Thursday, December 29
Columbia, Mo.
7 p.m. CT
University of Missouri
vs
Lipscomb
@MizzouHoops Finishes Nonconference Play with Lipscomb on Thursday
12/28/2016 6:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Tigers-Bisons tip off at 7 p.m. CT at Mizzou Arena on SEC Network +
| MIZZOU (5-6) GAME DAY - Thursday, Dec. 29 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPPONENT | LOCATION | DAY | TIME | MEDIA | |
|
Lipscomb (6-9) |
Mizzou Arena | Thursday | 7 p.m. | ||
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mizzou Men's Basketball (5-6) returns home for one final nonconference tune-up prior to beginning Southeastern Conference action, as the Tigers host Lipscomb on Thursday, Dec. 29, at 7 p.m. CT (SEC Network +) at Mizzou Arena. The Tigers' games on SEC Network + are available on WatchESPN to SEC Network subscribers such as AT&T U-Verse, Charter, Comcast, Cox, DirecTV and Dish.
- Head coach Kim Anderson's squad has been powered through its nonconference schedule, thus far, by the strong play of sophomore forward Kevin Puryear. The Blue Springs, Mo., native leads the Tigers with his 12.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.
- Mizzou ranks second in the Southeastern Conference for overall field goal defense, holding opponents to a 37.7-percent mark from the field (246-of-653).
- The Tigers are holding opponents to 28.3 percent (70-of-247) shooting from three-point range, a mark that ranks 12th nationally.
- Mizzou is once again cultivating a talented, but young roster during the 2016-17 season. According to KenPom.com, the Tigers rank 346th out of 351 NCAA Division I teams in terms of experience.
OPPONENT - LIPSCOMB
- Lipscomb enters its matchup at Mizzou with a record of 6-9 overall, and 2-5 in away contests. The Bisons have won three of their last four games, including back-to-back road games at Tennessee Tech (81-79, Dec. 17) and at Austin Peay (99-85, Dec. 20).
- Led by fourth-year head coach Casey Alexander, Lipscomb has already battled one Southeastern Conference program, Tennessee, falling by a score of 92-77 on Dec. 15 in Knoxville.
- The Bisons are powered by sophomore guard Garrison Mathews, who has averaged 19.5 points per game through LU's 15 contests. He is joined in double-figure scoring by senior guard Josh Williams (13.0) and sophomore center Rob Marberry (10.0).
- Lipscomb has averaged 81.6 points per game through its first 15 games of the 2016-17 season, allowing 80.5 points per game to its opponents.
- Noteably, the Bisons have put up 406 three-point attempts for an average of 27.1 attempts from deep range per game.
PURYEAR STAYING CONSISTENT
- Sophomore forward Kevin Puryear (Blue Springs, Mo.) scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds vs. Illinois (Dec. 21) in the Annual Bud Light Braggin' Rights Game, adding a 22nd "10-and-5" game to his career total.
- Puryear scored 10 of his 17 points in the second half vs. the Fighting Illini, sinking 3-of-6 from the field, 4-of-5 from the line and grabbing five rebounds.
- The effort was the seventh time this season Puryear has recorded at least 10 points with five or more rebounds.
- Puryear has scored in double figures in 29-of-42 career games for the Black & Gold.
- Puryear's two season-high marks of 22 points and 10 rebounds both came against No. 11 Xavier (Nov. 17) at the Tire Pros Invitational in Orlando, Fla. The effort was the second double-double of his career.
GEIST GETS GRITTY
- Sophomore guard Jordan Geist (Fort Wayne, Ind.) scored 12 points (4-of-6 FG, 0-of-1 3PT, 4-of-4 FT) and dished two assists in 17 minutes off the bench vs. Illinois (Dec. 21) in the Braggin' Rights Game, a season best in scoring for the junior college transfer.
- Geist has dished 10 of his 20 assists this season over the past five games, also averaging 6.0 points per game in that span.
BIG ON THE BOARDS
- Mizzou's current rate of 39.8 rebounds per game is significant in itself because it represents a solid improvement from last season's 35.8 boards per game.
- In back-to-back games, Mizzou reset its season-high for rebounds, first with 44 vs. Western Kentucky (Dec. 3) and then with 50 boards against Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 6.
- Being aggressive on the offensive glass has been a focus for the Tigers early in the 2016-17 season, with Mizzou averaging 11.3 offensive rebounds per game, thus far. Through its first 11 games last season, Mizzou averaged 8.3 offensive boards per game.
LOCK DOWN ON DEFENSE
- Mizzou is performing well on the defensive end through 11 games this season, holding opponents to 64.8 points per game to rank fourth in the Southeastern Conference.
- Shooting-wise, the Tigers rank second in the SEC for three-point field goal defense (.283 - 70-of-247) and overall field goal defense (.377 - 246-of-653), respectively.
LAST TIME VS. LIPSCOMB
- Mizzou handed Lipscomb a 72-60 defeat the last time the Bisons visited Columbia on Jan. 3, 2015, a game that also served as the Tigers' final nonconference tune-up prior to heading into Southeastern Conference play.
- Head coach Kim Anderson's squad shot well from the field in the win, hitting on 47.1 percent (24-of-51) of its field goal attempts.
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