Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Top-notch Tigers
Red-hot start fuels No. 13 Missouri’s big win over Arkansas.
FAYETTEVILLE — Missouri bumped up two spots to No. 13 in the Associated Press national women’s basketball poll released earlier in the day, and the Tigers played like one of the best teams in the country Monday evening in Bud Walton Arena.
Missouri made nine of its first 10 shots, including six 3-pointers, en route to a big 84-58 Southeastern Conference win.
The game was originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon but was pushed to Monday evening when Missouri was unable to travel from Columbia because of wintry weather.
Missouri coach Robin Pingeton said her team focused well despite the travel issues. The Tigers didn’t get to Northwest Arkansas until 3 p.m. Monday.
“We had a lot of discussion about the game in general,” Pingeton said. “It always makes you really nervous as a coach, but honestly this group that I have this year, they get bored with routine. I know back in my playing days, I needed to be really, really structured, but this is a team that doesn’t mind shaking it up a little bit.
“You worry about the flow of your offense because you haven’t done much in three or four days. I just said we’ve got to be mentally tough.”
The Tigers (20-5, 8-4 SEC) had no problems offensively in the beginning Monday, making 11 of 15 (73 percent) shots from the floor in the first quarter to grab a 33-14 lead.
Missouri used a 21-2 run and held the Razorbacks (1213, 3-9) without a field goal for almost six minutes to take command in the first quarter. The Tigers also missed just one shot over the opening 6:14, hitting nine of 10 floor shots (6-of-7 3-pointers) and five-of-five from the freethrow line and led 29-10.
Bailey Zimmerman’s 3-pointer pulled Arkansas within 12-8 with 6 minutes, 43 seconds left in the first quarter. But the Razorbacks didn’t manage another field goal until Jailyn Mason’s jumper with 53 seconds left as Missouri took control.
Sophie Cunningham, a 6-foot-1 junior, led four Tigers
in double figures with a gamehigh 18 points, including four 3-pointers. Jordan Frericks added 15. Jordan Chavis added 12 and Hannah Schuchts 10, both off the bench.
Mason led Arkansas with 15 points, while Zimmerman was also in double figures with 14 for the Razorbacks, who have now lost eight of their last 10.
Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors thought his team competed much better than it did a month ago in Columbia, even though the score (88-54) was similar.
“Other than that first little spell where we see how potent their offense can be,” Neighbors said. “They can hurt you in so many ways offensively, and that first five minutes and 24 seconds was about as impressive, I think we were on pace to give up 186 at one point.
“I thought we locked in after that. I think we took the initial punch. Kids do what this team has done all year, just keep showing back up.”
Arkansas travels to Kentucky on Thursday, then returns home for its final two home games of the season against LSU on Sunday afternoon and Texas A&M on Feb. 22.
Missouri............. 33 16 20 15 — 84 Arkansas ............ 14 15 16 13 — 58 Missouri (20-5, 8-4): Cunningham 18, Frericks 15, Chavis 12, Schuchts 10, Porter 9, Aldridges 6, Smith 5, Tahane 5, Michael 4.
Arkansas (12-13, 3-9): Mason 15, Zimmerman 14, Monk 6, Cosper 6, Thomas 6, Swenson 5, Weaver 5, Spangler 1.
Three-Point Field Goals: Missouri 11-24, Arkansas 7-23. Rebounds: Missouri 40, Arkansas 25. Turnovers: Missouri 11, Arkansas 6. Technical Fouls: None. Fouled Out: None.
Officials: Beverly Roberts, Jesse Dickerson, Eric Koch. Attendance: 1,766