NASHVILLE - Mizzou Men's Basketball (19-11, 9-8) picked up its third road victory in Southeastern Conference play on Tuesday, bringing home a 74-66 win at Vanderbilt (11-19, 5-12) from Memorial Gymnasium. Freshman forward Jontay Porter (Columbia, Mo.) stuffed the stat sheet with a career-high 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Porter shot a stout 9-for-10 from the field -- his most efficient output of the season.
The rest of the Tigers followed suit, posting an impressive 58-percent shooting mark -- the team's best performance since hitting on 68 percent against Wagner (Nov. 13). Porter and senior forward Jordan Barnett (St. Louis, Mo.) led the Tigers on a pivotal second-half performance that allowed Mizzou to secure their first-ever victory at Memorial Gymnasium.
TURNING POINT
Facing a two-point deficit at the end of the first half, Mizzou rallied to begin the second frame. The Tigers were sparked by the versatility of Porter, who drilled a triple to give the Tigers a 37-36 lead. Porter added a pair of inside buckets, grabbed a steal and dished a pair of assists in the second half's opening nine minutes which allowed the Tigers to stretch the lead to six.
Mizzou locked down defensively as the Tigers held Vanderbilt scoreless for nearly seven minutes. Barnett sank a pair of triples during the Commodore drought, sparking a 10-0 run. Barnett's second three gave the Tigers a 52-40 lead with 7:43 left in the ballgame.
After a timeout, the Commodores found their stroke, hitting from deep three times, but Porter came alive once again. The freshman hit a pair of jumpers and drilled a three-pointer before coming down the lane for a monster flush to give the Tigers a 64-49 advantage.
TOP TIGERS
- Porter's 24 points and six assists were both career-highs as the Tigers' offense flowed through the freshman all evening. His performance was aided by a 4-for-4 clip from distance, his first perfect game from three all season when taking multiple three-point attempts. Porter also grabbed seven boards, giving him 25 games this season with at least five boards.
- After pouring in 23 points in a 72-52 win over Vanderbilt at home last season, Barnett drilled four threes and tallied 17 points while grabbing five rebounds.
- Junior forward Kevin Puryear (Blue Springs, Mo.) added six points in the win, becoming the 46th member of Mizzou's 1,000-Point Club
NOTES
- With the win, Mizzou claimed its first victory over Vanderbilt in Nashville.
- The Tigers finished their road schedule with their fifth conference road win as they secured the most away victories in conference play since the 2011-2012 season.
- Leading the team in scoring, freshman forward Jontay Porter surpassed his career-high in points with 24.
- Aside from scoring, Porter also led the Tigers in rebounds with seven and assists with six -- tying a career-high in the latter.
- Porter's contribution was extremely efficient as the freshman shot a career-high 90 percent from the floor (9-of-10).
- The Tigers' 58-percent shooting night was their best since they shot 68 percent from the field against Wagner (Nov. 13).
- Graduate senior guard Kassius Robertson (Toronto, Ontario) scored nine points and hit three three-pointers. Robertson now has 25 games this season with multiple three-pointers.
- With 17 points, Barnett has scored 15 points or more in 19 games this season. Barnett also grabbed six rebounds, giving him 19 games this season with five or more rebounds
UP NEXT
Mizzou closes the regular season portion of its schedule on Saturday, March 3, as the Tigers host Arkansas on Senior Night. Tipoff from Mizzou Arena will be at 5 p.m. CT, with live coverage on ESPN2 and the Tiger Radio Network. Fans are encouraged to arrive early as the Tigers' will honor Barnett, Robertson and senior guard Brett Rau (Burlington, Ill.) during pregame festivities.
