USD women take down another AP-top 25 opponent in Missouri

USD Women’s basketball team finished Saturday’s road tilt against No. 22 Missouri Tigers (8-3) with an 11-0 run to hold on for their second win over an AP top 25 opponent this season. The Coyotes (9-1) won their first-ever game over a Top 25 team last month when then No. 23 Iowa State made the trip to Vermillion.

Missouri jumped out to an early 8-2 lead, and after three straight 3-pointers, built an 17-7 lead. The Coyotes finished the first quarter on a 5-0 run to make it 17-12. They took the lead back when redshirt-sophomore Hannah Sjerven made a pair of free throws with 4:18 to go in the half. Junior Madison McKeever drained a 3-pointer with six seconds left giving USD a 32-28 lead going into the intermission.

The Coyotes built a 13-point lead during the third quarter and with one quarter left, lead 56-44. The Tigers didn’t lie down, though. They stormed back and slimmed the Coyote lead to two midway through the fourth quarter. The Coyotes have experienced late-game runs this season against opponents like Wichita State, Iowa State (who outscored USD 27-16 in the fourth quarter on Nov. 28) and Green Bay, but each time have outlasted until the buzzer.

USD withstood another run by another great opponent and held on to beat Missouri 74-61, securing their eighth straight victory.

Junior Ciara Duffy finished the game with a game-high 20 points, including 15 in the second half. Senior Allison Arens added 11 and sophomore Monica Arens 13. Sjerven finished with six points and nine rebounds. The Coyotes won the rebound battle 41-34 and the turnover battle 9-13.

Senior Sophie Cunningham led Missouri with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Redshirt-senior Lauren Aldridge contributed 12 points and Junior Amber Smith 10.

Before the Coyotes start Summit league play, they will play a trio of games in Puerto Rico. First up is a game against Grambling State Wednesday, Dec. 19 at 12:30 p.m. The Coyotes will take on Loyola Marymount the following day and take on the currently undefeated Indiana Dec. 21.