COLUMBIA, Mo. (Interstat) — The Alabama women’s basketball team, powered by a dominant first quarter and a game-high 23 points from Karly Weathers, secured a 74-63 road victory over Missouri in a Southeastern Conference matchup Monday night at Mizzou Arena.

The Crimson Tide (17-1, 3-1 SEC) set the tone immediately, racing out to a 22-11 lead after the opening period. Alabama’s defense was stifling early, forcing Missouri into difficult shots and capitalizing on the other end. The Tigers (12-7, 0-4) struggled to find an offensive rhythm against Alabama’s pressure, a theme that persisted despite several second-half surges.

Missouri, led by Grace Slaughter’s 23 points, chipped away at the deficit throughout the middle quarters. After trailing by 11 at the end of the first, the Tigers outscored Alabama 18-10 in the second period to narrow the gap to 32-29 at halftime. The third quarter saw both teams trade baskets, with Missouri’s Abbey Schreacke hitting a pair of three-pointers to keep the pressure on. Alabama took a 53-49 lead into the final frame, having never relinquished the advantage but unable to fully shake the persistent Tigers.

The most critical sequence of the game came early in the fourth quarter, with Alabama’s lead hovering around four points. Missouri had multiple opportunities to tie or take the lead but was repeatedly turned back by the Crimson Tide defense. A key block by Naomi Jones on Jordana Reisma with just over seven minutes to play preserved a two-possession lead. On the ensuing Alabama trip, Weathers was fouled and converted both free throws, sparking a decisive 7-0 run that pushed the lead to 61-52 with 6:23 remaining. Missouri would not get closer than seven points the rest of the way.

Weathers, a 5-foot-11 guard from Loretto, Tennessee, was the engine for Alabama, adding three assists in 39 minutes of action. She received ample support from backcourt mates Jessica Timmons and Ta’Mia Scott. Timmons, from Charlotte, North Carolina, scored 16 points and dished out three assists, while Scott, of Clarksville, Tennessee, contributed 15 points, a key steal, and a block.

For Missouri, Slaughter, a 6-foot-2 sophomore from Grain Valley, Missouri, played all 40 minutes and added a block to her scoring output. Schreacke finished with 12 points, and Shannon Dowell filled the stat sheet with 10 points, four assists, and a block. The Tigers’ effort was hampered by 15 turnovers, which Alabama converted into 18 points.

The Crimson Tide’s defensive intensity, particularly in the opening quarter and during the pivotal fourth-quarter stretch, proved to be the difference. Alabama also controlled the paint, outscoring Missouri 42-34 inside, and capitalized on second-chance opportunities.

A crowd of 2,747 watched as Alabama won its third consecutive conference game following its lone loss of the season at South Carolina on Jan. 1. The Crimson Tide have now won 10 of their last 11 games. Missouri, meanwhile, dropped its fourth straight SEC contest, all by double digits.

Alabama will look to continue its strong conference start when it travels to face rival Auburn on Thursday. Missouri, still in search of its first league win, returns home to host Arkansas on Thursday.

The game’s final score fell under the projected total, and Alabama covered the pregame spread. According to Interstat’s ELO system, the Crimson Tide entered with an 86.6% probability to win.