Mizzou Basketball Gets Back on Track, Wins Final Non-Conference Game

Before competition within the SEC begins, the Missouri Tigers got one last win against Alabama State.

Dec 14, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Mark Mitchell (25) smiles after scoring against the LIU Sharks during the second half at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

With Missouri football's Music City bowl win fresh on everyone's mind, men's basketball kept the wins coming back in Columbia.

Eight days after their Braggin' Rights loss to Illinois, the Tigers got back on track with a 82-65 win over Alabama State. They were without the services of Anthony Robinson II due to an illness, but they never trailed a single time and brought their record to a final of 11-2 in non-conference play.

Initially, the week-long break of action seemed to spell trouble for Missouri. It turned the ball over three times in the first four minutes of the game, playing sloppy offense that gave the Hornets some wiggle-room early in the first half. However, once it scored on three straight possessions from the 15:03 to 13:37 mark capped off by a Tamar Bates triple, that quickly evaporated.

The Tigers started to get the ball rolling, with Tony Perkins and Mark Mitchell each leading the way with eight points by halftime. As the clock ticked down, the lead only got larger, ending with a comfortable 42-24 advantage.

With 8:02 remaining, it even got a surprise: the return of Caleb Grill.

Since the neck injury he sustained on Nov. 27 against Lindenwood, Grill hadn't suited up for Missouri. But in the final game before SEC play begins, the senior came back to a warm welcome. He entered the contest by quickly making an impact on a couple of defensive hustle plays, bringing back the same intensity he usually playes with.

Coach Dennis Gates wasn't surprised that it took just a possession to get on the ground and dive for a loose ball.

"I knew it was going to happen because he was forbidden to do it in practice," Gates said. "He knew if he would have done that in practice I would have probably blown a gasket, and I can't stop him from doing it in the game.

Grill might've struggled more so on offense with six points on 2-of-8 shooting from the field, but having his presence alone again was huge for the Tigers.

"It was good just being able to get out there and feel like myself again," Grill said. "I feel like in the neck brace it wasn't my personality or anything like that, so it was just good to get back out there and be with my teammates and be able to provide an impact on winning the game tonight."

Throughout the night, defense was the key for Missouri. It swarmed Alabama State whenever it had the chance, holding the Hornets to just 39% shooting from the field. Though Robinson is typically one of its more impactful defenders, there didn't seem to be much of a drop-off for the Tigers.

Missouri had four players in double-digits, led by Bates' 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting. Consistent starters Mitchell and Perkins dropped 14 and 12 points respectively, while newcomer to the starting lineup, Trent Pierce, continued his recent hot-streak with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting.

"I made the decision because Ant had a little illness or whatnot, to put Trent into that spot. It was an easy decision for me just based off what he's been bringing to the table, offensively and defensively," Gates said.

It wasn't one of the more efficient offensive outings for the Tigers — shooting 9-of-29 on 3-pointers as a collective — but with the lead it carried on for most of the 40 minutes, the lower number didn't play much of a factor.

Aside from losses to Memphis and Illinois, Missouri took care of business in non-conference play. It avoided any serious upset unlike last season, and highlighted the stretch with a win over a top-ranked Kansas team at the time. With a strong couple months, it's in a good position to start competing with a stacked group of SEC opponents.

Conference play beings at 3 p.m. Saturday for the Tigers, where they will take on Auburn (13-1) in Auburn, Ala.