South Carolina led in just about every category.

Every category except fouls.

The Missouri Tigers committed 30 fouls as the fell to the defending champion and No. 2-ranked Gamecocks 83-52 to open SEC play at Mizzou Arena on Thursday

“Obviously (South Carolina coach) Dawn (Staley) has a great squad,” Missouri coach Robin Pingeton said. “They’re very deep, very talented. But I’m proud of our team, I thought we competed.”

South Carolina made 27-of-57 shots to the Tigers’ 18-of-57, the Gamecocks out-rebounded the Tigers 48-27, they had six blocks to the Tigers’ zero, outscored Mizzou in the paint 40-25 and on second-chance points 19-3.

Everything went South Carolina’s way except total steals, which Missouri won 7-5.

The Tigers stayed close early as an Averi Kroenke steal turned into an assist on an Ashton Judd 3 from the top of the key to tie the game at 6 with 7:10 left in the first quarter.

Judd went on to lead the Tigers with 15 points.

“We struggled initially trying to make the right read and whether or not it’s a tight cut, a back cut,” Judd said.

Then Grace Slaughter drove and spun around a defender for a tough layup to give the Tigers their lone lead of the day at 8-6 with 5:56 left in the first.

The Tigers stayed in front for 25 seconds and never led again after a Raven Johnson layup tied the game at 8 to start an 11-0 Gamecock run, which put South Carolina in front 15-8 with 3:09 left before the first break.

Laniah Randle ended a 4:44 stretch without a Tiger bucket when she spun for a falling layup with 1:12 left, then a Kroenke free throw cut the South Carolina lead to 21-13 after one quarter.

Along with the Tigers have foul trouble as a team, the issues were centered around the post where Angelique Ngalakulondi collected two fouls in the first 3:14, then Hannah Linthacum subbed in and collected two fouls in the next 3:37, meaning Pingeton had to send in Tionna Herron in the first quarter, and she quickly had a foul, too.

“We were in foul trouble the majority of the game,” Pingeton said. “Putting a team on the line 32 times is tough.”

Herron subbed out early in the second quarter, leaving the Tigers with a all-guard lineup of Slaughter, De’Myla Brown, Judd, Kroenke and Randle.

That lineup, along with one including Tilda Sjokvist in for Kroenke, promptly went on an 8-0 run as Slaughter hit three layups and Judd added one of her own to cut the Gamecock lead to 25-23.

But the Gamecocks quickly regained control with a 9-0 run of their own before taking a 36-26 lead into halftime.

“They were pretty disruptive,” Pingeton said. “I think they played the 3 a little bit tighter than they had been all season long.”

The Tigers stayed near a 10-point deficit for the first half of the third quarter, but after a Nyah Wilson jumper made it 43-34 with 5:09 left, South Carolina scored 16 of the quarter’s final 19 points to build a 59-37 lead going to the fourth.

“Late in the second quarter, it was a 2-point game, late in the third it was an 11-point game,” Pingeton said. “But the thing about South Carolina, they just need a little window and all of a sudden, an 11-point game becomes a 16-point game and then it turns into a 24-point game.”

The Tigers never got back within 20, as South Carolina kept extending the advantage. The Gamecocks got to a 30-point lead with 6:08 left, then got as far ahead as 34 points at three times in the final minutes.

Mizzou shot 18-of-57 (31.6 percent) from the field, including only shooting 11-of-32 (34.4 percent) on layups, while making just 5-of-16 (31.3 percent) from 3 and 11-of-17 (64.7 percent) at the free-throw line.

“We had some good looks at the rim that we didn’t convert on,” Pingeton said. “If you don’t get that, they turn into transition baskets and we overran some of our tags offensively that put us in a really bad position with our transition defense.”

South Carolina shot 27-of-57 (47.4 percent) from the field, 4-of-15 (26.7 percent) from 3 and 25-of-32 (78.1 percent) at the line.

The Gamecocks’ bench outscored Missouri by itself, adding 57 points to the South Carolina total.

Missouri (11-5) continues SEC play with another ranked opponent as the Tigers face No. 19 Alabama on the road at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Decision day has arrived for Irmo (S.C.) class of 2025 four-star wide receiver and priority South Carolina target Donovan Murph.

The 6-foot-1.5, 190-pound wideout will announce his decision at Thursday’s Under Armour All-America game. The game itself kicks off at 4 p.m. on ESPN2 but Murph’s decision will take place right before kickoff.

South Carolina, Clemson, Colorado, Ole Miss, and Tennessee are his finalists.

“I’ve been to those schools and I’ve been able to build a connection with the coaches and staff there,” Murph told On3’s Chad Simmons. “I’ve been able to see what they’re doing. A lot of the teams are, if not Playoff teams, nine-win teams. I see a future at those schools and they’ve been able to build a relationship with me. I really feel like home at a lot of those places.” 

South Carolina Transfer Portal Resources:

Murph – who holds 35 offers – took an official visit to Columbia for the Gamecocks’ game against Texas A&M on Nov. 2.

“I think just seeing the little things today and yesterday (stood out),” Murph told GamecockCentral after the visit. “We already had like a great relationship with all of the staff, but we just made it closer. But it really like solidified what Columbia is really like. So that was a big win for the team, and I’m just excited to see what they do in the future.”

Murph, who reclassified from 2026 to 2025, has built a strong relationship with receivers coach Mike Furrey.

“The couple of months that he’s been there, what stands out about him is just the type of person he is,” Murph said. “He’s a great coach from a developmental standpoint but he’s a great person as well. He just continues to talk to me about more things that’s not about football. It’s about more, it’s about life, you know, it’s about, how can how can I use football to better myself as a young man.”

Murph is the No. 291 overall prospect and No. 44 wide receiver in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking. He is the No. 7 prospect in South Carolina for his class.

Just a few short years ago, the Missouri Tigers women’s basketball team knocked off No. 1 South Carolina at home.

It was quite the miracle, due to the fact that they only had eight players available heading into the game against a top opponent. They had also never beaten a No. 1 team before.

It took the Tigers past regulation time to get the 70-69 win in 2021, but they did it in the end. The final shot happened with just .1 second left on the clock.

That year, South Carolina served as their first SEC game of the season. This is also the case for the 2024-25 season. Missouri will take on the Gamecocks on Jan. 2 at 6 pm.

The Tigers had a five game win streak to their name earlier in the season, but that was lost when they fell to Oral Roberts on Dec. 18. Missouri is looking to build that streak back up following a 90-51 win against Jackson State.

This game will serve as a true test for Missouri as they kick off SEC play with one of the most talented teams in the country. They currently hold a three-game losing streak against the Gamecocks.

Today’s Schedule

Did you notice?

• Three Missouri Football players officially declared for the NFL draft. Running back Marcus Carroll and defensive end Johnny Walker Jr. took to X to share their respective decisions. Running back Nate Noel shared his news with a post on instagram.

• Defensive end Johnny Walker Jr. ended his Mizzou career with the longest streak in the nation of consecutive games with a sack. He racked up seven in a row to close out his final season as a Tiger.

More from Mizzou On SI:

Wide Receiver, Safety Announce Returns to Mizzou for 2025 Season
Starting Trent Pierce Was an ‘Easy’ Decision for Mizzou’s Dennis Gates
‘You Have to be a Finisher”: Another Comeback Win a Perfect Ending to Mizzou’s Season

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