ATHENS, Ga. – University of Missouri women’s basketball fell to Georgia 74-72 Thursday night at Stegeman Coliseum.
Junior guard Ashton Judd led Missouri (11-7, 0-3 SEC) with 22 points behind four 3-pointers and dished a career-high five assists.
Senior forward Laniah Randle secured a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Graduate forward Angelique Ngalakulondi also notched a double-double with 15 points and 10 boards.
The stat lines marked the first time two Tigers have notched double-doubles since Dec. 6, 2023.
The teams exchanged baskets in the opening minutes as seven points from Judd and a triple from sophomore guard Grace Slaughter saw the Tigers take a 10-8 lead after four minutes.
The lead was exchanged 10 times in the opening frame as Georgia (9-8, 1-2 SEC) claimed a 27-21 advantage.
Ngalakulondi and Randle each totaled four points to aid the Tigers’ early offensive effort.
The Bulldogs pushed the advantage to eight at the beginning of the second frame, but a layup by sophomore forward Hannah Linthcum sparked a 20-2 Missouri response run that spanned over six minutes of action. Five different Tigers scored in the charge led by five points from Judd.
On the defensive end, Missouri held Georgia scoreless for the last five minutes and 40 seconds before the half. The performance on both ends gave the Tigers a 43-33 lead at the break.
Missouri continued to keep the pressure on the Bulldogs defensively to begin the third quarter as Georgia was limited to just six points in the opening six minutes of the frame.
Judd continued to produce offensively for the Tigers with seven of her total coming in the period.
Triples by sophomore guard Abbey Schreacke and Judd in the closing minutes handed Missouri an 11-point lead headed into the fourth.
Judd connected on another 3-pointer, her fourth of the contest, to begin the final frame and pushed the advantage to 14.
Missouri maintained an eight-point lead with just under five minutes remaining, but the Bulldogs closed on a 16-6 run to take the victory.
Missouri converted 50 percent (8-16) of their attempts from deep and led Georgia in the assist column 18 to 15.
UP NEXT
Missouri returns home to face Florida at 2 p.m. on Sunday. The contest will be streamed live on SECN+.
