offense and defense. She finished the quarter with six points, three rebounds, two assists and four steals. The Tigers used an 8-0 run in the closing minutes to take a 23-12 lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Starters Hayley Frank, Grace Slaughter and Ashton Judd led the Mizzou offense in the second quarter as they combined for 13 of the team's 17 points. Judd is Missouri's leading scorer, averaging 20.7 points per game through the first four. The Tigers led by as many as 17 at one point in the quarter. In the final four minutes North Alabama went on a 7-0 spurt to cut the halftime deficit to 12.

Mizzou led North Alabama at the half 40-30 while shooting 41% from the field and 25% from three. Frank led the Tigers in scoring at the half with eleven points, followed by Slaughter who had nine.

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The Tigers came out of halftime hot with a 6-0 run, after back-to-back Dembele layups off steals. This put her at 12 points and eight steals with six minutes left to play in the third. After a 6-0 North Alabama run, Mizzou was able to get the lead back up to eleven at the end of the quarter.

Mizzou opened the fourth quarter with a Frank corner three followed by an Abby Schreacke three the next possession. Schreacke had six of her eight points in the fourth and went 2-3 from the field during the stretch.

Schreacke has been stepping into the role of the team's backup point guard in the absence of Averi Kroenke. Head coach Robin Pingeton said she is very confident in the young guard's ability.

She studies the game, she wants to watch film," Pingeton said. "She wants to talk about what would be the right play to call be, why should we do this? She is a student of the game. In addition to that she's got an incredible work ethic too. She's not ever gonna be Mama, but we don't need her to be Mama. We need her to be Abby and we need her to do her skills, I think it's two completely different looks. And both are really really good. Obviously Mama is a veteran and she's got a lot of experience on her, but it's very good to have Abby, she just a worker”.

Dembele was coming off a career high 14-assist against SLU. Dembele is currently third in the nation and leads the SEC with 8.7 assists per game. Dembele said she tried to step into a leadership role and help Schreacke grow throughout the season.

"I think she's a very talented player and [I] just remind her to be who she is," Dembele said. "We're gonna help her with everything. As a freshman, I know it's tough to come in and have to play the point guard spot so I've been there. Making sure to have eye contact with her and let her know that it's okay, she's gonna make mistakes but it's part of the process. I think that's a good thing and she's worked so hard and she wants it so bad that it's so easy to go up and help her and not get mad when she does make mistakes because you know she's gonna improve and she's gonna get better. So she's just an amazing player.”

Mizzou finished the game shooting 47% (34-73) from the field and 31% (5-16) from three point range. The Tigers dominated North Alabama in the paint, scoring 50 of their 83 points there and winning the rebounding battle 49 to 30. This led

Frank led the Tigers in scoring on the night with 29 points. Dembele, Schreacke, and Judd tied for the lead in assists with four. Judd led the team in rebounds with 12, eight defensive and four on the offensive end. Frank attributed tonight's high scoring performance to the play of her teammates and her self discipline.

“I thought my teammates did a really good job of creating for me on the off ball screening action or chasing everything so I got really good looks just on the tight cut," she said. "I think I kind of struggled the last few games so just stressing and staying true to who I am and what I do”.

Frank's 29 tied her career high and she added seven rebounds and one assist. This all came while she shot 11-18 from the field and 2-4 from three. Frank played a total of 35 minutes, leading both squads.

Dembele finished the game with her second consecutive double-double, this time in points and steals. Her final stat line was 12 points, four assists, four rebounds and ten steals. This was a new career high in steals for Dembele; her previous high was six in a game her freshman year against Mississippi State. This was just one shy of the Mizzou single game record.

“Honestly, I didn't even realize I had that many steals," she said. "It wasn't until the end they told me, so I had no idea. I think I always tried to be in the passing lane. I know I have to set the tone on defense and I feel like that's how it starts”.

Judd finished with a double-double in points and rebounds for the second time this season. Judd’s final stats were 10 points, four assists, and 12 rebounds. With 13 points Slaughter was able to earn double digits in her fourth straight collegiate start. Playing a total of 33 minutes, second on the team behind Frank, she finished with 13 points, two assists, and eight rebounds.