@MizzouHoops Dunks and Dishes at Halloween & Hoops Event
10/28/2016 9:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Anderson's Tigers impress at annual Black & Gold Scrimmage
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mizzou Men's Basketball held its annual Black & Gold Scrimmage on Friday as a part of "Halloween & Hoops" at Mizzou Arena. The Black Squad, comprised mostly of returners from last season's team, came away with an impressive 35-22 victory over the Gold Squad. Playing eight-minute halves before a crowd speckled with costumes, the Tigers aimed to wow their fans in the preseason event.
Sophomore guard K.J. Walton (Indianapolis, Ind.) did just that, leading all scorers with 14 points (4-of-6 FG, 1-of-2 3PT, 5-of-6 FT), while sophomore forward Kevin Puryear (Blue Springs, Mo.) snagged 10 rebounds, tops among all Tigers.
In the first half, Walton compiled nine points on 2-of-2 shooting from the field and 5-of-6 marksmanship from the free throw line to help the Black Squad jump out to a 26-12 lead. Puryear contributed four points and six rebounds in the opening half. For the Gold Squad, junior forward Jordan Barnett (St. Louis, Mo.) led the way with eight points, sinking two three-pointers in the period.
In the second half, the two teams played evenly, as the Gold Squad held a one-point advantage in second half scoring. Walton added another five points, while Barnett connected on another shot from beyond the arc.
The Tigers host Central Missouri on Friday, Nov. 4, for its exhibition opener, before officially beginning the season with Alabama A&M on Sunday, Nov. 13. Tipoff from Mizzou Arena is slated for 7 p.m. CT, for both games.
Earlier in the evening, a three-point shooting contest and dunk contest was staged on Norm Stewart Court. A combo unit led by sophomore guard Cullen VanLeer (Pacific, Mo.) won the three-point contest. Barnett impressed with a 360-degree windmill dunk and a one-handed jam over Truman the Mascot to win the dunk contest.
For all the latest on Mizzou Men's Basketball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team at @MizzouHoops (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).
