Mizzou’s Sophie Cunningham tabbed national player of the week by ESPNW

Missouri sophomore guard Sophie Cunningham was chosen Sunday as the ESPNW national women’s college basketball player of the week after averaging 27 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in a pair of wins last week.

Cunningham, a Columbia Rock Bridge graduate, scored 28 points with four three-pointers and six rebounds Thursday in a 74-67 win at Florida.

She was even better Sunday during a 62-60 upset of then-No. 6 South Carolina at Mizzou Arena.

Cunningham scored 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including the game-winning layup with 0.6 seconds remaining as part of a 20-point second half against the three-time reigning SEC champion Gamecocks.

She added seven rebounds and five assists and has eight 20-point games this season and 18 in her career.

Cunningham ranks fourth in the SEC with 17.2 points per game and is the only conference player shooting at least 45 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line.

Missouri returns to AP poll

Missouri’s victory over South Carolina was enough to propel coach Robin Pingeton’s squad back into the national rankings.

The Tigers (19-9, 9-5 SEC) checked in at No. 24 in Monday’s latest Associated Press top 25 rankings.

The win assured Mizzou, which will play host to Mississippi for Senior Day on Thursday and conclude the regular season Sunday at Alabama, a winning SEC record for the first time in five seasons since leaving the Big 12.

The Tigers were ranked in the first two polls of the season.

South Carolina slipped one spot to No. 7 in the new AP poll, which includes two other SEC teams — third-ranked Mississippi State and No. 22 Kentucky.

This story was originally published February 20, 2017 at 2:17 PM with the headline "Mizzou’s Sophie Cunningham tabbed national player of the week by ESPNW."