No. 25 Mizzou women ride Cunningham early, beating Auburn

Sophie Cunningham scored 30 points – 21 in the first half – and No. 25 Missouri blitzed Auburn early and made it hold up in a 74-65 win on Sunday.

Cunningham scored 13 of Missouri’s first 18 points as it built an 18-0 lead. Cunningham made her first four shot attempts with three coming from behind the 3-point arc. Missouri (16-6, 5-3 SEC) didn’t score until Janiah McKay’s layup with 1:32 before the end of the first. Missouri led 23-2 at the end of one as Auburn shot 1 of 14 from the field. Missouri finished with a 17-5 rebounding advantage at the end of one.

Missouri led 43-23 at halftime and Cunningham was 6 of 9 from distance. Missouri made 11 of its 12 3s before intermission.

Auburn showed some fight late and narrowed the deficit to 69-61 on Daisa Alexander’s 3 with 89 seconds left capping a 14-3 run that started with Alexander’s 3 four minutes prior.

McKay led Auburn (15-5, 3-4) with 23 points.