Women’s Basketball Defeats Tennessee Tech to Open Daytona Beach Classic

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – University of Missouri Women’s Basketball defeated Tennessee Tech, 66-65, in the opening game of the Daytona Beach Classic on Friday night at the Ocean Center.

Grace Slaughter scored 11 points in the third quarter and finished with 18 on the night to lead Missouri (5-1, 0-0 SEC) in the scoring column. Slaughter has scored in double-figures in five of the first six games to open her collegiate career.

Mama Dembele contributed a season-high 16 points, dished five assists and collected two steals to round out her stat line. The Tigers point guard has totalted five or more assists in all but one contest this year.

Senior forward Hayley Frank added 10 points behind a 2-of-3 performance from beyond the arc.

The Tigers raced out to a 14-6 advantage following the opening tip. Dembele scored five to lead the early charge. Tennessee Tech (0-4, 0-0 OVC) responded with a run of its own and buried a half-court heave at the buzzer to cut Mizzou’s lead to one following the first.

The two teams traded baskets deep into the second frame. Dembele converted an and-one layup in the lane with just over five minutes left in the quarter to extend Missouri’s advantage to six. Utilizing second-chance opportunities down the stretch, The Golden Eagles were able to take a one-point advantage into the break.

Slaughter paced the Tigers scoring the first seven points in the third. Missouri notched a six-point lead at the halfway mark, but a late burst by Tennessee Tech saw the Tigers trail 47-46 at the close. Missouri scored 10 points in the paint in the quarter.

With nearly two minutes elapsed in the fourth, The Golden Eagles took an eight-point advantage, their greatest of the game. A pair of triples by Slaughter and Frank brought the Tigers back in front with three and a half minutes remaining.

Trailing by four with just over a minute left, graduate forward Abby Feit connected on a corner triple and freshman forward Hannah Linthicum sunk two free throws at the line to lead the Tigers to the final tally.

Mizzou ramped up its defensive pressure in the final stretch as it held The Golden Eagles scoreless for the final two minutes.

UP NEXT

Missouri will be back in action at 4:45 p.m. CT tomorrow in the Ocean Center to conclude the Daytona Beach Classic against Kent State. The contest will be streamed live on FloHoops.

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