Mizzou Falls To Florida After A Shaky Start In Gainesville

1 jam yang lalu

Missouri (13-8, 1-5 successful SEC) women's basketball's latest roadworthy loss, 89-71 astatine Florida (13-8, 1-5), exemplifies nan trouble of winning connected nan roadworthy successful nan Southeastern Conference.

The Tigers and Gators are successful dire straits, free-falling done nan convention standings. Missouri astir precocious nabbed its first convention triumph nether caput coach Kellie Harper, defeating Arkansas astatine Mizzou Arena connected Thursday. Meanwhile, Florida fumbled its upset bid against No. 7 Kentucky successful Lexington.

Sunday's title proved yet again why nan SEC is nan astir competitory convention successful assemblage basketball. Florida earned its first convention triumph pinch a ascendant effort, backed by its location crowd, and stumped Missouri.

Both sides person evenly matched offenses. Entering Sunday, they each averaged precisely 75 points arsenic a squad each game. The Tigers trust heavy connected nan three-point shot, and their afloat roster is tin of stretching nan floor, while nan Gators' offense, powered by nan nation's No. 6 starring scorer, Liv McGill, stands among nan champion inside-the-arc scoring squads successful nan country.

McGill and nan Gators stuck to their guns successful nan early going, creating shots astir nan rim. Outscoring nan Tigers' full squad successful nan first quarter, McGill posted 13 points successful nan opening framework to thief Florida jump retired to a 26-8 lead. Missouri was stuck playing catch-up for nan remainder of nan game, frantically firing threes successful an effort to spark nan comeback.

The triples weren't falling astatine nan emblematic complaint for nan Tigers, only managing 8 makes connected 25 attempts connected nan afternoon. Grace Slaughter, who led each players pinch 29 points, sank 4 3-pointers connected 7 tries, leaving nan remainder of nan squad shooting a 4-18 clip from down nan arc.

With a comfortable lead successful hand, nan Gators request to forestall immoderate momentum-stealing runs and clasp moreover pinch nan Tigers for nan remainder of nan contest. Florida followed up nan thunderous first 4th complaint by matching nan Tigers' nonstop constituent totals crossed nan last 3 quarters. In nan second, McGill went quiet, scoring zero points, but Me'Arah O'Neal and Laila Reynolds mixed for nan mostly of Florida's 21 points. Slaughter caught occurrence connected nan different end, scoring 12 of Missouri's 21.

Out of nan break, Slaughter and McGill duelled, starring to different evenly matched period, some teams tallying 19 points. Missouri entered nan last frame, facing nan aforesaid 18-point shortage lingering from nan opening minutes of nan game. Misosuri's Shannon Dowell supplied nan Tigers' strongest efforts successful nan waning moments of nan contest, adding 12 points, countered by nan Gators' beardown 4th from agelong range, making 4 3-pointers, which helped unafraid nan triumph and a tally successful nan convention triumph column.

Slaughter outscored McGill, 29 to 28, to lead each players, but McGill showcased her capabilities to make plays for not only herself, but her teammates arsenic well. McGill added 7 assists to her stat line, while Missouri only managed 10 arsenic an full team. She besides posted a game-high 9 rebounds, flirting pinch a triple-double. O'Neal and Reynolds, nan astir predominant recipients of McGill passes, totaled 17 and 14, respectively.

Dowell posted her champion scoring full since returning from wounded 3 games back, posting 23 points, which offers beardown signs for Missouri's one-two punch of Slaughter and Dowell, which dominated non-conference competition.