KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Mizzou Men's Basketball (4-2) was defeated by the Butler Bulldogs, 63-52, Monday night in the first semifinal of the Hall of Fame Classic. The Tigers chipped away in the second half after falling down 18, slicing the deficit to single digits on three occasions, but couldn't muster a full comeback down the stretch. 

Mizzou's defensive effort and the all-around game of redshirt junior guard Dru Smith kept the Tigers hanging around after a slow start. Smith led Mizzou with 19 points and four steals Monday night. The Tigers ended the first half on a 6-0 run to pull the game within 12 points. The Mizzou defense held Butler without a field goal in the final four minutes of the first half.

A 6-0 run in the second half, capitalized by a thunderous Mitchell Smith slam, cut Butler's lead to single digits to start the second half. Freshman forward Kobe Brown and sophomore guard Xavier Pinson combined for 19 points.

Mizzou again produced a stellar defensive effort Monday night, continuing the streak of holding its opposition to 63 or fewer points in all six matchups this season – the longest stretch of games to open a season since 1951-52. Four separate times in tonight's contest Butler went two or more minutes without a field goal, and the Tiger defense forced 14 turnovers.

TURNING POINT

In the second half, Butler's Bryce Nze made a field goal at the under-eight-minute mark in the second half, and Kamar Baldwin followed by hitting a tough-contested jumper to extend the team's lead out to 13. Mizzou was unable to overcome the deficit. 

TOP TIGERS

• Redshirt junior guard Dru Smith led the way once again for the Tigers on both sides of the ball. Smith scored 19 points and recorded four steals. He also added two rebounds and two assists.
• Sophomore guard Xavier Pinson scored 10 points on the night, reaching double-figures for the third time this season. Pinson also pulled in two boards and dished out three assists.
• Freshman forward Kobe Brown contributed nine points. He also added three steals.

NOTES

• Mizzou has now held opponents to 63 or fewer points in six consecutive games to start the season. This marks the first time that's been done since 1951-1952 when the Tigers did so in eight straight games.
• Mizzou recorded a season-high nine steals.
• The Tigers now have 44 steals this season, which ranks second in the SEC.
• Dru Smith collected four steals, and now has 13 on the season. Smith has now recorded a steal in 18 consecutive matchups. 
• Monday marked the second time Dru Smith has scored at least 19 points this season, and the seventh time in his career.
• Sophomore Xavier Pinson hreached double-figures for the third time this season, and the 12th time in his career.
• Kobe Brown's three steals were a career high. He's the first Tiger freshman to record at least three steals since Xavier Pinson did so against Texas A&M on Feb. 9, 2019.
• The team shot 48 percent from the field against Butler, and have now shot at least 44 percent three times this season. 

UP NEXT

Mizzou Men's Basketball awaits either Oklahoma or Stanford for the consolation game of the 2019 Hall of Fame classic. The game will air on ESPNEWS at 6 p.m. CT.

For all the latest on Mizzou's Men's Basketball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @MizzouHoops.