Columbia, Mo. - Mizzou Men's Basketball (10-11, 2-6) dropped a road contest at South Carolina (12-8, 5-3), 76-54, on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore Xavier Pinson led Mizzou with 12 points in his second start of the season. Pinson averaged 14 points over two games this week.
Sophomore Javon Pickett tallied eight points and matched his career-high with eight rebounds. Senior Reed Nikko added eight points and hauled in a season-high seven rebounds. Freshman Tray Jackson chipped in eight points.
Mizzou fell down early as South Carolina jumped out to an 8-0 lead and extended that advantage to 16 despite Pinson and Pickett scoring 15 of their 20 combined points in the opening frame. The Tigers cut the lead to single digits in the second half, but the Gamecocks' 51 percent clip from the field proved to be too much to overcome.
TURNING POINT
Mizzou used a tip-in from Nikko and a bucket from redshirt freshman Parker Braun to propel a 7-1 run for the Tigers, which sliced their deficit to 52-43 with 10:54 to play in the game. South Carolina responded emphatically with a 9-0 run of its own, spurred by forward Maik Kostar, who finished with a game-high 21 points and 11 rebounds. That spurt would put the game out of reach and the Gamecocks built on that lead the rest of the way.
TOP TIGERS
- Pinson led Mizzou in scoring for the second consecutive game, scoring 12 points, including a career-high-tying three 3-pointers.
- Dru Smith tallied nine points, making 5-of-6 free throws.
- Pickett posted eight points and a career-high eight rebounds.
- Nikko contributed eight points and a season-best seven boards.
NOTES
- Dru Smith's streak of consecutive made free throws reached 34 before the 35th attempt went in-and-out. The streak ended five shy of tying Mizzou's all-time record. It was the most free throws made in a row by a Tiger since 1995-96.
- Sophomore walk-on Evan Yerkes recorded his first career steal and added an assist in three minutes off the bench.
- Mizzou 12-of-15 free throws on Saturday. The Tigers have shot above 75 percent at the free throw line as a team in five consecutive games. Mizzou leads the SEC in free throw percentage.
- Jackson scored eight points, three shy of matching his career high. He has now reached the seven-point mark on three occasions in his young career.
- Pinson's 28 points over the last two games are his most in a two-game stretch this season.
UP NEXT
Mizzou Men's Basketball continues a road swing when the Tigers head to Texas A&M for a rematch on Tuesday, Feb. 4. Mizzou and the Aggies tip off action at 8 p.m. on the SEC Network.
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.
