Missouri women reach 10-0 for the first time in program history

Missouri women’s basketball is 10-0 for the first time in program history after a 79-75 victory on Saturday at Colorado in Boulder.

Freshman Cierra Porter scored a game- and career-high 21 points.

Junior Sierra Michaelis matched Porter with 21 points of her own as the Tigers rallied from a 10-point, third-quarter deficit to remain perfect on the season.

MU’s 1982-83 squad owned the previous record for best start to a season at 9-0.

Porter and Michaelis had the hot hands early, scoring every point as Missouri broke on top 10-2, but that was as large of a lead as coach Robin Pingeton’s squad mustered.

The Tigers, who had six players with multiple assists, led throughout the first half before the Buffaloes closed the second quarter with a 17-3 run and took a 47-40 lead in the break.

Colorado’s lead reached 10 points in the opening minutes of the third quarter before Porter scored 10 points in a 14-4 surge by Missouri.

The Buffaloes still led by a point entering the fourth quarter before junior Lindsey Cunningham’s three-pointer with 5 minutes remaining put the Tigers in front for good.

Cunningham also hit two critical free throws with 25 seconds left before Michaelis’ free throw with 9 seconds to go iced the win.

Porter, who also had four rebounds and two blocks, and Michaelis, who had three steals, were the only Missouri players in double figures.

The Tigers had won every previous game by at least 13 points, but a tougher test was welcome.

Junior Jordan Frericks scored nine with seven rebounds before fouling out, while Cunningham finished with eight points and her younger sister, Sophie Cunningham, added seven points, a game-high eight rebounds and a team-high three assists.

Sophomore Kayla McDowell scored eight for the Tigers, who have home games against Lamar (Dec. 20), Texas State (Dec. 21) and Charlotte (Dec. 29) before opening SEC play Jan. 4 against Tennessee at Mizzou Arena.

Tod Palmer: 816-234-4389, @todpalmer

This story was originally published December 12, 2015 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Missouri women reach 10-0 for the first time in program history."