COLUMBIA, Mo. – A career-high 22-point outing from Grace Slaughter lifted University of Missouri women’s basketball past Tulane, 60-52, Tuesday evening at Mizzou Arena.
The sophomore guard’s effort led the Tiger offense as she converted 8-of-12 shooting attempts, including 3-of-4 from deep. The Grain Valley, Missouri native has scored 15 or more points in three of the opening four contests.
The Tigers (2-2, 0-0 SEC) claimed its first-ever meeting with the visiting Green Wave (0-2, 0-0 AAC), and improved to 26-6 all-time versus the American Athletic Conference’s current membership.
Graduate forward Angelique Ngalakulondi did a little bit of everything for the Tigers as she aided the offense with 10 points, a season-high nine rebounds and three blocks, and set a career-high with three steals.
Senior forward Laniah Randle rounded out the list of Tigers who reached double-digits in the scoring margin, heralding 12 points to go along with four rebounds, two steals and a season-high two blocks.
Missouri shared the ball effectively early, as six different Tigers converted the team’s first seven baskets, four of which were assisted on. A pair of opening-frame threes from Slaughter and Abbey Schreacke led Mizzou to a 17-13 advantage at the first pause in action.
The Tigers led by as many as eight as they opened the second stanza with a pair of buckets from Slaughter and Randle off of a turnover. Both programs then traded baskets in an efficient manner, as the next seven shooting attempts of the contest were converted. An inefficient end to the first half offensively for the Tigers gave the Green Wave a 37-30 lead heading into intermission.
Second-half dry spells forced by the Mizzou defense ultimately aided a comeback. A stalwart effort throughout the entirety of the third period held Tulane to just six points on 1-of-9 shooting in the period. The Tigers forced the visitors into 10 turnovers without allowing an assist.
To open the third quarter, Mizzou’s defense held the Green Wave without a point in their first eight possessions by way of four steals and a blocked shot. Inversely, Missouri converted on its first four trips down the floor, prompting an 8-0 run to take a one-point lead just minutes into the frame.
After the opposition’s lone bucket off the frame, a pair of converted free throws from Ngalakulondi, which lifted her to a double-digit scoring margin, gave the Tigers another lead which it would sustain heading to the final frame.
A one-point tilt with 10 minutes remaining, baskets were again traded as Tulane took a 50-48 lead with 7:20 remaining. From that point onwards, the Green Wave converted just one additional basket for the remainder of the contest.
Slaughter scored 12 of Missouri’s final 17 points to help claim victory.
Missouri shot 42 percent from the floor to just 37 percent from the visitors. The defense forced 26 turnovers, scoring 24 points off of Green Wave miscues, while allowing just 18 made baskets.
UP NEXT
Missouri will travel for the second time this season to face Western Illinois at 7 p.m. on Friday. The contest is available to be streamed live on ESPN+.
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