- Mizzou Women’s Basketball returns to action with its second consecutive road game as the Tigers visit the Ole Miss Rebels on Thursday, Jan. 14. Tipoff from The Pavilion at Ole Miss is slated for 6:00 p.m. CT on SEC Network + with Seth Austin and Lindsay King on the call. In Mizzou’s last time out, the Tigers comeback and upset bid came up just short to No. 10 Arkansas, falling 91-88 at Bud Walton Arena on Jan. 3. Ole Miss enters the contest with a 1-2 record in SEC play and a 7-2 mark overall. In its last time out, Ole Miss fell to No. 14 Mississippi State, 60-56, on Jan. 10. Both teams have been affected by COVID-19 this season, as Ole has had three games postponed or canceled, while Mizzou has had six postponement or cancellations, including its last two scheduled games against Vanderbilt (Jan. 7) and at Auburn (Jan. 10).
THE SERIES
- Mizzou has dominated the all-time series between the two programs, winning 11 of its 12 contests, including all 11 since the Tigers joined the SEC prior to the 2012-13 season. Ole Miss’ only win over the Tigers came on Jan. 5, 1981, when the Rebels won 64-58 in Oxford. Mizzou and Ole Miss played each three times last season, including a 71-57 win for the Tigers in Ole Miss on Jan. 19, 2020.
THREE-HEADED SCORING MACHINE
- Through seven games on its schedule, Mizzou has been led by the three-headed scoring threat of sophomore guard Aijha Blackwell, sophomore forward Hayley Frank and redshirt junior forward LaDazhia Williams, who have scored in double figures in 19 of 21 combined games. Blackwell, who led the Tigers in scoring in 2019-20, is currently leading the way this season with 15.1 points per game, while Frank and Williams are both averaging 13.0 points per game. Each rank in the SEC’s top-25 in scoring, ranking 17th, 28th, and 28th, respectively, while each also rank in the league’s top 10 in other categories. Blackwell ranks fifth in rebounding (8.8 rpg), Frank ranks first in FT% (.923), and Williams ranks third in FG% (.574).
HOT SHOOTING
- Through the early stretch of the season, Mizzou has been able to shoot the ball at an extremely high level. Mizzou currently leads the SEC in field goal percentage at 51.8 percent (212-of-409), while ranking fourth in three-point percentage at 36.1 percent (44-of-122).
- Nationally, the Tigers rank third nationally in field goal percentage and 49th in three-point percentage.
- Redshirt junior forward LaDazhia Williams has led the charge from the field this season, as she currently ranks third in the SEC with a mark of 57.4 percent (35-of-61) from the field. Redshirt junior guard Haley Troup leads the Tigers from deep, as she has made 7-of-13 shots from deep (53.8 percent) this season. Sophomore forward Hayley Frank has also shot the ball extremely well this season, shooting 68.0 percent from the field (34-of-50) and 47.8 percent (11-of-23) from deep. Both numbers would rank among the best in the SEC if they met the conference minimum requirements.
- Mizzou has shot the lights out this season, recording field goal percentages of 50 percent or better in five of its seven games and 60 percent or better twice.
- Against New Orleans (Dec. 16), the Tigers shot an incredible 63.2 percent (36-of-57) from the field, the 10th-best mark in program history and their best mark since a 65.9 percent (27-of-41) performance against Ole Miss on Jan. 3, 2019.
- Mizzou shot above 60 percent again in its win against Southern Illinois (Dec. 20), shooting 61.2 percent (30-of-49).
- Since the 1977-78 season (43 seasons), Mizzou has shot better than 60 percent from the field just 25 times, with six occurrences (24.0 percent) happening under head coach Robin Pingeton.
QUICK TO 500
- Sophomore guard Aijha Blackwell recorded her 500th career point against New Orleans (Dec. 19), needing only 34 games to accomplish the feat.
- Blackwell is the quickest Tiger to reach 500 career points during the Pingeton era, and might be the quickest in program history (Mizzou does not have complete game-by-game records prior to 2003). In comparison, it took Sophie Cunningham, Mizzou’s all-time leader with 2,187 points, 36 games to reach 500 points.
- With 572 points through 38 career games (15.1 points per game), Blackwell appears to be in good position to challenge Cunningham for Mizzou’s all-time scoring record, a mark which was set in 2019, the season prior to her arrival in Columbia.
