Missouri didn’t just get back in the win column Monday. The Tigers got a breakout night from Jason Crowe Jr., who rewrote the program’s freshman scoring mark in a 96-58 rout of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Crowe led the charge with a career-high 34 points, doing it efficiently with 11 made field goals in 16 attempts. It was the most points by a Tiger in a game since the 2023-24 season, and a sharp response after he went 3-for-18 in Missouri’s 90-84 loss to Saint Louis.
The freshman’s scoring came in every flavor. He hit deep threes, knocked down midrange shots and finished around the rim, going 4-for-8 from beyond the arc and 8-for-9 at the line.
Missouri’s early minutes also brought a scare when Mark Mitchell left with a face injury on the second possession and never returned. Mitchell spent more than a minute on the floor with a towel covering his face, and his status, along with the exact nature of the injury, remains unknown.
With Mitchell out for nearly the entire game, Toni Bryant took on a bigger role and delivered. The five-star freshman finished with 18 points, six rebounds and three assists, mixing corner threes with work in the paint during the second half.
The Tigers kept the perimeter game rolling as a team, shooting 12-for-23 from three. Kennard Davis Jr. added 3-for-5 shooting from deep off the bench, giving Missouri another lift after his 19-point outing in the season opener.
Bryson Tiller anchored the interior with a team-best seven rebounds, plus 11 points and a block. Missouri also forced 14 turnovers and converted them into 20 points, with Jamier Jones providing one of the night’s loudest highlights when he raced in for a windmill slam. Jones finished with ten points and three rebounds off the bench.
The one spot where Missouri came up short was on the glass. SIUE grabbed 13 offensive rebounds, while the Tigers collected eight.
Missouri’s next game comes Sunday at 1:30 p.m. against Marquette at the United Center.
In Other News...
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 🡒]
Jason Crowe Answered Mizzou's Setback As A New Concern Emerged
Missouri got the bounce-back it needed at home, rolling past Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 96-58 after taking its first loss of the season. The response came with freshman Jason Crowe Jr. delivering a record-setting performance, pouring in 34 points for a Mizzou freshman while doing it with efficient shooting and giving the Tigers the kind of offensive lift they were looking for.
Mark Mitchells night, though, ended much earlier than Missouri would have liked. The fifth-year forward left with a facial injury and did not return, turning a comfortable win into a reminder that the Tigers may have a new concern to monitor as they move forward from the setback they just answered. [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 🡒]