Two NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago are set to collide in Columbia for an early-season test as Missouri welcomes Memphis to Mizzou Arena. Tipoff on Friday night is set for 8 p.m. on SEC Network.
PROMOTIONS
• The first 8,000 fans will receive a glow stick for the game.
ABOUT MISSOURI
• The Tigers opened the 2023-24 campaign with a 101-79 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff Monday.
• Five Tigers scored in double figures, led by 21 from Sean East II in just 21 minutes.
• Tamar Bates (18), Nick Honor (18), Noah Carter (15) and Caleb Grill (15) also scored at least 15 points in the game.
• Aidan Shaw led Mizzou in rebounding with nine, while Honor and Jesus Carralero Martin posted a game-high five assists.
• It marked the ninth-straight season-opening victory and the 22nd time in the last 23 years.
ABOUT MEMPHIS
• Memphis won its season opener on Monday, defeating Jackson State, 94-77.
• Five Tigers scored in double figures led by 19 from Jaykwon Walton and 15 from David Jones.
• Caleb Bills led Memphis with seven rebounds, while Jahvon Quinerly had a team-leading four assists.
• The Tigers finished 2022-23 with a 26-9 record, winning the AAC Tournament before falling to Florida Atlantic in the NCAA Tournament, 66-65.
SERIES HISTORY
• The schools have played 12 previous times – with Memphis leading the series, 7-5 – but only three times in the previous 30 seasons.
• The last meeting was at the 2009 Sweet 16 when Mizzou earned a 101-91 victory. J.T. Tiller led MU with 23 points in the win.
• The schools last played in the regular season with a home-and-home series in 2002 and 2003 – each school winning on their home court.
MIZZOU VERSUS AAC
• Missouri is 7-2 all-time against the American Athletic Conference since its formation in 2013.
• The Tigers won two meetings versus the league last season, posting an 88-84 win at Wichita State before a 68-66 victory over UCF in Orlando.
BREAKING 100
• Missouri picked up where it left off last season on the offensive end.
• After ranking 26th nationally in scoring offense (78.9), the Tigers broke 100 in the opener for just the fourth time in school history and the first time since 2006.
• Overall, MU is 1-of-13 schools to score at least 100 points in its opener against a DI opponent.
DEPTH OF OPTIONS
• Mizzou can throw a number of weapons at a team this season.
• Behind the Tigers’ 100-point performance in the opener, five different players scored at least 15 points in the win.
• It marked the first time since March 10, 2012 (vs. Baylor) that Mizzou featured five 15-plus point scorers in a game.
GETTING TO THE RIM
• The Tigers were especially strong inside the arc during Monday’s opener.
• Mizzou made 70.6 percent (24-34) of its two-point attempts en route to the 100-point game.
• Overall, MU’s 70.6 mark ranks ninth nationally.
MORE OFFENSIVE NUMBERS
• The Tigers not only excelled inside the arc but the team also connected on 40.0 percent of their 3-point attempts (12-30).
• It matches the team’s best percentage in an opener since making 43.5 percent in 2017, while its 12 makes are its most in a debut since 2013.
• The Tigers also had a very quick pace of play, ranking 12th nationally with 13.4 seconds per offensive possession.
BATES SHINES IN MIZZOU DEBUT
• Tamar Bates made a strong first impression.
• A transfer from Indiana, Bates scored 18 points in his first game with the Tigers, including a run of 10-straight for MU which turned a nine-point lead to a 17-point halftime advantage.
• Bates’ 18 points are the most by a Tiger in his Mizzou debut since Mark Smith tallied 19 to open the 2018-19 campaign.
BLOCK PARTY
• One area where the Tigers showed a new ability in the season opener was rejecting shots.
• Mizzou blocked nine shots versus the Golden Lions, its most in a game since also recording nine against Northern Illinois in 2021.
• Aidan Shaw led the Tigers with five rejections, also the most by a Mizzou player in two seasons.
• Overall, MU is ninth nationally with its nine blocks.
TIGERS SIGN NATION’S NO. 2 CLASS
• Looking ahead to next season, Mizzou made a splash on Wednesday by signing the nation’s second-ranked freshman class.
• The Tigers officially welcomed Marcus Allen, T.O. Barrett, Annor Boateng, Trent Burns and Peyton Marshall to the program – all top-100 commits.
• The No. 2 class is the highest in school history, surpassing the top mark of No. 4 in 2017.
