After losing five of the previous six conference matchups, things didn’t get any easier for Mizzou Women’s Basketball Thursday. The Tigers’ recent struggles continued in a 55-48 loss against the No. 14 ranked Texas A&M Aggies.
In the opening ten minutes, Texas A&M displayed their offensive potential with a 14-8 run. The Aggies benefited from strong play by guards Courtney Walker and Chelsea Jennings, who combined for over 70% of A&M’s first half points.
Mizzou’s offense countered this early deficit with seven unanswered points, providing the Tigers with their only lead of the game. Maddie Stock captivated the Tigers’ early charge, leading the team with eight first-half points.
Shooting execution was a problem for both sides, as neither team made more 39% of their field goals in the opening 20 minutes. These issues didn’t stop the Aggies from regaining the lead, who used a 14-6 run to propel them to a comfortable 28-21 lead into halftime.
Mizzou’s defense posed a large concern in the second half. The Tigers collected 14 fouls and turned the ball over 21 times in the game, giving the Aggies several opportunities to capitalize.
A&M’s offense was able to take advantage of such opportunities. Walker lead all players with 17 points in the game and the Aggies’ non-starters contributed to the scoring rush with 15 points collectively.
However, Mizzou’s offense was far from finished. The Tigers never fell more than 10 points behind and converted on all five of their free throw opportunities. Morgan Eye collected 11 points and delivered three 3-pointers against the Aggies, helping Mizzou stick to an efficient offensive attack.
Jordan Frericks chipped in another strong game, collecting her eighth double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds. While many individuals stepped up in the comeback effort, the team’s winning chances never grew closer than a three-point deficit with over five minutes remaining.
The Tigers falls to 12-11 overall and 2-8 in conference play after dropping their fourth contest at home. The team’s next home game will be this Sunday at 2 p.m. against the Auburn Tigers.