Starting Five - Storylines for the Missouri Game
1) Missouri State has continued its tradition of strong defensive play. The Lady Bears currently own the 10th-best three-point defense in the nation with a .210 percentage, while also ranking in the top 25 in scoring defense (17th - 51.1), blocks/game (12th - 6.2) and steals per game (25th - 12.0).
2) According to HerHoopStats.com, senior
Jasmine Franklin is currently the only player in NCAA Division I averaging over 15 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks per game in 2021-22. Franklin has recorded a double-double in six of eight games this season, which ranks fourth in the nation. She currently ranks third in the nation with 12.9 rebounds per game and ranks in top 25 in five other categories (blocks, blocks/game, defensive rebounds/game, offensive rebounds/game and total rebounds).
3) Missouri State is 25-1 at home under Coach Mox. Since the start of the 2019-20 season, MSU's 25-1 home record has come by an average score of 76.2-56.8 with a plus-11.7 rebound margin. The Lady Bears are 50-7 in their last 57 home games, beginning Feb. 10, 2017. Since then, MSU has averaged 74.7 points with a plus-17.1 scoring margin and plus-9.6 rebounding margin.
4)
Sydney Wilson has continued to build on the success of her breakout performances in the San Juan Shootout, as she is now the second leading scorer for the Lady Bears with 10.6 ppg. Over the last four games, Wilson leads MSU with 16.0 points per game and 11 total steals. In the four-game stretch, Wilson is a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line and is shooting 50 percent from the field.
5) Missouri State is 79-12 overall since Dec. 20, 2018, ranking seventh nationally in total wins since that date and fifth in win percentage (.868), trailing only Baylor, UConn, FGCU and South Carolina. Five teams ahead of the Lady Bears on the wins list have been ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll over that span.
The Opponent
Missouri has started the 2021-22 season with an 8-1 record, with their lone loss of the season coming their last time out against No. 5/7 Baylor. Three Tigers (Blackwell, Frank and Hansen) average 10+ ppg, with Blackwell leading Missouri with 16.9 ppg. Blackwell also leads the team with an average of 12.6 rebounds per game, while Troup leads the Tigers with 36 assists on the year. Missouri has four Tigers shooting over 40% from behind the arc, of those who have attempted 10+ three-point field goals this season. As a team, Missouri averages 76.8 ppg and is shooting .476 from the field and .385 from long range.
Series History
Missouri State and Missouri are frequent foes, as Friday's matchup will be the 34th game between the two programs. Missouri leads the all-time series, 21-12. However, the Lady Bears have won the last two contests against the Tigers, including a 72-58 victory last season in Columbia. Coach Mox is 2-0 against Missouri since taking over the Lady Bear program.
