CORAL GABLES, FLA. - Bri Kulas scored 24 points as the Missouri women's basketball team rolled to a 68-45 victory against Hartford in the first game of the University of Miami Thanksgiving Tournament on Friday afternoon.
Freshman Jordan Frericks recorded a career-high 13 points to help lead the Tigers, who were 23-of-57 (40 percent) from the field.
MU (7-0) and Hartford (1-5) traded buckets early, but the Tigers went on a 13-0 run with 8:44 left in the first half and never looked back.
Trailing 35-22 after the first half, Hartford picked up steam and cut its deficit to six with 15:31 left in the game. MU held the Hawks to three points during the next 14 minutes, while outscoring Hartford, 25-8, the rest of the way.
Cherelle Moore scored 11 points to lead the Hawks, who were 18-of-55 (32 percent) from the field and 4-of-21 (19 percent) from behind the arc.
MU faces Miami in the tournament championship game at 2 p.m. today.