With a home court advantage and a fresh slate, the Missouri Tigers (18-13) looked to take down a hungry Illinois State Redbirds team (24-9) facing their first SEC team since 2019 in the first round of the Women’s NIT.
The Tigers came out guns a blazing with two threes on consecutive possessions to take an early 6-0 lead, and it looked as if the Tigers were poised for a hot night shooting from beyond the arc. Thanks to 11 straight combined points from Haley Troup and Hayley Frank, Missouri built upon their early shooting and claimed an 11-4 lead.