Missouri Beats UALR 73-50 in Women's Opener
Grace Slaughter led Missouri with 23 points and seven rebounds in a 73-50 win over Arkansas-Little Rock in Little Rock.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Basketball
Missouri defeated Arkansas-Little Rock 73-50 on Friday, with Grace Slaughter scoring 23 points and pulling down seven rebounds. Natalya Hodge added 15 points off the bench, and Missouri improved to 2-0 on the season.
Why it matters
The win gives Missouri a strong early start to its season and shows depth beyond its leading scorer. For UALR, the loss drops the team to 1-1 as it prepares for a demanding nonconference schedule.
Missouri outshot UALR 43.5% to 29.9% from the field and held a 48-39 rebounding edge, while UALR made just 1 of 11 three-point attempts (9.1%). The sample is limited to a single opening-week game, so it does not yet indicate how either team will perform across a full schedule.
The players
Grace Slaughter
Missouri forward who led her team with 23 points and seven rebounds in the win over UALR.
Natalya Hodge
Missouri guard who came off the bench to score 15 points and made three three-pointers in the victory.
Talia Kemp
UALR guard who led her team with 11 points in the loss to Missouri.
The details
Missouri went on a 13-3 run early in the second quarter and opened the second half with a 12-6 run to pull away. Slaughter shot 8 of 17 from the field and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line, while Talia Kemp led UALR with 11 points.
Timeline
Friday: Missouri defeats UALR 73-50 in Little Rock.
Monday: UALR travels to Memphis.
Nov. 16: Arkansas visits UALR.
Nov. 20: UALR plays at Oklahoma State.
Dec. 16: UALR plays at Texas.
Season Trajectory
Missouri opened with a 108-12 home win over NAIA opponent Central Baptist, and its 73-50 victory over UALR marks its first test against a Division I opponent. The gap between those two results shows how the team's margin shrinks as the level of competition rises.
Fantasy and bracket watchers should note Slaughter's 23-point, seven-rebound performance as an early benchmark for Missouri's frontcourt output. UALR's upcoming road slate, including trips to Memphis, Oklahoma State and Texas, will test its perimeter shooting after its 1-of-11 night from three.
The takeaway
Early-season results can swing sharply based on shooting efficiency and bench contributions, as Missouri showed by getting 15 points from Hodge off the bench. Readers following either program should watch how both teams handle tougher road games in the weeks ahead.
What happens next
UALR hosts Arkansas on Nov. 16, and plays at Oklahoma State on Nov. 20 and at Texas on Dec. 16.
Further reading
For more college hoops coverage, explore Basketball news from across the region.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ArkansasOnline.
