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Mizzou Women's Basketball Earns First Postseason Win Since 2023
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- Mizzou Women's Basketball Earns First Postseason Win Since 2023
MU Athletics
For the first time since defeating Illinois State in Round One of the National Invitational in 2023, the Missouri women's basketball team has etched its name in the win column of a postseason tournament. This time around, the Tigers celebrated their first-ever appearance in the Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament with a victory.
Junior Grace Slaughter seemed determined to lead her team to the win. Despite earning individual accolades throughout her three-year stint in Columbia, she had an empty catalog of postseason success to add to her resume. The All-SEC forward made sure to change that fact as she powered No. 4 Missouri past Seton Hall, 67-57.
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The Missouri standout opened the tournament with a double-double performance, leading the Tigers with 22 points while adding 10 rebounds. She formed a strong scoring duo with senior Jordana Resima, who extends her collegiate career at least one more game on the heels of the victory.
Resima poured in 17 points, including 11 in the second half, in which she was a perfect 5-5 clip from the floor, while co-captaining Missouri's comeback charge.
The Tigers struggled in the early going, having trouble finding a rhythm on offense. The matchup spiraled into a gritty, defensive-oriented affair. However, the Pirates claimed the edge in the early going. Seton Hall closed the opening quarter with a narrow 17-13 lead.
Seton Hall maintained the lead through the second period despite Missouri threatening to take over. The Pirates entered the half leading by just two points. They managed to erase the Tigers' signature three-point shooting efficiency and held Missouri to 2-11 shooting from long range.
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Throughout the season, Missouri has had the habit of letting a single sluggish quarter dictate the outcome of the game. That nearly became a reality once again. Seton Hall sparked an 8-0 run and stretching its lead to as much as seven points. It was the three-point shot that salvaged the Tigers' game. They sank three of four attempts from beyond the arc to help claw back and tie the score at 52 points as the game entered the final frame.
A collective two-way effort from the entire Missouri squad propelled the team ahead as the game drew to a close. The Tigers outscored the Pirates 15-5 in the fourth quarter.
Fierce defensive efforts from the likes of junior Shannon Dowell and sophomore Shannon Dowell ultimately proved to be the difference maker. The scrappy duo was key contributors across the board, doing much of the dirty work and sharing playmaking duties.
Dowell totaled 9 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals while Sotell added 7 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals.
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Missouri is guaranteed at least one more game. The Tigers will match up with the winner of No. 1 BYU and Alabama A&M on Sunday.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/missouri as Mizzou Women's Basketball Earns First Postseason Win Since 2023 .
