Missouri women finish off regular season with win

COLUMBIA - The Missouri women's basketball team finished off its regular season on the right foot Sunday, defeating Arkansas 57-41 at Mizzou Arena.

The Tigers will be the No. 7 seed in the upcoming Southeastern Conference Tournament. The win was Missouri's fourth straight and fifth in six games.

Missouri jumped out to an 8-2 lead thanks to three field goals from Jordan Frericks. The Razorbacks pulled within one point after Kelsey Brooks hit a 3-pointer and a free throw, but Missouri went on a 7-0 run propelled by two Sierra Michaelis treys.

The teams hit just two field goals the remainder of the half, both of which game on Missouri's end, and the Tigers went into the locker room up 24-11. Missouri forced seven turnovers in the first half and held Arkansas to a shooting percentage of 13.6.

The Razorbacks began the second half by ending their drought of 12:42 without a field goal when Jessica Jackson hit a 3-pointer. Arkansas cut the lead to eight thanks to a 7-2 run, but Missouri's Lindsey Cunningham hit a layup and the Razorbacks would not cut the deficit to single digits the remainder of the game.

The Tigers went on a 10-0 run - all on free throws - late in the game to stretch their lead to 24 points before Arkansas ended the game on an 8-0 run.

Missouri held Arkansas to 27.3-percent shooting overall, and the Razorbacks missed 10 of their 17 free-throw attempts.

Michaelis led Missouri with 15 points, and Frericks, who fouled out, scored 10.

Jackson led all scorers with 19 points and her teammate Jhasmin Bowen scored 11. Both players recorded double-doubles with 11 and 10 rebounds, respectively.

The Tigers had 10 points off turnovers to the Razorbacks' zero, and led 13-9 in bench points. Missouri hit all but three of its 16 free-throw attempts, and led Arkansas in rebounds, assists, blocks, steals and points in the paint.

Missouri (17-12, 7-9 SEC) will face 10th-seeded Georgia on Thursday in the second round of the SEC Tournament.

Arkansas finishes the regular season 16-12 overall and 6-10 in conference play. The Razorbacks are the eighth seed in the tournament and will take on eighth-seeded Mississippi on Thursday.