COLUMBIA, Mo. - Led by a dominant defensive effort, University of Missouri men's basketball cruised to a 112-63 victory Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Tigers improve to 5-1 on the season and 5-0 in Mizzou Arena.
MIZZOU LEADERS
Junior Mark Mitchell (Kansas City, Kan.) led the team with 20 points. Graduate Caleb Grill (Wichita, Kan.) added 14 points, including four triples, with senior Tamar Bates (Kansas City, Kan.) also scoring in double-digits with 13.
Sophomore Anthony Robinson (Tallahassee, Fla.) had a complete game in the winning effort, tallying 11 points plus a team-best 11 rebounds and seven assists.
GAME RECAP
The teams traded punches early, as Mizzou held a one-point lead through the first eight minutes before the Tigers took full control of the contest.
A pair of Mizzou putbacks and a 3-pointer by Grill gave Mizzou a 24-16 advantage.
Mizzou continued to extend its lead with a three-point play from Mitchell and another Grill 3-pointer before Bates and Robinson contributed fast-break layups to help the Tigers extend their lead.
From there, Mizzou used a stifling defense to build a large cushion. Allowing just seven points in the final 9:02 of the first half, the Tigers took a 27-point lead into the break. Overall, Mizzou held the Lions to just one basket over the final 13 minutes of the period, while forcing eight turnovers, en route to the 52-25 advantage.
Mizzou carried its momentum into the second half with a 17-2 run that gave it a 69-27 lead, highlighted by a pair of dunks by Mitchell and Bates. The Tigers' lead reached as many as 50 before cruising to a 112-63 victory.
TEAM STATS
Mizzou shot 52.1 percent in the winning effort with a 9-of-32 mark from 3-point range. Mizzou held Arkansas-Pine Bluff to 35.5 percent from the field with a 9-of-28 mark from 3-point range
Mizzou forced 19 turnovers, leading to 33 points on the other end. Mizzou also scored 54 points in the paint, outsourcing its opponent by 30.
Mizzou got 63 points from its bench, accounting for over half the team's total.
UP NEXT
The Tigers host Lindenwood next Wednesday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.
