Sophie Cunningham scores 22 points in final home game at Mizzou as Tigers beat Alabama

Sophie Cunningham’s regular-season career at MU ended similarly to how it began: with a dominant performance in her hometown.

Cunningham scored a game-high 22 points in Missouri’s 82-47 win over Alabama to close out the regular season. The Tigers (21-9, 10-6 SEC) are the No. 5 seed in the SEC Tournament, which starts on Wednesday in Greenville, S.C. MU will play on Thursday, against either Ole Miss or Florida.

Snow on Sunday morning kept Cunningham’s final home game from being a packed house — only 6,527 fans showed up to watch the hometown hero play her final game in an MU uniform.

But Missouri jumped out to a 10-0 lead and led 21-5 at the end of the first quarter in a game that was never in doubt.

With Missouri up over 30 points in the fourth quarter, Tigers coach Robin Pingeton subbed Cunningham out last among her three seniors, including Cierra Porter and Lauren Aldridge. Cunningham broke down as she exited the floor to a standing ovation.

After the game, Cunningham took the microphone and addressed the crowd, thanking them for letting her live out her childhood dream.

“When I came here, we had 100 people in the stands,” she said. “Now look at all the family members we have.”

Cunningham will enter the postseason needing just 44 points to become Missouri’s all-time leading scorer. While the 6-foot-1 guard has been the most transcendent player in program history during her career, from upset wins to attendance increases, MU has yet to get to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament with her leading the way.

ESPN women’s bracketologist Charlie Creme had MU as a No. 6 seed in his latest mock bracket, facing Iowa in Iowa City, which would be a favorable matchup for the Tigers. MU will likely hold as a No. 6 seed going into the SEC Tournament but could improve its resume with a semifinal berth in Greenville, S.C. — a scenario that would involve a win over no. 16 Kentucky.

Cunningham briefly touched on Missouri’s upcoming postseason appearance on Sunday, saying that as emotional as she was against the Tide (13-16, 5-11 SEC), there is still work to be done.

“It’s not over,” Cunningham said. “I’m not fully sad yet because I know we have a lot of games left.”

This story was originally published March 3, 2019 at 6:24 PM.