PROGRAM WIN 800
- In Mizzou’s 88-49 win over Oral Roberts on Dec. 19, the Tigers earned their 800th program victory, becoming the 74th team in NCAA Division-I history to reach 800 wins. Mizzou has had four head coaches in its program history, with current head coach Robin Pingeton leading the Tigers for the past 11 seasons with a mark of 184-144. Mizzou was also previously coached by Alexis Jarrett (1974-75, 9-8), Joann Rutherford (1975-98, 423-261) and Cindy Stein (1998-10, 185-177).
MILESTONE CHASING
- A host of milestones will be in-play this season for the Tigers. Below is a rundown of career achievements that have/could happen during in the 2020-21 season.
- Mizzou senior forward Shannon Dufficy will get to finish her already decorated career with a senior campaign at Mizzou. The Aussie native reached the 1,000-point career mark in Mizzou’s season-opener against North Alabama (Nov. 27), and needs just 127 rebounds to eclipse 1,000 career boards. In three seasons at Utah State, Dufficy averaged 279.3 rebounds per season, including a single-season program record of 339 rebounds in 2018-19.
- Also wrapping up her collegiate career in CoMo, senior guard Shug Dickson will have the 1,000-point mark in her sights, as she currently has 764 points, needing 236 to reach the mark. In her sophomore campaign at Tulsa (2017-18), Dickson scored 410 points (14.1 ppg) in 29 games.
- In her 11th season, head coach Robin Pingeton record at Mizzou sits at 184-142 (.564). The Tiger head boss needs just two wins to move past Cindy Stein (1998-10, 185-77) for second-place on Mizzou’s all-time win list. She already ranks second in winning percentage, trailing only Mizzou Hall of Famer Joann Rutherford, who had a 61.8 percent winning percentage in 23 seasons (1975-98, 423-261). Pingeton is just 1 of 16 Power 5 active coaches and 1 of 31 active D-I head coaches to win 500 or more career games.
- As a program, Mizzou captured its 800th win against Oral Roberts (Dec. 19) becoming the 74th program to reach the 800-win mark in NCAA history. In 47 seasons, Mizzou owns a mark of 801-589 (.557) all-time.
DAY IN THE MIDDLE
- A much needed presence in the middle of the paint, redshirt junior forward LaDazhia Williams has become a go-to offensive option through her first five games in the Black & Gold. She has scored in double figures in six of Mizzou’s seven games, including a career-best mark of 18 points in her Mizzou debut against North Alabama (Nov. 27). Her four-game stretch between Nov. 27 and Dec. 19 marked the first time in her career she has scored in double figures in four consecutive games.
- She has been highly efficient in her offensive output as well, as she is shooting 57.4 percent (35-of-61) thorough Mizzou’s first seven games. That mark is good enough to rank third in the SEC and 39th nationally.
NOTES FROM LAST TIME OUT
- Against Arkansas (1/3), Mizzou shot 52.5 percent (32-of-61) from the field in the game, marking the fifth time in seven games the Tigers have shot 50 percent or better from the field. Mizzou continues to lead the SEC in field goal percentage, checking in at 51.8 percent (212-of-419) for the season.
- The Tigers sank 85.0 percent of its shots from the free throw line (17-of-20), marking the fourth time this season Mizzou has been successful on 75 percent or more of its shots from the charity stripe.
- Mizzou outrebounded the Razorbacks, 42-32, the sixth time in seven games this season Mizzou has outrebounded its opponent.
- With 20 points and 14 rebounds, sophomore guard Aijha Blackwell recorded her second straight double-double, her fourth of the season and the 11th of her career. Her 14 rebounds matched a career-high, a mark she has now reached three times with the most recent occasion happening against Vanderbilt on Feb. 20, 2020.
- Blackwell reached 20 points for the second time this season and the 10th time in her career.
- Redshirt junior guard Haley Troup played her best game of the season, as she scored 15 points on a career-best 6-of-8 shooting from the field. She also made a season-best three shots from the three-point line.
- Redshirt junior forward LaDazhia Williams scored in double figures for the sixth time in seven games this season with 14 points.
- The Tiger junior also set career-highs in free throws made (eight) and free throws attempted (10) in the game.
- Sophomore forward Hayley Frank scored 14 points and grabbed five rebounds in the game, marking her 26th career game in double figures, sixth this season, and the 17th time in her career she has grabbed five rebounds (fifth this season).
- Redshirt senior guard Shug Dickson scored 13 points to mark fourth game this season and 30th career game in double figures. Dickson also dished out a team-high three assists.
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