Iowa women set to take on Missouri in second round

No. 7 Missouri downed No. 10 Drake in a 77-76 overtime nail-biter for the right to play Iowa.

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Lily Smith

Iowa guard Makenzie Meyer (3) and Iowa guard Kathleen Doyle (22) celebrate during the Iowa/Mercer NCAA Tournament first round women’s basketball game in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Friday, March 22, 2019. The Hawkeyes defeated the Bears, 66-61.

Jordan Zuniga, Sports Reporter

After a 77-76 overtime win over Drake,  Missouri will be Iowa women’s basketball’s next opponent in the Round of 32 on March 24.

The Tigers were led by Sophie Cunningham Friday, putting up 21 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal in 40 minutes of action.

Defense is Missouri’s strength. It ranks 17th in the nation in opponent effective field goal percentage, allowing teams to shoot at a 40.6 percent clip.

While Missouri brings a stout defense to Iowa City, the Hawkeyes will look counter that with the best field goal percentage in the nation.

Missouri and Iowa have three common opponents this season: Michigan, Illinois, and West Virginia. The Tigers are 2-1 against those opponents while Iowa holds a 4-1 record.