Columbia, Mo.- The Mizzou men’s basketball team continued its winning streak Sunday afternoon, never trailing en route to an 82-72 victory against Wichita State in front of 10,885 fans at Mizzou Arena. With the win, Missouri jumps to a 7-2 record, while the Shockers fall to 7-2.
Four Tigers scored in the double digits to help Mizzou land the victory. Graduate student Sean East II led Mizzou with 22 points and nine assists. His 22 points are his most in the Mizzou Black & Gold, while also marking his fifth 20-point game of the season. Additionally, his nine assists match his career high, first achieved while at UMass in 2019.
Teammates Nick Honor and Connor Vanover put up 15 and 11 points of their own. Graduate student Caleb Grill added his second career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against the Shockers.
Missouri scored the 10 points of the game before Wichita State finally tallied a basket four minutes into the competition. The Tigers started strong defensively, forcing six turnovers on the first eight possessions eight overall in the first 10 minutes of play. Mizzou took advantage on the offensive end, scoring 16 first-half points off turnover and 20 over the 40 minutes.
Wichita State would not go away quietly, however. Three times in the second half, the Shockers pulled to within a single possession. Mizzou, though would connect on a triple to end the threat each time – one each by Vanover, Grill and the final time by East with the Tigers leading, 71-68.
Missouri shot 40.0 percent in the winning effort with an 11-of-33 clip (33.3 percent) from 3-point range. Mizzou held the Shockers to 38.2 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from the 3-point mark.
UP NEXT
The Tigers travel to Lawrence, Kan. to face off against the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday night in the Hy-Vee Hoops Border Showdown. First tip is set for 4:15 p.m. on ESPN.
