Missouri Upsets #5 Mississippi State

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP/WCBI) – Sophie Cunningham scored 24 points, Amber Smith added 16 and Missouri upset No. 5 Mississippi State 75-67 on Thursday night.

The game remained tight until the final minute when Cierra Porter made a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left – her first points of the game – to give Missouri a six-point advantage.

Missouri (19-7, 8-4 Southeastern Conference) trailed for much of the night, but pulled ahead 55-54 on Akira Levy’s layup at the third-quarter buzzer. The Tigers pushed their advantage 60-56 early in the fourth quarter and never trailed again, fending off multiple Mississippi State rallies.

Missouri shot 55 percent from the field and made 11 3-pointers.

Mississippi State (22-2, 10-1) had its 12-game winning streak snapped. The Bulldogs also had won 26 straight regular-season SEC games dating to last season.

The loss is also the first time Mississippi State has lost inside the Humphrey Coliseum since February 26th, 2017, to Tennessee.

Anriel Howard led the Bulldogs with 21 points. Teaira McCowan added 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Mississippi State needed Andra Espinoza-Hunter’s midrange jumper at the buzzer to take a 35-34 halftime lead. Howard led the Bulldogs with 11 points before the break. Cunningham had 13.