COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri men’s basketball cruised to its largest Southeastern Conference win of the season, 101-71, over South Carolina on Tuesday at Mizzou Arena.
The 30-point win – Mizzou’s largest in SEC play since 2013 – improved the Tigers record to 21-7 overall and 10-5 in league play.
MIZZOU LEADERS
Missouri was led by six players in double figures as Caleb Grill posted a team-high 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting, while grabbing five rebounds and four steals. Anthony Robinson II followed, tallying 14 points to go with a game-high eight assists.
Tony Perkins and Mark Mitchell put up matching 13 points, three assists stat lines. Perkins additionally rejected a pair of shots.
Tamar Bates also reached double figures, logging 11 points on a perfect shooting performance (4-of-4 field goals, 1-of-1 3-pointers, 2-of-2 free throws). Jacob Crews, the sixth Tiger to reach double digits, added 10 points, nailing a pair of treys and three boards.
GAME RECAP
Mizzou grabbed an early edge, 11-7, by making each of its first four attempts from the field before Grill went on a personal 10-2 stretch to extend the lead to 10. Overall, a 23-6 surge resulted in Missouri doubling up the Gamecocks, 29-13, halfway through the opening period
South Carolina was never closer than 12 after that as Mizzou held its lead going into halftime, 52-37. The Tigers shot 60.6 percent from the field and 54.5 from 3-point range en route to its seventh 50-plus point first half of the season.
MU increased its lead with an 8-2 run out of the break, punctuated by a Bates slam, which granted the Tigers a 60-39 advantage.
Later in the second, Missouri built its largest lead of the game utilizing a 15-2 run to take an 85-53 lead into the under-eight timeout. The Tigers used consecutive 3-pointers from Grill and Pierce, then a step-back triple from Robinson to cap the stretch. The Tigers remained in control during the closing minutes en route to the 30-point win..
TEAM STATS
Mizzou had an efficient shot making night, making 63.5 percent from the field and 57.9 percent of its 3-pointers (11-19), while holding the Gamecocks (11-17, 1-14 SEC) to a 43.9 percent shooting night, including 8.7 percent (2-23) from the 3-point line.
Missouri also dished out 21 assists with just seven turnovers in the winning effort.
UP NEXT
The Tigers travel to Nashville Saturday to take on Vanderbilt. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. on SEC Network.
