WHEN: Friday, Dec. 8, 2017 • 7 p.m. CST
WHERE: Mizzou Arena • Columbia, Missouri
RECORDS: SLU 4-6; Missouri 7-1
SLU-MISSOURI SERIES: Missouri leads 20-1
SLU-MISSOURI LAST MEETING: at SLU 72, Missouri 61 (12/21/16) RECAP
BILLIKENS’ LAST GAME: at Washington State 85, SLU 63 (Dec. 4) RECAP
TIGERS’ LAST GAME: at Missouri 81, New Orleans 45 (Dec. 2) RECAP
UP NEXT FOR THE BILLIKENS: Lipscomb • Sunday, Dec. 17 • 2 p.m. CST • Chaifetz Arena
GAME NOTES: Saint Louis
GAME NOTES: Missouri
LIVE VIDEO: SEC Network+ / WatchESPN
LIVE STATS: StatBroadcast
A LOOK AT THE BILLIKENS
• Intrastate rivals go head-to-head for a sixth time in the past seven years as Saint Louis travels to Columbia to take on 17th-ranked Missouri Friday, Dec. 8.
• The Billikens are coming off an 85-63 defeat at Washington State Monday night. The Tigers claimed a seventh straight victory last Saturday, topping New Orleans 81-45.
• A 34-8 fourth quarter powered Saint Louis to a 72-61 win over Mizzou a year ago at Chaifetz Arena. The victory was the Billikens’ first against an SEC opponent; they recorded a second earlier this season, beating Ole Miss 79-64.
• Jackie Kemph leads SLU in scoring (14.8 ppg), assists (7.0 apg), assist-turnover ratio (2.12), free throw percentage (.796), free throws made (43), free throw attempts (54) and minutes (38.1 mpg). Kemph has scored in double figures in all but one game this year and has made 16 of her last 18 free throws.
• A two-time A-10 Player of the Year, Kemph owns SLU’s career assists record (731). She is No. 2 in free throws made (375, needs 32 for the record) and No. 3 in points (1,528, needs 58 for the record) on the Bills’ career lists. Kemph has started every game of her collegiate career.
• Aaliyah Covington has risen to No. 2 on the Billikens’ scoring chart with 9.6 points per game. Covington has at least one 3-point field goal in each of the last seven games.
• Maddison Gits averages 9.4 points and is SLU’s rebounding leader (9.1 rpg). Gits, who is connecting at a 51.3-percent clip from the field, has shot at least 50 percent in six games and has been one basket shy of the 50-percent mark four times. She also leads the team with 11 blocks.
• Jenny Vliet has collected 49 rebounds (17 offensive) over the last five games, the best five-game stretch of her career. Vliet leads SLU in offensive rebounding (2.7 orpg), is second in overall rebounding (7.7 rpg) and averages 9.0 points. She is tied for the team lead in 3-pointers (15) and steals (12).
• Jordyn Frantz carries a 7.8 scoring average and leads the Billikens in 3-point field goal percentage (.357). Frantz is tied for the team lead in 3-pointers (15) and steals (12) and has a 2.08 assist-turnover ratio.
• Paige Rakers registered double-digit point totals off the bench in two of her last three games, scoring a career-high 14 points at Washington State and 10 vs. Vanderbilt. Rakers is 6-of-13 (.462) from 3-point range over the last four games.
• Sixth-year head coach Lisa Stone takes a 94-76 record at Saint Louis into the Missouri game. Now in her 32nd season overall as a collegiate head coach, Stone owns a 597-313 career mark.
A LOOK AT THE TIGERS
• Missouri, ranked No. 17 in the nation in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls, brings a seven-game winning streak into Friday’s game.
• The Tigers returned two starters and seven additional letter winners from their 2016-17 team that finished 22-11 and tied for third (11-5) in the SEC. Missouri reached the NCAA Championship second round.
• Junior guard Sophie Cunningham, a 2017 first-team All-SEC pick, leads Missouri in scoring (15.8 ppg), field goal percentage (.560) and 3-point field goal percentage (.464). Cunningham’s shooting accuracy has led the Tigers to 14th in the nation in field goal percentage (.481).
• Redshirt-senior forward Jordan Frericks, who missed last season due to injury, averages 14.1 points and 7.4 rebounds.
• Junior forward Cierra Porter tops the Tigers’ rebounding chart with 9.8 boards per game, leading the team to a +6.8 average margin on the glass. Porter averages 11.4 points.
• Redshirt-junior guard Lauren Aldridge leads Mizzou with 4.3 assists per game and a 3.40 assist-turnover ratio.
• Sophomore guard Amber Smith, the 2017 SEC co-Freshman of the Year, chips in 8.6 points per game.
• Missouri head coach Robin Pingeton was selected SEC Coach of the Year last season.
