GREENVILLE, S.C. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball (9-11, 5-9 SEC) fell to Alabama (16-8, 8-8 SEC), 82-74, in the second round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Thursday evening in Greenville, S.C. After falling behind by as much as 13 in the first quarter, Mizzou fought its way back to take the lead in the third quarter, but the Crimson Tide outscored the Tigers 25-17 in the final 10 minutes to take the game.
Sophomore guard Aijha Blackwell (Berkeley, Mo.) played one of the best games of her career, as she scored 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field while grabbing a game-high 12 points. With the 28-point, 12-rebound performance, Blackwell recorded her 13th double-double of the season and the 20th of her career.
Turning Point
The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth battle as the Tigers and Crimson Tide were all knotted at 71-71 with 5:14 left in the game. That’s when Alabama gained momentum, as the Crimson Tide went on a 7-0 run to grab a 78-71 lead with 2:28 remaining. Mizzou was unable to get any closer than four for the rest of the game.
Top Tigers
- Blackwell paced the Tigers with her 28 points while shooing 10-of-17 from the field, 4-of-6 from three and 4-of-5 from the free throw line.
- Redshirt senior Shug Dickson (St. Louis, Mo.) scored 12 points and dished out a career-high eight assists in the game.
- Redshirt senior forward Shannon Dufficy (Melbourne, Australia) scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds in the game.
Notes
- As a team, Mizzou shot 46.7 percent (14-of-30) from three, the fifth consecutive and 10th time Mizzou shot 40 percent or better from deep this season.
- Mizzou outrebounded the Crimson Tide on the board, 36-30 (+6), the 12th time this season they have outrebounded its opponent.
- Blackwell led Mizzou in scoring for the sixth time this season with her career-high 28 points, her fourth 20-point game of the season and the 12th of her career.
- Her 28 points is the most points by a Tiger in an SEC Tournament game since Sophie Cunningham had 33 points against Mississippi State on March 9, 2019.
- Blackwell also posted career-highs in field goals made (10) and three-point field goals made (four).
- Her 12 rebounds marked the 14th time this season and the 21st time in her career she’s recorded 10 or more rebounds.
- Blackwell’s 28-point, 12-rebound performance marked her 13th double-double of the season, the most by a Tiger since Christelle N’Garsanet had 13 in the 2005-06 season.
- Dickson scored 12 points, the 12th time this season and 38th time in her career she’s scored in double figures.
- The Tiger senior dished out a career-best eight assists, surpassing her previous high of seven which she set twice, most recently against Arkansas on Feb. 4.
- Dufficy matched a season-high with eight rebounds.
- Sophomore forward Hayley Frank (Strafford, Mo.) set a new career-high with five assists in the game.
Up Next
Mizzou now wait to learn its postseason fate as the NCAA and WNIT Tournament fields will be announced on Monday, March 15.
For all the latest on Mizzou Women’s Basketball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team @MizzouWBB (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).
