COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women's Basketball (4-11, 1-1 SEC) jumped out to an early lead and held off a late comeback to defeat LSU (11-3, 1-1 SEC, 69-65, on Sunday afternoon at Mizzou Arena. The win was Mizzou’s first of its conference schedule and snapped a five-game losing streak.
Mizzou had four players score in double figures, led by the first career double-double from freshman guard Aijha Blackwell (Berkeley, Mo., who had 15 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Joining Blackwell in double figures was senior guard Amber Smith (Shreveport, La., senior guard Jordan Chavis (Lexington, N.C.) and freshman forward Hayley Frank (Strafford, Mo., who scored 13, 13 and 11 points, respectively.
TURNING POINT
Mizzou had its largest halftime lead of the season at 42-21, but had to halt a furious second-half comeback from LSU, who outscored Mizzou 44-27 in the game’s final 20 minutes. As LSU was trying to finish off its comeback, Mizzou went to the free throw line eight times in the game’s final quarter, converting on 6-of-8 attempts and 5-of-6 attempts in the final two minutes.
TOP TIGERS
• Blackwell recorded her first career double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 6-of-6 from the free throw line and dishing out five assists.
• Chavis scored 13 points on 3-of-7 shooting from three and grabbed a career-best seven rebounds.
• Smith scored 13 points and had three rebounds in the game.
NOTES
• Mizzou had four score in double-figures, the fourth time this season and the first time since Dec. 5, 2019 (vs. St. Louis) Mizzou has had four or more score 10+ points.
• Mizzou shot the three-ball consistently throughout the contest recording their highest three-point percentage (.423, 11-of-26) since Dec. 5, 2019 against Saint Louis (.667, 12-of-18). It marked the fourth time this season Mizzou has shot 40 percent or better from three.
• The Tigers shot 51.1 percent from the field (24-of-47, the second-best output of the season, trailing only the 51.9 percent (28-of-58) performance against Saint Louis (Dec. 5, 2019).
• Mizzou converted 10-of-12 of its attempts from the free throw line, the seventh time this season Mizzou has shot at least 80 percent from the charity stripe.
• Mizzou got a quick start scoring 23 in the first quarter. This is the most points the Tigers have scored in the first quarter since Jan. 27, 2019 against Auburn (23).
• Blackwell was a force on both sides of the court, recording her first career double-double with 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.
• Blackwell’s 15 points was her third consecutive game scoring in double figures and the eighth time she has done so this season.
• The Tiger freshman also had five assists in the game, marking the second time this season she has dished out five or more dimes.
• Chavis collected a career high seven rebounds, giving her 13 in her last three games.
• Chavis made three three-pointers in the game to move to No. 9 on Mizzou’s all-time top-10 list with 124 threes, moving past Julie Helm (1995-00, 123).
• Chavis had five assists in the game, marking the second time in her career she has had five or more assists.
• Redshirt senior Hannah Schuchts (Tallahassee, Fla.) recorded one block in the game to join Mizzou’s top-10 all-time with 112 career blocks. She now moves into a tie at No. 10 with Cierra Porter (2015-19) and EeTisha Riddle (2003-07).
• Frank scored 11 points in the game, marking the 10th double-digit effort of her season.
UP NEXT
Next, Mizzou hosts No. 15/14 Mississippi State on Thursday, Jan. 9. Tipoff from Mizzou Arena is slated for 6 p.m.
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