Women’s Basketball Falls to Kentucky

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri women’s basketball team couldn’t pull off a season sweep against Kentucky, dropping a 77-54 contest at Memorial Coliseum on Sunday night.

Senior forward Hayley Frank (Strafford, Mo.) led Missouri’s offense in scoring for a third consecutive game with 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Graduate guard Lauren Hansen (Long Island, N.Y.) tied Frank for the team high with five boards while adding nine points.

Mizzou (14-8, 3-6 SEC) fell in a double-digit hole in the first quarter as Kentucky (10-11, 2-7 SEC) capitalized on 10 Tiger turnovers. The Wildcats converted nearly half of their shots in the period and maintained a strong lead at the end of the frame. Kentucky expanded its lead further, as the team pulled off a 17-2 run between the first and second quarters.

The Tigers battled back as the second quarter progressed with an 8-0 run to cut into the deficit. Mizzou cut the lead to 10 points at one point in the quarter, but Kentucky rebuilt its advantage with a 9-0 run to end its highest-scoring first half of SEC play.

Coming out of the halftime break, the Tigers were on fire from the field, knocking down 7-of-14 shots from the field to total 20 points. Frank carried the load, racking up 12 points in the quarter.

However, the Wildcats matched them shot for shot and kept Mizzou from narrowing the margin. At the end of the third, Kentucky went on another quick run to put the game out of reach.

Mizzou knocked down 38.5 percent of its field goal attempts while converting 100 percent of its free throws on six attempts. The Tigers’ opponents shot 51.8 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from beyond the arc.

GAME NOTES

• Kentucky extends its all-time record against Mizzou to 11-5 — never falling to the Tigers at home. Mizzou is 1-1 against the Wildcats this season.
• Missouri shot 100% from the free-throw line (6-of-6) for the first time this season. The last time the Tigers were perfect from the line was on Dec. 20, 2020 against Southern Illinois.
• The Tigers allowed 77 points — tied for the second-most points allowed this season (Jan. 8 vs. Arkansas, Jan. 12 vs. LSU)
• With a free throw at 7:10 in the second quarter, Frank surpassed Ericka Fields to rank 12th in Missouri’s all-time scoring list (1,404).
• Frank completed her seventh 20-plus-point game of the season with 21 points. She was the only Tiger in double figures.
• Her performance also marked her 16th in double figures this season and the 85th time she’s accomplished that feat in her career..
• Frank (7-for-14) shot 50 percent or better for the 12th time this season.
• Mizzou held Kentucky scoreless for 4:18 in the fourth quarter — its longest defensive stand of the contest.
• Lauren Hansen finished with five rebounds — her second-most in a game season. Hansen tied with Frank in most rebounds for the Tigers.
• Missouri committed 22 turnovers — the third-most in a game this season.

UP NEXT

The Tigers return to Columbia for a two-game homestand starting Thursday against Vanderbilt. First tip from Mizzou Arena is scheduled for 8 p.m., and the contest will be broadcast on SEC Network and KTGR.

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.