Missouri’s 3-point plan beats Arkansas

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Arkansas women’s basketball team was hoping to snap its losing streak against the team that started it last month. Missouri had other plans. Lindsey Cunningham made all five three-point attempts, Missouri made 13 three-pointers overall and the Tigers led for the game’s final 32 minutes in a 67-56 victory over the Razorbacks at Mizzou Arena on Sunday.

Cunningham finished with 21 points, while sister Sophie Cunningham made 4 of 9 three-pointers to finish with 19 points and four other Tigers made one three-pointer each in handing the Razorbacks their sixth consecutive loss, their longest SEC losing streak since January 2010.

The 13 made threes tied a season-high for Missouri (17-9, 7-5) and helped end a two-game losing skid. The 13 three-pointers were the most against Arkansas (13-12, 2-10) this season.

Arkansas Coach Jim Dykes said it was not a good feeling to see the Cunningham girls get in a groove.

“They both play well off of each other, they make winning plays,” Dykes said. “… I enjoy competing against them. They make you play.”

Bailey Zimmerman had a season-high 14 points, and Jessica Jackson had 12 for Arkansas, which shot 33.9 percent from the floor, hit 8 of 23 from the three-point line and 6 of 16 from the free-throw line.

The Razorbacks led 6-3 after a Keiryn Swenson layup two minutes into the game, and it led 16-14 after a three-pointer by Jackson with 3:38 left in the first quarter. But that was the Razorbacks last field goal of the quarter, as the Tigers scored the final six points to lead 20-16.

Kiara Williams’ opened the second with a basket to make it 20-18, Missouri outscored Arkansas 11-1 to go up 31-19 with 5:21 left.

Missouri led 41-25 at halftime and 55-38 at the end of the third quarter while winning its fourth consecutive home game.

“We knew that this would be a big game,” Missouri Coach Robin Pingeton said. “… Our defense lacked a little bit of discipline down the stretch, but a very good win against a good team.”

Jailyn Mason and Malica Monk each added 10 points for Arkansas, which only had five turnovers.

Information for this article contributed by the Kansas City Star and Democrat-Gazette press services.

NO. 4 MISSISSIPPI STATE 66, MISSISSIPPI 44

OXFORD, Miss. — Teaira McCowan scored 17 points and grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds to lead Mississippi State past Mississippi.

Dominique Dillingham scored 12 points and Victoria Vivians added 11 for the Bulldogs. Mississippi State (251, 11-1 SEC) has won five consecutive games since its only loss of the season against South Carolina.

McCowan, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, has scored in double figures in seven of the last 10 games. It was her second double-double of the season and first in SEC play.

Ole Miss (15-10, 4-8) made it clear early in the game that it would be aggressive, diving all over the court for loose balls and pushing the pace on offense at every opportunity. Rebels’ Coach Matt Insell earned a technical in the first quarter for arguing about a foul call.

The in-your-face approach was effective for a while, but Mississippi State never looked rattled.

TEXAS A&M 61, NO. 24 TENNESSEE 59

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Khaalia Hillsman converted an offensive rebound for the go-ahead basket with four seconds left as Texas A&M erased an 11-point, fourth-quarter deficit in a victory over Tennessee.

Tennessee’s Mercedes Russell attempted a potential game-tying baseline attempt that bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded. Tennessee (16-9, 7-5 SEC) missed its last 11 field-goal attempts as Texas A&M (19-6, 9-3) outscored the Lady Vols 14-1 over the final 8½ minutes.

The result likely will knock Tennessee out of the Top 25. The Lady Vols had returned to the rankings Monday after an eight-week absence.