The Missouri Tigers are hitting the road this weekend, looking to keep their early SEC momentum rolling as they take on LSU in Baton Rouge. Tipoff is set for 2:30 p.m.
CT on Saturday, airing on SEC Network. With both teams entering at very different points in their conference journeys, this one has all the ingredients for a compelling midseason matchup.
Mizzou Riding High in the SEC
Missouri comes into the weekend with a 13-4 overall record and a 3-1 mark in SEC play, part of a five-way logjam atop the conference standings. The Tigers are fresh off a strong 84-74 win over Auburn, where Jayden Stone and Mark Mitchell each dropped 20-plus points-Stone with 22, Mitchell with 20.
Mitchell has been the engine all season long. He leads the team in scoring at 17.5 points per game, adds 5.3 rebounds, and chips in 3.4 assists-a stat line that puts him in rare company nationally.
Only 11 players in the country are averaging at least 17 points, five boards, and three assists. For Mizzou, it’s the kind of versatility they haven’t seen since Anthony Peeler’s Big Eight Player of the Year campaign back in 1991-92.
And Mitchell isn’t just padding stats-he’s making history. In back-to-back games, he’s posted 20-5-5 lines, something no Tiger had done since Peeler.
Against Ole Miss, he went for 20 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Then he followed it up with 20, five, and five against Auburn.
That kind of all-around production is rare, and it’s coming at the perfect time.
Balanced Attack Fueling Mizzou’s Offense
One of the keys to Missouri’s success this season has been its depth. Five players are averaging double figures: Mitchell (17.5), Stone (14.7), Jacob Crews (12.1), Trent Pierce (10.8), and Anthony Robinson II (10.6). That kind of balance makes them tough to defend-pick your poison.
Robinson has been the table-setter, leading the team with 4.1 assists per game, while big man Shawn Phillips Jr. anchors the paint with a team-best 1.5 blocks per game. As a unit, Mizzou is putting up 81.8 points per game while allowing 71.8-a scoring margin that’s been a big part of their early SEC success.
And when they hit their offensive stride, they’re nearly unbeatable. The Tigers are 13-0 when scoring at least 72 points this season.
When they don’t? They’re 0-4.
So yeah, 72 is kind of a magic number in Columbia right now.
Jayden Stone Eyes Milestone
Jayden Stone is quietly approaching a career milestone. The graduate guard enters Saturday’s game with 972 career points, just 28 shy of the 1,000-point mark.
If he gets there, he’ll become the fourth active Tiger to hit that number, joining Mitchell (1,457), Jevon Porter (1,177), and Crews (1,125). Stone’s return from a hand injury has given Mizzou a major boost, and he’s playing some of his best basketball right now.
Pierce and Stone: Impact Returns
Speaking of returns, the SEC portion of the schedule has been kind to both Stone and Trent Pierce, who are back in the lineup after missing time due to injuries. In four conference games, the duo has combined to average 27.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.8 steals.
Against Auburn, they combined for 40 points-Stone with 22 and Pierce with 18, both season highs. Pierce, who missed the first 13 games with a lower-body injury, is starting to look like the player who started last season.
Stone, who sat out the final seven non-conference games, has returned with a vengeance.
Defense Setting the Tone
It’s not just the offense that’s clicking. Mizzou’s defense has been a difference-maker in SEC play.
Through four conference games, the Tigers are allowing just 73.0 points per game-tops in the league. Over the full season, they’re giving up 71.8 points per contest, which ranks fifth in the SEC.
That kind of defensive consistency is giving them a chance to win every night, even when the shots aren’t falling.
LSU Searching for First SEC Win
On the other side, LSU enters the weekend with a 12-5 overall record but is still searching for its first SEC win at 0-4. The Tigers dropped a heartbreaker to Kentucky on Wednesday, 75-74, and have been without their leading scorer and playmaker, Dedan Thomas Jr., for the last four games. Thomas leads LSU with 16.2 points and 7.1 assists per game, and his absence has clearly been felt.
Still, this LSU team can score. They’re averaging 84.9 points per game-more than Mizzou-and have three other players in double figures: Max Mackinnon (14.5), Michael Nwoko (14.4), and Marquel Sutton (13.1). But on the defensive end, they’ve been vulnerable, giving up 72.6 points per game.
Series Snapshot
The series between Mizzou and LSU dates back to the 1980 NCAA Tournament, and LSU holds a 12-5 edge overall. But Missouri has had the upper hand recently, winning three of the last four matchups. That includes last year’s 83-67 win at Mizzou Arena, which was their first SEC victory of the season.
What’s at Stake
For Missouri, a win on Saturday would push them to 4-1 in SEC play-something they’ve only done once before since joining the conference in 2012. For LSU, it’s a chance to stop the bleeding and get back on track in front of their home crowd.
Bottom line: Mizzou is rolling, playing with confidence, and getting key contributions across the board. But LSU is dangerous, especially if they can find a rhythm offensively.
If Missouri hits that 72-point mark again, history says they’ll be in good shape. But on the road in the SEC, nothing comes easy.