COLUMBIA, MO.– Mizzou Men’s Basketball secured another road win in a physical battle, downing Texas A&M, 68-52, on Saturday afternoon in College Station. The Tigers’ stifling defense held the Aggies to its lowest scoring output of the season as Mizzou forced 17 turnovers and collected eight steals.
Senior forward Jeremiah Tilmon, Jr., continued his dominant play in SEC action, posting his third double-double in the last five games with 14 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. Tilmon shot 5-of-6 from the field and is now shooting 74 percent from the field during league play this season.
Redshirt senior Dru Smith tallied 16 points, a season-high six boards, six assists and four steals in a stellar all-around performance. Junior Javon Pickett added 12 points off the bench.
Mizzou shot nearly 50 percent from the field and dished 15 assists in an efficient offensive outing.
Turning Point
After holding just a 3-point edge at halftime, Mizzou burst out of the gates in the second half, using an 8-0 run to push in front by 10. The Tigers would make it a 21-5 run after a Mitchell Smith 3-point play on a steal and runout. Mizzou led by as many as 18 at that point and finished with 10 fastbreak points to the Aggies’ zero. Texas A&M clawed back to within eight but back-to-back buckets from sophomore Kobe Brown solidified Mizzou’s double-digit lead for good.
Top Tigers
- Dru Smith led the Tigers offensively with 15 points, including two 3-pointers, and six assists. Smith racked up a season-high six rebounds, four steals, and one block.
- Jeremiah Tilmon tallied his 9th career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds to go along with a season-high three swats.
- Javon Pickett stepped up offensively, finishing with 12 points and two assists. The Tigers are now 11-1 when Pickett scores double figures in his career.
Game Notes
- The Tigers held Texas A&M to its lowest scoring game of the season with 52 points allowed.
- Dru Smith surpassed 150 career steals against the Aggies, placing him 30th nationally among active players.
- The Tigers have now won a third true road game by Jan. 16 for the first time since the 1994-95 team got three road wins by Jan. 7, despite the current squad starting the season nearly a month late.
- Kobe Brown tied his season high of two blocks for the fourth time this season. Brown also added nine points, five rebounds, one block, and one assist.
Up Next
Mizzou returns home for the first time since Dec. 30 when it takes on South Carolina at Mizzou Arena on Tuesday, Jan. 19. Tip-off vs. the Gamecocks is set for 6 p.m. on the SEC Network.
