Mizzou Women's Basketball Fall in Round 1 of SEC Tournament, Ends Pingeton Era

Robin Pingeton has coached her final game for Missouri women’s basketball. Last week, the University announced that Pingeton and the program had mutually agreed to part ways at the end of the season. With the first round of the SEC Tournament now in the books, her 15-year tenure has officially come to an end.

In Wednesday's SEC first-round matchup, the 10th-seeded Mississippi State Bulldogs (21-10, 7-9) defeated the 15th-seeded Missouri (14-18, 3-14) 75-55.

Nearly midway through conference play, Missouri had gone over a year without a conference victory, until Missouri upset Mississippi State with a buzzer-beater victory on Jan. 27. This, however, would stand as Pingeton's last win at Mizzou Arena.

But in the rematch Wednesday night in the first round of the conference tournament.

Despite a promising start that gave the Tigers hope, they couldn't maintain momentum throughout the contest. Junior Ashton Judd came out hot, scoring seven points in the opening quarter, including a 3-pointer that pushed her past 1,000 career points. Her co-star, Grace Slaughter, gave Missouri the edge with a clutch basket in the final minute of the quarter, securing a 20-18 lead.

Judd, who along with junior Averi Kroenke, is the Tigers' longest tenured player. The veteran gaurd continued her hot shooting night into halftime, securing the 39-32 lead. She shot 5-of-9 from the field while also sinking 3-of-4 three-pointers. While she shouldered the load on offense, the Tigers stout defense, who forced nine turnovers, gave Missouri the edge entering the break.

A third-quarter meltdown spelled the end of the Tigers' season and Pingeton's time at the helm. Missouri extended its lead to 14 with quick buckets to start the second half, but the Bulldogs commanded control through the final buzzer. Mississippi State held Judd scoreless for the rest of the night and outscored the Tigers 43-16 in the second half. Across the second half, the Tigers managed a 6-of-31 shooting clip.

The Bulldogs advance to the second-round with their win and will play Ole Miss at 5 p.m. CST on Thursday in Greeneville, South Carolina.

Read more Missouri Tigers news: