Caleb Grill Punctuates Statement Win for No. 20 Mizzou at No. 14 Mississippi State

An elite shooting performance from the veteran guard was the catalyst behind the Missouri Tigers' most lopsided victory of SEC play.

Feb 1, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Caleb Grill (31) drives to the basket against Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Shawn Jones Jr. (5) during the first half at Humphrey Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images / Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Missouri basketball has decided they won't be doing much talking this season, routinely shushing their lips as a symbol for the lack of vocalness they give their confidence.

But on Saturday at Mississippi State, the Tigers made themselves loud and clear.

Infact, the only audible sound near the end of the first half against the Bulldogs was the Missouri bench, who had plenty to celebrate. A 3-point shot just feet away from half court from Caleb Grill extended Missouri's lead to 12 with 50 seconds remaining in the first half just about silenced Humphrey Colliseeum.

Grill continued his scorching through the Southeastern Conference and the Missouri defense put continuous pressure on Mississippi State, allowing the Tigers to earn a 88-61 win over the Bulldogs.

The win moves Missouri to 17-4 on the season and 6-2 in the SEC.

Grill's deep 3-point make capped off a dominant 5 minutes for Missouri to end off the first half. The game turned into the high-level fight promised around the 10 minute mark of the first half.

After Missouri opened the game by taking a 10-2 lead, Mississippi State responded with eight unanswered points, only to be matched by seven unanswered from Missouri. The Tigers held a 19-13 lead by the 10:07 mark of the first half.

But after that exchanging of punches, Grill was ignited, making two straight 3-point shots. Hubbard was able to turn an impressive 3-point make while falling into four points after being awarded a free-throw on the 3-pointer.

But Missouri kept its foot on the gas, ending the first half with a 12-1 run, taking a 45-31 lead by the end of the first half.

Even though Mississippi State opened the second half with a 6-2 scoring run, Missouri responded with 15 unanswered points, including eight points from Grill.

Grill ended the day with 20 points, making 6 of his 11 3-point attempts. It's the fourth game of the season for Grill where he's made six 3-point shots.

"He has a mental toughness about him," Missouri head coach Dennis Gates said of Grill in a press conference Thursday. "[He has] a belief and confidence about him that resonates no matter the situation."

The flammable performance from Grill was backed up by an agressive defensive performance. The win saw the third lowest point total allowed by the Tigers, with only Mississippi Valley State and Pacific scoring less.

Missouri's defense won the rebound battle against the Mississippi State offense, with the Tigers' unit grabbing 29 defensive rebounds to Mississippi State's 11 on offense. Outside of Hubbard, Missisippi State made just 13 of their 42 attempts from the field.

Feb 1, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Missouri Tigers forward Trent Pierce (11) grabs a loose ball against Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Shawn Jones Jr. (5) during the first half at Humphrey Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images / Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

The win marks just the second on the road for the Tigers this season, losing two of its first three road matchups in the SEC. Its the fifth win for Missouri this season over a team currently ranked inside the top 25 of the AP Poll. The 27-point victory is the widest point differential in a SEC win for Missouri in Gates' tenure.

It's only the second time out of 11 matchups in Starkville that the Tigers came away with a victory, losing each of the last eight.

Even amid a Saturday slate with three ranked matchups in the SEC, Missouri put together a performance worthy of attention. Grill, who entered Saturday's matchup with the highest 3-point percentage in the nation, has made efficient performances like this the standard for himself. Despite a rough performance against Texas on Jan. 21, the Tigers defense has been on a consistent upward trajectory.

In order to live up to the expectations now put on Missouri to finish the season in the top half of the SEC, the Tigers would need to win at least one game of a three-game stretch against teams ranked inside the top 25. An upset on the road leaves the question open on just how high the ceiling is for the Tigers.

Missouri will continue on a road stretch, next facing Tennessee (18-4, 5-4 SEC) at 6 p.m. in Knoxville, Tennessee.