The Tigers, seeking their biggest win of the season, entered the fourth quarter with a 68-65 lead over Mississippi State. The entire game leading up to that point had been back-and-forth, with neither team able to take a lead bigger than five points.
What both teams were able to do was score, score, and score some more. That’s why the fourth quarter, which began with a scoring drought, felt unbelievable. It wasn’t until there were 6:46 left that Mississippi State freshman Madison Francis drilled a shot from beyond the arc, ending the drought and tying the game at 68 points.
Missouri didn’t score in the fourth quarter until 5:48 remained, and the points came courtesy of free throws. The Tigers’ inability to score was stunning, not because they are normally an offensive powerhouse, but because on Sunday, they were.
Missouri ended the game with a field goal percentage of 58.2 as it earned an 88-80 victory Sunday in Starkville, Mississippi.
Junior guard Grace Slaughter hit a 3 to give Missouri a 2-point lead, and a layup by fellow junior guard Shannon Dowell pushed the Tigers ahead 82-78. Slaughter then added a layup of her own with 28 seconds remaining, clinching the win for the Tigers (15-9, 3-6 Southeastern Conference).
Dowell and Slaughter ended the day with 21 and 18 points, respectively. Junior guard Abbey Schreacke logged 13, while senior guard Saniah Tyler recorded 12.
As a team, Missouri shot very well, allowing it to come away with a massive win. The Tigers’ field goal percentage of 35.7 in the fourth was their lowest of the game.
Mizzou came out of halftime and made an immediate statement by drilling a quick 3-pointer. Schreacke’s bucket put the Tigers back on top, 46-44. Just 18 seconds later, Francis responded with her own triple, allowing the Bulldogs (16-7, 3-6) to retake the lead.
Schreacke and Francis exchanged 3-point jumpers again, prompting both squads to get involved from deep. The Tigers and Bulldogs each made four 3s across the frame.
Even with Missouri performing very well in the second half, it shot better in the first.
Mississippi State senior guard Trayanna Crisp buried a triple at the buzzer, a perfect way to end a half where both teams just couldn’t miss. With Crisp’s wild 3, the Bulldogs headed into the break with a 44-43 edge. They shot 50% in the first half.
Despite trailing, Missouri was the better team offensively, hitting an unbelievable 72% of its shots going into halftime.
The Tigers also made five 3s in the first half. Slaughter paced the team with two, while guards Chloe Sotell, Jayla Smith and Tyler each made one.
The impressive shooting was evident from the get-go. With Mississippi State shooting 57.1% from the field in the first quarter, the Tigers had no choice but to bring it on offense. That’s just what they did, shooting 60%. Missouri’s slightly higher efficiency, combined with some crucial 3s, gave the Tigers a small 22-20 advantage heading into the second.
Missouri next faces Arkansas at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
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