UGA’s Trinity Turner spoiled a solid outing from the Tigers, whose SEC losing streak extends to 15 games.
Mizzou women’s basketball had it.
The Tigers had not just a win, but one that would do a lot for both the past and the future. A win would snap a 14-game losing streak to SEC opponent; it would also remedy the stink from the shellackings they took against Alabama and South Carolina, and it would provide MU some momentum going forward.
Then, in a few blinks of an eye, victory perished from the visitor’s side.
With Georgia down by one with under 10 seconds left in regulation, UGA’s Trinity Turner forced a tie-up with Ashton Judd; the possession arrow favored Mizzou. However, Judd turned the ball over; moments later, Turner’s three-pointer from the left wing sunk through the rim as well as the hearts of Mizzou. The triple gave the Bulldogs a 74-
72 victory, extending MU’s losing streak to 15 against SEC opponents.
The game’s first pivotal sequence came in the second quarter. With the Bulldogs leading 31-23 after a couple of minutes has passed in the second frame, an invisible lid appeared on Georgia’s basket, while Mizzou’s seemed to grow larger.
When the halftime buzzer rang, it was likely the only thing that could’ve stopped the Tigers. Mizzou ended the first half on a torrid 20-2 run; it converted 10 of its last 14 field goals, while the Bulldogs missed 14 of their last 15 shots from the field. MU led 43-33 at the half, marking the first time it led an SEC opponent by double-digits since that prior contest against Georgia. Mizzou went on to lead by as much as 14 points.
Late in the fourth quarter, however, the Bulldogs barked back, cutting Mizzou’s lead all the way to one with under two minutes remaining. A pair of layups by Angelique Ngalakulondi and a pair of free throws from Grace Slaughter put the Tigers up by four with 17 seconds left.
On the scoring front, Judd led the way with 22 points, her ninth double-digit scoring performance in her last 10 appearances. It also tied her season-high in points; she dropped 22 points against Wichita State back on Nov. 26. Laniah Randle also chipped in 12 points, as she got hot from the short corner. She also grabbed 10 rebounds to record her fourth double-double the season to go along with two steals as well. Ngalakulondi also had a strong outing, recording her second double-double in a Mizzou uniform with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Although Nyah Wilson struggled shooting once against (2/9 from the field), the senior guard made her presence felt in other facets of the game. She set a new career-high with seven assists while turning the ball over just once; she also tied a career-high with four steals.
MU also bucked another negative trend that’d plagued them as of late; over its past three losses (Oral Roberts, Alabama, South Carolina), Mizzou shot a combined 11/44 from three-point range; against Georgia, MU shot a much more respectable 8/16 from beyond the arc.
Overall, this was a gutting defeat for Robin Pingeton’s crew. Georgia is likely one of the easier teams that the Tigers have on their schedule the rest of the way; the fashion in which they fell in Athens only adds to the sting. Mizzou will head back home for its next game, a clash with Florida that’s slated for 2 p.m. CST.
