COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri women’s basketball team continued its perfect start to the season, trouncing Bradley, 83-38, on Thursday night at Mizzou Arena in its home opener. Led by guard Lauren Hansen (Long Island, N.Y), the Tigers took control early, outpacing the Braves 19-6 in the first period of play.
Hansen set the tone throughout the game, shooting a reliable 54% from the floor and finishing the day with 17 points. Graduate center Jayla Kelly (Chesterfield, Mo.) dominated from start to finish in the paint, adding 13 points of her own. Freshman guard Ashton Judd (West Plains, Mo.) was the third Tiger to hit double-digit points in the contest and finished her night off with 12 while adding four rebounds. Junior point guard Mama Dembele (Manlleu, Spain) dominated her role as floor general, racking up six assists, six rebounds, and three steals.
The Tigers used relentless defense throughout the game to limit Bradley’s ability to score effectively, as the Braves shot just 30.4% from the floor. Mizzou also forced 24 turnovers as Bradley mustered an assist/turnover ratio of just 0.25. The Braves finished the game with nearly double as many turnovers (24) as they had field goals (14). The Tigers hadn’t forced that many turnovers since UMKC also conceded 24 turnovers against Mizzou on December 8, 2019.
TURNING POINT
Already with a 20-point advantage coming out of halftime, the Tigers pressed hard to start the third quarter. Mizzou allowed just one bucket before scoring an unprecedented 22-straight points over the span of 7:38, shooting 10-for-11 during the run. By the time Bradley scored again, it was 62-22, and the game was far out of reach.
TOP TIGERS
- Lauren Hansen opened the scoring with a 3-point shot and went on to score 17 points in a game that saw her score her 500th career point.
- Jayla Kelly had double-digit points by halftime, finishing the day with a career-high 13 points.
- Mama Dembele grabbed six rebounds, one short of a career-high.
- Freshman Ashton Judd made an impact in the scoring margin, tallying a career-high 12 points while adding four rebounds.
GAME NOTES
- Mizzou extends its all-time record against Bradley to 10-3. This was the first meeting between the two programs since 2014.
- Bradley head coach Kate Popovec-Gross made her debut on the Braves’ sideline.
- Missouri controlled a first quarter that included an 11-0 run in which Bradley was held scoreless for 6:33.
- Seven different Tigers found the bottom of the net in the first half.
- Mizzou came out strong in the second half, outscoring Bradley 29-11 in the third quarter, including scoring 22 straight.
- The Tigers dominated the glass and outrebounded the Braves 40-25.
- Missouri also shared the ball at an impressive rate, assisting on 22 of 32 baskets, compared to Bradley’s six assists.
- 10 different Tigers scored tonight, the most since February 10, 2022 against Tennessee.
- 38 points is the least Mizzou has allowed since December 2, 2021, when SIU Edwardsville scored 46. The Tigers’ 45-point victory is the largest since December 16, 2020, against New Orleans when the Tigers won by 39 points.
UP NEXT
Missouri’s next task is this Sunday, Nov. 13 against SEMO in Mizzou Arena. The game is scheduled to tip off at 1 p.m. and will be broadcast on SECN+.
For all the latest information on Mizzou Women’s Basketball, please visit MUTigers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Tigers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
