Mizzou Faces Off Against Former Conference Foe for SEC/Big 12 Challenge

COLUMBIA, Mo. — For the second-straight game, the University of Missouri men’s basketball team is set to take on a top-25 opponent as the Tigers’ travel to Ames, Iowa for the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. Iowa State (15-5, 3-5 Big 12) hosts Mizzou (8-11, 2-5 SEC) Saturday, Jan. 29 for a 1 p.m. tip. Ted Emrich and Bryndon Manzer will have the 236^th all-time meeting between the former Big 12 foes on ESPNU. Mike Kelly and Chris Gervino will also have the call on Tiger Radio Network.

MIZZOU HEADLINES

• Mizzou (8-11, 2-5) went toe-to-toe with the No. 1 team in the country earlier this week, ultimately falling 55-54 to Auburn at home.
• It was one of the Tigers’ strongest defensive efforts of the season, holding Auburn to its lowest field goal percentage of the season and fewest points since 2020.
• Mizzou’s strength of schedule is among the toughest in the country, currently ranking as the sixth strongest in the nation and third in the SEC by ESPN’s Basketball Power Index (BPI). The Tigers’ have played four top-25 teams this season and another two against top-25 NET teams.
• Missouri’s win against then-No. 15 Alabama on Jan. 8 marked the third-consecutive season the Tiger’s have defeated a top-25 opponent.
• In the Tiger’s game against Auburn, Javon Pickett scored a team-high 17 points marking his sixth-consecutive game in double-digits. Missouri is 22-12 in Pickett’s career when he scores in double-digits and the team is 6-0 this season when both Pickett and Kobe Brown reach double-figure scoring.
• Jarron Coleman has come on strong in SEC play for Missouri, shooting 36.4 percent from three in conference play. He has also registered 12-straight games with a three-pointer and is averaging 3.7 assists per game in SEC games.
• Since entering conference play, Mizzou is holding opponents to 27.9 percent, which ranks second among all conference teams. The Tigers’ have drastically improved their three-point defense, after allowing non-conference opponents to shoot at a 38.8 percent clip.
• Mizzou is 8-1 this season when outrebounding its opponents and is 6-0 when shooting 50 percent or higher from the floor.

THE SERIES                                                                                                                                               

• Iowa State will be Mizzou’s third opponent this season where the Tigers’ have a lengthy history of games against.
• As former conference foes, Missouri and Iowa State faced off 233 times before a pair of home-home games in 2017 and 2018.
• The two teams last played Nov. 9, 2018 in Hilton Coliseum where Iowa State came away with a 76-59 win. Mizzou had previously won the last 10-straight against the Cyclones.
• Javon Pickett was the only current Tiger to play in the 2018 game, where he started his second-collegiate game and scored five points.
• Iowa State holds the series lead for games played in Ames, 60-48. Mizzou is 5-5 in the last 10 meetings in Hilton.

SCOUTING IOWA STATE                                                                                                                      

• Iowa State has one of the nation’s top turnarounds, after winning just two games last season.
• The Cyclones are currently 15-5 under first-year head coach T.J. Otzelberger.
• Iowa State has dropped three of its last five, but picked up wins against Texas and Oklahoma State.
• Izaiah Brockington leads the Cyclones as a Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List candidate. Brockington has a Big-12 best seven double-dobules this season and leads the team with 16.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.
• The Cyclones also rank 16^th national in total steals and turnovers forced.

UP NEXT

Mizzou returns to SEC action at home next week with a Wednesday matchup against Florida at Mizzou Arena. The game is slated for an 8 p.m. start time on SEC Network. Tickets are still available at MUTigers.com/Tickets.

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For all the latest information on Mizzou Men’s Basketball, please visit MUTigers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Tigers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @MizzouHoops. Fans should call 1-800-CAT-PAWS for tickets or buy online today!