More than two weeks between games could mean one of two things for MU women’s basketball. It could turn out to be a good thing that the Tigers were given extra time to brush up on plays and mentally prepare for the next matchup. Or, it could show the team’s rust.
The Tigers hope for the former when they host No. 21 Missouri State on Monday.
Missouri’s game against Saint Louis on Nov. 29 was postponed, and the following three games were canceled after a positive COVID-19 test, subsequent contract tracing and quarantines within the program.
The Tigers are coming off their lone game, a 96-78 win over North Alabama two days before their COVID-19 related game postponements and cancellations. This high-scoring matchup served as a brief introduction and reintroduction of coach Robin Pingeton’s young and fast-paced squad this season.
Sophomores Aijha Blackwell and Hayley Frank led the second-half explosion against the Lions as they both finished with double-doubles. Newcomers Ladazhia Williams and Mama Dembele had fiery debuts as starters for the Tigers. Williams drilled in 18 points and grabbed five rebounds. Debele scored her first collegiate points while also sharing the rock with three assists.
The current Missouri squad is much different than what the Bears saw from the Tigers last season when they narrowly beat the Tigers 79-72. According to Pingeton, they’ve got some different looks offensively, as they’re able to spread out on the court with go-to scorers in Blackwell, Frank, Williams and guard Haley Troup. The ability to run this type of fast-paced offense was something the Tigers were missing last year.
Despite breezing past the Lions in its highest-scoring performance since last November’s win over Western Illinois, Missouri struggled all first half trying to find its flow. A mixture of first-game jitters and careless mistakes gave North Alabama way more breathing room than the Tigers would like. These same mistakes could prove to be an issue in their upcoming matchup.
“As you have seen in the media, many games are getting canceled, moved around and rescheduled and whatnot,” Pingeton said on a media day Nov. 24. “I think that the teams that are going to have the most success are the ones that really focus on controlling what they can control and staying flexible in what I think will be a very interesting season.”
While the Tigers have been away, the Bears schedule has consisted of some nonconference and top 25 competition. Monday, they reeled in 100 points against Lincoln in a 100-38 win. To top things off, the Bears pulled off an 81-72 upset against Maryland on Nov. 28.
Rallying the nine-point win against Maryland was senior Brice Calip who led her team with a career-high 26 points. So far, the Bears sit at 3-1, only dropping an upset against Wake Forest.
Multiple players from the Missouri State roster have emerged as potential stars.
This matchup will not only be a battle between the largest schools in Missouri, but it will also be a battle between a younger and a more mature squad. Missouri State is made up of mainly seniors and juniors with only one freshman in its squad. The Tigers are led by sophomores and only have three seniors.
Some players for the Tigers to watch out for on Monday are Calip and sharpshooters Sydney Wilson and Abby Hipp. Similar to the depth on MU’s roster, the Bears have had a different player shine each game so far in their schedule. Any given night, any of the Bears could be the threat on offense.
The awaited return of the Tigers will tip off at 7 p.m Monday in Mizzou Arena. The game will also be streamed on SEC+ Network.
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December 13, 2020 at 05:33AM
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MU women's hoops looks to come back strong against Missouri State - Columbia Missourian
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