Lauren Aldridge debuts as No. 16 Mizzou tops SBU in exhibition

(Missouri Sports Information)

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball defeated Southwest Baptist, 77-55, in an exhibition matchup to begin the 2017-18 season on Thursday night at Mizzou Arena. Mizzou used a balanced offensive attack to dominate the ballgame as the Tigers shot 50 percent from the field and 12 different Tigers found the scoring column. Mizzou maintained a strong presence inside all evening as senior forwards Jordan Frericks (Quincy Ill.) and Kayla Michael Cincinnati, Oh.), and junior forward Cierra Porter (Columbia, Mo.) dominated the glass and shot efficiently from the paint. The trio combined for 32 points and grabbed 29 boards.

Turning Point

Frericks and Michael sparked a Mizzou offensive surge in the closing minutes of the first quarter. Frericks set up Michael on a back door cut and Michael’s layup gave the Tigers a three-point lead with four minutes left in the quarter. The possession led to fluidity in the Mizzou offense and the Tigers ended the frame on a 10-2 run and held a 24-13 lead. Mizzou translated the momentum to the defensive side to start the second quarter as the Tigers forced six turnovers in the period’s first five minutes and built a 33-16 lead.

Top Tigers

Senior Kayla Michael’s 13 rebounds were her most in a single game since she pulled in 11 in a matchup against California on November 23, 2014.
Junior Cierra Porter recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Porter had a team-best 12 double-doubles last season.
In her first action since the 2015-16 season, senior Jordan Frericks led all scorers with 13 points on six-of-eight shooting from the field. She also hauled in six rebounds.
Newcomer Lauren Alpoured in nine points, all coming on threes. Aldridge was three-for-four from behind the arc and also grabbed a pair of rebounds. The transfer shot 36 percent from long distance for Kansas during the 2015-16 season.

Potent Quotables

Mizzou Head Coach Robin Pingeton: “I’m encouraged, we had a lot of different lineups out there. Everybody got pretty solid minutes. We shot the ball real well and rebounded the ball real well.”
Pingeton: “This is a group that’s really hungry. They don’t mind working hard and they’re fun to coach. I’m really looking forward to the upcoming season. This was good to lace them up and play against somebody else.”
Redshirt senior Jordan Frericks: “I’m just so excited to be able to play with those girls. I just think they’re great to be with and we have great chemistry and Hannah (Schuchts) too. Just being able to work together and have two big people on the court gives us a good inside presence.”
Redshirt junior Lauren Aldridge: “It was very exciting. It was a long wait. (Jordan) and I sat over on the bench together many times last year and we could not wait. It’s great to be back out there. I love representing this university. It was a good night.”

Notes

Mizzou’s 24-point first quarter matched a 24-point frame against Truman State in an exhibition game last season.
Mizzou’s 47 points in the first half were its most in an exhibition game since the second half of an exhibition matchup with Quincy University on November 9, 2015.
Sophomore guard Jordan Roundtree matched a career-high in points with six. She scored six in against Mississippi State on February 5, 2017.
Mizzou held the Bearcats to a 33 percent shooting clip from the field. The shooting percentage was the lowest the Tigers have allowed since a matchup with Aurburn last season on January 26, 2017.