Mizzou Women's Basketball Competing in Emerald Coast Classic

The Missouri Tigers are set to compete in an 8-team inaugural tournament in late November.

Feb 8, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Grace Slaughter (0) attempts a three point basket against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

The Missouri women's basketball team will compete in the inaugural Emerald Coast Classic, Global Sports, the tournament organizing committee, announced on Thursday.

The tournament will occur on Nov. 25 and 26 at Raider Arena on the campus of Northwest Florida State College. The Tigers are set to take on Creighton, Syracuse or Wichita State in the Beach Bracket.

"We have assembled a great field in this inaugural year of the event and we hope to make this one of the top preseason women's college basketball events annually," said tournament director Maury Hanks, who is also chief executive officer for Global Sports, via a press release.

Global Sports has produced 55 multi-team college basketball tournaments since 2007, with three more coming during the 2024-25 season. The full 8-team field for the Emerald Coast Classic also includes Alabama, Alabama State, UAB and Clemson.

"We are ecstatic about hosting this women's basketball tournament at Northwest Florida State College," Ramsey Ross, director of athletics at Northwest Florida, said in the release. "The entire northwest Florida region thrives on collegiate athletics and we welcome the opportunity that this women's tournament presents."

As we approach next season, the Tigers are headlined by All-SEC Freshman Team member Grace Slaughter who ranked third in the conference among first-year players at 11.5 points per game. Her role is expected to be greatly increased ahead of the inaugural tournament, as leadership is typically the next stage of a player who has shown this much potential.

The Tiger recruiting staff has also been active thus far in the offseason as they've signed freshmen Londyn Oliphant and Ma'Riya Vincent. Additionally, Mizzou has brought in Tionna Herron (Texas), Tilda Sjökvist (Presbyterian), Nyah Wilson (New Mexico) and Laniah Randle (Southern Illinois) from the transfer portal.