by Cady Lowery, Mizzou Strategic Communications

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mizzou Men's Basketball has a group of acclaimed newcomers that have drawn much of the attention leading up to last Friday's season-opener against Iowa State, but in the 74-59 win over the Cyclones, it was senior forward Jordan Barnett (St. Louis, Mo.) and junior forward Kevin Puryear (Blue Springs, Mo.) who relished in the return of Mizzou Arena's raucous atmosphere, an environment they have always known of growing up in the state of Missouri.

Simply put, the building was rocking Friday night, and was unlike anything any current Mizzou student-athlete has experienced while in uniform. But Barnett and Puryear were raised Tiger fans, bleeding Black & Gold for much of their lives. The two were once part of those deafening crowds and the surrounding atmosphere that made playing in Mizzou Arena difficult for rivals.

In front of a sellout crowd of 15,061, Barnett and Puryear experienced the atmosphere while in uniform for the first time. For Puryear, the feel of the arena was incomparable, as he told a gathering of reporters afterwards.

"One, we sold out today for the first time in a while," Puryear said. "The environment and a new journey with these guys, we've been practicing really hard, so the games are like a celebration time. There was a bunch of excitement going into today, and the turnout was great. We had a good showing, so I'm really happy."

Puryear led the Tigers with 17 points and shot 87-percent from the field on 6-of-7 shooting. Behind Puryear's team-leading eight rebounds, Mizzou outrebounded Iowa State, 38-27, and held the visitors to just a 39-percent shooting.

Barnett had similar sentiments about putting on a uniform in front of thousands of fans for the first time.

"It felt amazing [to play in front of a sold out crowd]," Barnett said. "Last year, we didn't get a lot of games like that. I could honestly count on my fingers the number of games we had like that last year. To start the season like that, and come out in front of a packed house and get a good win shows a lot about this team. It shows we have tremendous potential to be a really good team."

Barnett, Mizzou's leading scorer last season, scored 15 points in 31 minutes of play, while draining three three-point buckets and dishing out three assists.

Both Barnett and Puryear acknowledged that to continue to draw the crowds to create the thunderous atmosphere, they have to keep winning.

"We have to deliver on our end and keep working hard and keep getting better." Puryear said. "The people will show up. As far as the turnout, it was extremely exciting to have everyone involved and have the community and the students come out, it was a great atmosphere. We just have to do our part."

In head coach Cuonzo Martin's first win as Mizzou's leader, he echoed what his players said about playing in front of a sold-out crowd.

"In order for us to be a great program and maintain that, it has to be every night." Martin said. "When you want a great program and you ask for that, we need you in the arena to support so we can maintain that."

The Tigers look to keep Mizzou Arena's environment unbearable for opponents when they take on Wagner on Monday, Nov. 13 (8 p.m. CT, ESPN2).