Columbia, Mo. – No. 21/22 University of Missouri men’s basketball used a strong performance on the defensive end and a career-best game from junior Mark Mitchell to cruise past Oklahoma, 82-58 at home Wednesday evening.
Mizzou improved to 18-6 overall and 7-4 in SEC action, while the Sooners fell to 16-8 overall and 3-8 versus league foes.
MIZZOU LEADERS
Mitchell led the Tigers with a career-best 25 points on just 12 field goal attempts thanks to a 13-of-18 day from the free-throw line. Mitchell, who also tallied his 1,000th career point during a 19-point first half, led the way for the Tigers on the glass with seven.
Graduate guard Caleb Grill also added 15 points, including three triples.
Graduate Guard Tony Perkins caused havoc defensively, leading the Tigers with five steals, while also adding 12 points.
GAME RECAP
The Tigers never trailed on the night, jumping to an early 23-11 behind nine points from Mitchell. Mizzou led by just two points before a 10-0 run quickly put the hosts up double digits.
The pressure was constant from the Mizzou defense as they forced the Sooners into eight turnovers in the first 13 minutes of the game, creating opportunities on the other end to build the advantage. Perkins led the defensive effort, tallying three steals in the first half alone.
The teams added punches traded until a Mitchell dunk ignited a 13-2 run, extending the Tigers lead to 20 for a 44-24 advantage at the halftime break.
It was all Mizzou from there. The Sooners would only be as close as 15 in the second stanza before Grill buried a pair of threes on back-to-back possession, sparking an 11-2 run and extending the lead to 67-42 lead with 9:31 remaining. From there Mizzou would cruise to the 24-point victory.
TEAM STATS
Mizzou made 54.2 percent of its field goals with a 4-of-12 mark from 3-point range. The Tigers outscored the Sooners in the paint, 40-24 and won the turnover battle 17-12.
The Sooners shot 31 percent in the losing effort, with a 5-of-22 mark from 3-point range
UP NEXT
The Tigers travel to Athens Saturday to take on Georgia. Tipoff is set for 2:30 p.m. on SEC Network.
