The University of Missouri men’s basketball team continues a 10-game homestand with a title against Eastern Washington Monday night. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. inside Mizzou Arena on SEC Network +.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
• Missouri is 1-1 after the first week of the season, falling at Memphis before earning a win in its home opener over Howard.
• Three Tigers are scoring in double figures so far, led by 15.0 points per game from Tamar Bates.
• Anthony Robinson II is second on the team with 14.5 points to go with a team-best 4.0 assists.
• Mark Mitchell also scores in double figures with 12.0 points, while adding a team-leading 7.5 rebounds per game.
• The Tigers are averaging 76.0 points through two games this season.
ABOUT THE EAGLES
• Eastern Washington owns a 1-1 record through two games this season – falling at Colorado and defeating Seattle at home.
• Andrew Cook leads the Eagles with 16.0 points per game with four players overall scoring in double figures.
• Nic McClain leads EWU with 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
• The Eagles are scoring 74.5 points this season.
SERIES HISTORY
• The schools are meeting for the second time and the first since the 1988-89 campaign.
• Doug Smith led the Tigers with 14 points and 10 rebounds in an 81-68 victory during the first round of the Walsworth Publishing Classic.
MIZZOU VERSUS BIG SKY
• Missouri is unbeaten in six all-time meetings with the Big Sky Conference with all six contests coming in Columbia.
• The Tigers have won the six games by an average score of 25.7 points with a 68-60 win over Idaho in 1998 the only game decided by fewer than 10.
CHASING 50-40-90
• Tamar Bates has picked up right where he left off in 2023-24.
• Last season, Bates averaged 13.5 points with a field goal percentage of 49.5, a 3-point mark of 38.5 and a free-throw clip of 92.6.
• In fact, he nearly became the first MU player in school history to join the 50-40-90 club, missing the mark by two 3-pointers.
• Through two games this season, Bates leads MU with 15.0 points – shooting 52.4 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from three and 100.0 percent from the charity stripe.
SOPHOMORE SURGE
• Sophomore Anthony Robinson II has shown an improved look in 2024-25.
• Robinson has scored in double figures in both of Mizzou’s games this season, reaching the mark twice after doing so only three times last year.
• Overall, Robinson is currently second on the team with 14.5 points per game after averaging 3.9 last season.
• Robinson also leads Mizzou with 4.0 assists per game this season.
PLAYING FAST
• Mizzou has been at its best in transition.
• The Tigers have outscored opponents, 42-16, in fastbreak points this season.
• The 42 points are the most transition points for the Tigers in a two-game span since totaling 57 versus Wichita State and Southeast Missouri State in 2022.
• Overall, the Tigers are averaging 15.3 seconds per offensive possession – ranking 56th nationally.
GETTING TO THE LINE
• One notable difference for MU early in the season is its ability to get to the free-throw line.
• Mizzou has averaged 28.0 attempts from the charity stripe in its two games (42-56).
• Last season, the Tigers ranked last in the SEC by averaging 14.4 made free throws and 18.2 attempts per game.
• However, through two games this season, MU is now 37th nationally with a free-throw rate (FTA/FGA) of 51.9 percent.
BENCH POINTS
• The Tigers have showcased a number of options through two games this season.
• Mizzou is currently averaging 31.0 points from reserves in 2024-25 – accounting for 40.8 percent of the team’s points.
• MU has scored at least 30 bench points in both games this season – the first time for Mizzou since January 2023 with back-to-back 30-point games.
• Missouri has not had three-straight games with 30-plus bench points since a six-game run to start the 2017-18 campaign.
NEAR AUTOMATIC MAKES
• Mizzou has excelled scoring inside the arc so far.
• The Tigers have made 64.5 percent of their 2-point baskets (40-62) – more than 13 percent above the national average of 51.0 and 31st-best mark in the country.
HIGH PERCENTAGE
• The two Tigers who have taken advantage most of the high-percentage shots are Aidan Shaw and Anthony Robinson II.
• Robinson is shooting 66.7 percent overall (and 87.5 percent from 2-point range), while Shaw has made 6-of-7 field goals this season (85.7%).
