Missouri didn’t just answer its first loss of the season Monday night. The Tigers flattened Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, rolling to a 96-58 win at home behind a monster night from Jason Crowe Jr. and a scorching offensive performance that never really let SIUE breathe.
Crowe was the headline from the opening half and stayed there all night. After scoring only eight points against Saint Louis, the freshman guard came out firing, putting up 22 in the first half alone and finishing with 34 points, four assists, an 11-for-16 shooting line and four made 3-pointers in eight tries. That total set a new Mizzou freshman record for points in a game, another marker in what’s already becoming a record-shifting start in Columbia.
“I had to make up for last game. Last game that wasn’t me,” Crowe said on the broadcast after the game.
“I think I got the nerves from ... that was the biggest crowd I ever played in front of. So I had to prove to myself that that wasn’t myself, and I’ll hope that never happens again.”
Missouri’s offense was humming around him. The Tigers shot 59% from the field and 54.5% from deep in a first half that ended with them up big after producing 48 points and averaging 1.5 points per possession. By the final horn, MU was still at 58% overall and 52% from 3-point range.
SIUE had no answer, especially from outside. The Cougars shot 42.3% in the first half but missed all eight of their 3-point attempts before finally connecting early in the second half after nine straight misses. They finished under 41% from the floor and just 3 of 18 from beyond the arc.
Missouri also kept the game under control in the less glamorous areas. The Tigers were edged on the glass 32-30, but they limited themselves to eight turnovers and turned SIUE’s 14 giveaways into 20 points.
Freshman Toni Bryant added 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists in an efficient showing. Bryson Tiller chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds, while Jamier Jones reached double figures with 10 points.
Jones also delivered one of the night’s best highlights, racing out for a breakaway windmill dunk after a steal in the first half.
The one real concern for Missouri came early. Fifth-year star Mark Mitchell, the All-SEC forward, left in the first minute after taking an elbow to the face. He walked to the training room with a towel over his face and did not return.
The Tigers now have the rest of the week to get ready for Marquette, which they’ll face at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Legends Classic in Chicago.
In Other News...
Mizzou Got The Bounce-Back It Needed But A Bigger Worry Emerged
Missouri got the kind of response it needed after a rough stretch, rolling past Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 96-58 behind a breakout night from freshman Jason Crowe Jr. Crowe poured in a career-best 34 points and set a single-game freshman scoring record for the program, while Toni Bryant added 18 points and six rebounds as the Tigers shot 12-for-23 from three-point range and turned defense into offense by forcing 14 turnovers.
The bigger concern came much earlier than the final buzzer, when star forward Mark Mitchell left with a face injury and did not return. Missouri had plenty to like in the win, especially the way its young guards and wings helped carry the scoring load, but Mitchells status is the part that will matter most as the Tigers move into the next stretch of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri Suddenly Has A Mark Mitchell Concern Before Marquette
Missouris win over Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville was the kind of early-season result that can still tell you something about a teams depth, even in a lopsided game. Jason Crowe Jr. stole the spotlight with a team-high 34 points and a freshman scoring record, while coach Dennis Gates mixed in multiple defensive looks and got useful minutes from Toni Bryant and Trent Burns.
The bigger concern came when Mark Mitchell left early because of a facial injury, and his status now becomes part of the buildup to the next test against Marquette. Missouri has enough momentum from the blowout to feel good about where it is, but Mitchells availability matters because the Tigers are already heading into a matchup that will demand more than just scoring punch. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Is Walking Into The Kind Of Spot Auburn Knows Well
Kirby Smart spent part of his latest comments doing what opposing coaches usually do when they know a quarterback can make a defense pay for any mistake: he talked up Austin Simmons. The Missouri starter, who began his college career at Ole Miss as a backup, has earned notice for the traits Smart singled out, especially his arm strength, accuracy and anticipation. For a Tigers offense trying to establish itself against top competition, that kind of recognition says plenty about how Georgia is viewing the matchup.
Smart also made clear this is not the sort of game Georgia can treat casually. Missouris offense has enough around Simmons to make the Tigers a real problem if the Bulldogs are slow to adjust, and Smart acknowledged the challenge waiting in front of them. For Missouri, the bigger question is whether Simmons can turn that praise into production when the spotlight gets brighter. [Read more 🡒]