Missouri, Vanderbilt set to play for first time in two years

In this Jan. 16, 2020, file photo, Missouri’s Aijha Blackwell drives toward the basket during a game against South Carolina at Mizzou Arena. Blackwell was named the Southeastern Conference’s co-player of the week Tuesday. (Associated Press)
In this Jan. 16, 2020, file photo, Missouri’s Aijha Blackwell drives toward the basket during a game against South Carolina at Mizzou Arena. Blackwell was named the Southeastern Conference’s co-player of the week Tuesday. (Associated Press)

At long last, the Missouri and Vanderbilt women’s basketball teams will finally play each other again.

The Tigers and the Commodores tip off at 7 p.m. today in Nashville, Tenn., marking their first matchup since Feb. 20, 2020, when Missouri won 78-66 on the road.

The two Southeastern Conference teams were scheduled to play last January in Columbia, but that game was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns within the Vanderbilt program. Eleven days later, the Commodores announced they would not play the rest of the 2020-21 season — due to COVID-19, opt-outs and injuries — finishing with a 4-4 record.

This season’s game was originally scheduled for Jan. 2, but it was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns within Missouri’s roster.

Missouri (13-5, 2-3 SEC) is looking to snap a three-game losing streak. The Tigers dropped a 72-62 decision to No. 13 Georgia on Monday at Mizzou Arena.

Aijha Blackwell led Missouri with a double-double of 27 points and 13 rebounds. In addition to leading the Tigers with 17.2 points per game, Blackwell leads all of Division I with 13.1 rebounds per game and is tied with DePaul’s Aneesah Morrow at 13 double-doubles, also tops in the nation.

Blackwell was named the SEC co-player of the week Tuesday, as she also had 26 points and 17 rebounds in last Thursday’s 87-85 road loss at then-No. 12 LSU.

Hayley Frank is next in scoring for Missouri with 15.9 points per game, leading the team with 47 made 3-pointers, while Lauren Hansen is also in double figures with 12.1 points per game.

This season, Missouri is scoring 73.9 points and allowing 65.1 points per game. Vanderbilt is averaging 64.4 points while allowing just 58.5, which ranks 68th in Division I.

Vanderbilt (10-8, 1-3 SEC), which was picked to finish last in the SEC preseason poll, lost 82-64 to LSU on Sunday, extending its losing streak to three games after winning its SEC opener 54-51 against Arkansas.

Brinae Alexander, a 5-foot-10 senior forward, leads the Commodores in scoring with 14.6 points per game. She finished with 15 points on 7-of-18 shooting in the loss to LSU, adding four steals and three rebounds.

Iyana Moore, a 5-8 freshman guard, had a team-high 16 points off the bench, increasing her scoring average to 12.2 points per game. Jordyn Cambridge, a 5-9 senior guard, leads Vanderbilt with 5.8 rebounds per game.

Missouri holds a 7-3 advantage in the all-time series against Vanderbilt.