Women’s Basketball Set for Braggin’ Rights vs. Illinois

Columbia, Mo. The University of Missouri women’s basketball team continues its Braggin’ Rights against Illinois on Sunday at 4 p.m. at Mizzou Arena. The contest will be broadcast live on the SEC Network and KTGR.

The Tigers enter Sunday’s contest with an 11-1 record after beating Jackson State 74-61 last Sunday. With the win, Mizzou currently owns a five-game winning streak and continues its undefeated start at home.

21 points ahead of the senior forward Hayley Frank (Strafford, Mo.), Mizzou never got a road win over the Lady Tigers last time out. Frank shot 8-of-13 from the field and tied his season high with four 3-pointers.

The rest of the lineup also made an impact on the offensive end. Senior Warden Lauren Hansen (Long Island, NY) and freshman guard Ashton Judd (West Plains, Mo.) joined Frank to put up double digits in the scoring column. The Tigers shot a combined 51.9% from the field, marking the fourth contest in which Mizzou has shot 50% or better this season.

Hansen and Judd also had four assists each on defense, becoming the first duo to record more than four assists in a game since Nadia Green and Jordan Chavis in a win over Auburn on February 27, 2020. Mizzou totaled 13 assists against Jackson State. , the Tigers’ highest single-game total since picking up 14 against Southern Illinois on 12/20/2020.

Defense has been Mizzou’s strength outside of conference play as the Tigers allow just 53.0 points per game, good for 18th in the nation and Fifth in the SEC. Mizzou also ranks 21st in field goal defense, with opponents shooting just 34.2% against the Tigers.

In the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll, Mizzou received two votes, the first time the Tigers have received a vote since the rankings were released on January 17, 2022.

Sunday will mark the 16th time the Tigers and Fighting Illini have met. Illinois holds a 6-9 advantage in the series, although Mizzou won the most recent matchup, an 84-65 decision in Champaign on 12/22/2021.

Illinois enters Sunday’s contest with a 9-2 record and a 1-1 mark in Big Ten conference play. The Fighting Illini have won their last two contests, most recently a close contest at Butler on Dec. 11.

Shauna Green is in her first year at the helm after becoming the 10th head coach in Illinois program history on March 21, 2022. Prior to this season, Green served as Dayton’s head coach for six seasons, leading the Flyers to five Atlantic appearances. 10 regular season championships and four NCAA tournament appearances.

The Fighting Illini are the 19th-leading scoring offense in the nation, averaging 80.9 points per game. The offense is led by three players averaging 10+ points per game, with junior guard Makira Cook leading the team with 17.9 points per game, which is eighth best in the Big Ten.

Season tickets for the 2022-23 season are on sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com/Mizzou. For more information, call the Mizzou Athletics ticket office at 1-800-CAT-PAWS.

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