Columbia, Missouri – The Missouri Tigers women’s basketball team suffered a decisive 71-58 loss to the Auburn Tigers on at Mizzou Arena, marking their third consecutive defeat. The loss drops Missouri to a record of 16-12 overall and 4-9 in Southeastern Conference play, while Auburn improves to 14-13 overall and 3-10 in conference competition.
The game was defined by Missouri’s struggles with ball control, committing a season-high 30 turnovers. This defensive pressure from Auburn disrupted Missouri’s offensive flow and ultimately proved insurmountable. “I was really disappointed in our lack of execution,” said head coach Kellie Harper. “I thought there were numerous times we had our calls on and we weren’t executing like we needed to.”
The first quarter set the tone for the evening, with Missouri turning the ball over 12 times. This early deficit in possession proved difficult to overcome. Auburn capitalized on these errors, forcing 17 total steals throughout the game. Junior guard Shannon Dowell, plagued by turnovers, played a limited 24 minutes.
Despite a strong individual performance from junior guard Grace Slaughter, who led the team with 19 points, she also contributed five turnovers. Auburn’s defensive strategy effectively disrupted Missouri’s typically fast-paced offense.
Auburn’s defensive intensity was spearheaded by redshirt junior guard Kaitlyn Duhon, who tallied a team-high 19 points on 6-for-15 shooting. Duhon, recognized as a disruptive force on defense, averaged over three steals per game and made an immediate impact, disrupting Missouri’s ball-handlers in transition.
“We absolutely have to give Auburn credit,” Harper acknowledged. “That’s what they do and that’s how they play. We can be better, we need to be better, we just weren’t today.”
Beyond turnovers, Missouri also struggled with rebounding, allowing 14 offensive rebounds while securing only two of their own. This disparity in second-chance opportunities further hampered their efforts to regain control of the game.
Harper emphasized the need for greater discipline in boxing out, stating, “We have to be the more disciplined team when we’re trying to box out. And even that, there will be times that we will do it right and still not get the ball. We know that, so we have to limit those.”
A bright spot for Missouri was the return of senior forward Jordana Reisma, who had been sidelined for three games with a lower-body injury. Reisma contributed 10 points, seven rebounds, and three assists in her first game back, providing a much-needed boost to the team. Harper praised Reisma’s performance, noting that she had only participated in half a practice before the game.
“Only reason she didn’t have better stats is because we couldn’t get the ball down the floor and get it to her,” Harper said. “She played tremendous, and she practiced half a day, not even a full practice. I’m just really proud of her.”
While Missouri shot a respectable 57.1% from the field and 35.3% from three-point range, their limited number of shot attempts – 35 field goals compared to Auburn’s 69 – proved detrimental. The high turnover rate significantly reduced their offensive opportunities.
“To pick up a stat sheet and say you shoot 57% from the field, you typically feel pretty good about that,” Harper said. “Those turnovers were a huge problem.”
Missouri now faces a challenging stretch of games, traveling to face No. 7 Louisiana State on and No. 3 South Carolina on . These upcoming contests will test the team’s resilience and ability to overcome their recent struggles.
