COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri women’s basketball (15-5, 4-3 SEC) defeated defending SEC champs Texas A&M (11-8, 1-6 SEC) with a score of 78-69 Sunday evening. The Tigers advance to 8-7 all-time against the Aggies at home.
Mizzou took a quick 11-4 lead over the Aggies, but the visitors would respond as they finished the first quarter ahead of the Tigers 19-16. Texas A&M went on a 13-0 run between the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second to take a 27-16 lead. The Tigers then went on a 12-0 run of their own prompted by a pair of layups and two 3-pointers from junior forward Hayley Frank to take a 28-27 lead.
Trailing 31-29 at the half, the Tigers nearly matched their entire first half total by putting up 28 points in the third quarter alone. Mizzou took a commanding lead in the middle of the fourth quarter with a handful of 3-pointers that put the Aggies out of reach for the remainder of the game.
Frank shot .500 both inside and out of the arc, leading the Tigers in scoring with 28 points and seven 3-pointers. Junior guard Lauren Hansen contributed 14 points and four 3-pointers of her own and junior guard Aijha Blackwell recorded her 15th double double of the season posting 10 points and 15 rebounds.
TURNING POINT
In the fourth quarter, the Tigers put up a 9-0 run over the Aggies with five minutes left in the game, taking the lead 68-60 on three 3-pointers. The Aggies would go on to score nine more points but would never get within five points of Mizzou again.
NOTES
Hayley Frank scored 20+ points for the sixth time this season and finished in double figures for the 11th-consecutive game.
Frank hit a career-high seven 3-pointers while finishing just a point shy of her career high.
Aijha Blackwell picked up her ninth-straight double double and her 15th of the season.
Lauren Hansen scored 14 points for her 10th double-digit scoring effort of the season.
The Tigers hit 16 three pointers, their most in a game since November 25, 2018 against Duke.
Missouri snapped a two-game losing streak against Texas A&M and the Tigers are 11-20 against the Aggies all-time.
UP NEXT
Mizzou will travel to Starkville to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs on the road this Thursday, Jan. 27, at 5:30 p.m. CT.
