Mizzou women’s basketball is off to an 0-2 start to conference play, losing its two games by a combined 40 points. However, this is quite understandable given that it came against No. 2 Texas and No. 6
Kentucky, who are a combined 30-1 so far this season.
It’s no surprise that the SEC is once again unstoppable, with four teams ranked in the top 10 and seven in the top 25. It will be another tough week ahead for Mizzou, as they face No. 7 Vanderbilt on the road (editor’s note: on their weirdo court) before returning home against Alabama. These two teams also have a current combined record of 30-1.
Here’s what you need to know about each of these upcoming matchups and who may hold the key to victory for Mizzou.
Anchoring Down
The road doesn’t get any easier for the Tigers, as they travel on the road against No. 7 Vanderbilt. The Commodores are one of four undefeated teams left in Division 1, coming off a huge win against a top-15 LSU team 65-61.
The two teams faced off once last season in Columbia, with Vandy taking home the 100-59 win on Robin Pingeton’s final Senior Night. But the Tigers won the last matchup in Nashville back in 2024, pulling off the upset 65-63. Mizzou has had plenty of historic success in this matchup, holding a 10-5 overall record against the Commodores.
What makes this team so dangerous is superstar sophomore Mikayla Blakes. Last season, she was the best sophomore in the nation, averaging 23.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.4 steals. This included a 29-point outing while shooting 6-10 from three in her only previous game against Mizzou. She has only improved during her second season, now averaging 25.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.7 steals. Her most impactful outing of the season came when she scored 32 points while adding four assists and three steals in that four-point win against LSU I touched on earlier. Blakes carries Vanderbilt offensively, and it’s up to the Mizzou guards and the coaching staff to find a game plan to shut her down.
Tide Rollin’
The Tigers continue the gauntlet at home, this time against Alabama. While the Tide are not ranked, they still pose a hefty challenge with a 15-1 record and are currently ranked No. 16 in the RPI. The team’s sole loss came against South Carolina 83-57 before bouncing back with a 29-point win over Arkansas.
Alabama has won the last three matchups against Mizzou including a 68-49 win in Tuscaloosa last season. The last time the Tigers won this showdown in Columbia was 2019 (they won back-to-back games on the road in 2022 and 2023). Overall the Tide lead the series 10-8.
The team has done a great job diversifying its offense, with all five usual starters averaging eight-plus points per game. However, Jessica Simmons is leading the way by averaging a team-high 14.9 points along with 4.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Simmons’ return has been huge for Alabama, as she missed all of the 2024-25 season after medically redshirting. Her standout performance came in a 25-point, 12-rebound double-double to defeat an extremely tough Troy team. Simmons and Blakes both have similar play styles, so much of the game planning for their opponents’ top weapon will be quite similar.
Player to Watch: Abbey Schreacke
One of the issues that Mizzou has struggled with to start SEC play (specifically against Kentucky) is struggling on the offensive side of the ball. Through two conference games the Tigers are averaging 61.5 points per game. A large part of this has been due to the fact that 15-point scorer Shannon Dowell has missed both games with a lower body injury. While she is projected to return soon, it’s still important for Mizzou to find other avenues to score the ball.
One player who can help get the offense in rhythm is junior guard Abbey Schreacke. Through two SEC games she has scored 21 points, second amongst all Tigers. This included a 15-point outing where she made three triples against Texas.
In past seasons Schreacke has seen a dip in scoring production in SEC play, finding it difficult to find open looks against better teams. However, through two games it appears that she may be turning a corner and ready to jump into that double-digit scorer role. While Dowell is projected to return to the lineup soon (editor’s note: Pretty please?), Schreacke will likely need to keep up this scoring output to compete with the best teams in the conference.
Schreacke and the rest of the Tigers face off against No. 7 Vanderbilt at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday in Nashville. The game will be available to watch on SEC Network+ through the ESPN app.
