Multiple reasons No. 11 Missouri buried Vanderbilt

COLUMBIA, MO — The No. 11 Missouri Tigers came out hot, and the Vanderbilt Commodores just couldn’t seem to get their fire under control tonight as the Tigers picked up their 23rd win of the season (the most since the 1983-84 season) and extended their win streak to six in an 83-68 victory over the Commodores at home tonight.

Strong defense, consistent shooting, unselfish passing and an all-around team effort helped propel Missouri through the finish line with a solid win. Let’s break down the factors that contributed to Missouri’s 15-point victory tonight.

Strong Shooting:

Missouri spent the majority of the game leading in the double-digits against the Commodores, and, while they shot consistently throughout the game, it was their impeccable first-quarter play that set the stage for the rest of the game.

The Tigers shot 73.7% from the field, 70% from beyond the arc and a season high of 35 first quarter points from seven different Tigers gave Missouri the cushion they needed to maintain a comfortable lead for the rest of the game.

Of those 35 first quarter points, 15 came from Lauren Aldridge, who was absolutely on fire from beyond the arc. Additionally, three more Tigers put up double-digit points tonight. Amber Smith led the Tigers with 19 points, followed by Jordan Frericks, whose double-double (16 points and 12 rebounds) helped her become the third Missouri player to achieve both 1,000 career points and rebounds tonight.

Sophie Cunningham followed with 14 points of her own.

Alongside Missouri’s hot shooting, the Tigers dished out 24 assists compared to Vanderbilt who had 13. Frericks led the charge in assists as she dished out a game-high nine while Aldridge finished with six dimes.

Unstoppable Defense:

Missouri’s strength up top was, in-part, a product of their strong defensive efforts. The Tigers out-rebounded the Commodores both offensively and defensively (43-19 total), however, it was their 15-1 offensive rebounds, 18-3 second-chance points and 25 points off of turnovers that were a true difference maker and helped the Tigers knock down 83 points and keep Vanderbilt at arms' length.

Vanderbilt will look to snap their six-game losing streak at home Sunday against Arkansas at 2 p.m. CT, while Missouri will try and end their season with another win against No. 17 Texas A&M at Reed Arena at 3 p.m. CT.