Dennis Gates spent the days leading into Missouri’s opener having a little fun with his newcomers. He kept walking up to the rookies and asking if they were nervous, knowing full well that all the hype in the world doesn’t make a first college game feel any smaller.
Jason Crowe Jr. sure didn’t look rattled.
“I was trying not to smile throughout the whole game,” Crowe said. “I couldn't help it.
You know, it was like a little kid in me throughout the whole game. Just finally playing in my first college game, it felt so good, and just to go out and do what we did felt great.”
Missouri gave its fans plenty to smile about, too. The Tigers rolled past Cleveland State 111-50 on Nov. 3 at Mizzou Arena, a 61-point win that stood as the largest margin of victory in a season opener in program history. Crowe led the way with 23 points, the most ever by a freshman in an MU debut.
That said, nobody is handing out Final Four hotel reservations after one night against Cleveland State. Missouri has tougher tests coming, starting Friday night against Saint Louis, and that matchup should reveal a lot more about how quickly this group has actually come together.
Still, the opening night performance made one thing obvious: this team is going to be a lot of fun.
The freshmen supplied most of the fireworks. Crowe, the all-time leading scorer in California high school history, looked every bit like the shotmaker he was billed to be.
Gates even said Crowe wasn’t allowed to use a pick and roll this summer, and the freshman thanked him after knocking down a string of catch-and-shoot looks. He finished 9-of-16 from the field and 4-of-7 from 3-point range.
Toni Bryant, another five-star newcomer from Tampa, Florida, wasted no time making his presence felt. Before the game even reached the first media timeout, or the opening four minutes, Bryant had already buried three 3-pointers, blocked two shots and soared high enough to snatch an entry pass in the paint. He finished with 15 points, six rebounds and three blocks.
“I think he's special, man. Tony is a very special and efficient player,” Gates said.
“He doesn't need the ball in his hand to get in every category of the stat sheet. I think when you look at him making shots, that's half the battle.
But what he's more proud of is his defensive effort, his ability to alter shots, not just block shots, but also his ability to rebound. He's very versatile.”
The newcomers were the headliners, but Missouri’s ceiling may end up being tied just as much to Mark Mitchell. The fifth-year senior, still only temporarily eligible after his legal fight with the NCAA in Kentucky over the past three months, showed off a different layer of his game.
Early in the second half, Mitchell caught the ball at the elbow with only one Cleveland State defender between him and the rim. Instead of attacking, he kicked it out to the top of the key, where BYU transfer Kennard Davis Jr. drilled a catch-and-shoot 3.
That kind of decision fits with what Gates said Monday when he previewed the season: Missouri has plenty of scoring options, and Mitchell does not have to carry the offense every night. He tied his career high with nine assists on that pass to Davis, then reached 10 before leaving the game, setting up Bryant for an alley-oop to get there. Mitchell also scored 11 points for a double-double.
“Mark knows his role is completely (different) than his role was last year, and I think everybody can see what he's naturally gifted at,” Gates said. “I had to put him in a headlock, twist his arm for him to be a go-to guy and score.
… He knows how to pass. He led the conference in the SEC, obviously, in assist-to-turnover ratio as a 6-9 forward.”
If Mitchell keeps distributing like that, Missouri’s offense has another gear waiting for it.
The Tigers had seven players score in double figures, and Gates said he views all seven as basically starting-caliber pieces. The size and athleticism on the roster jumped off the floor, with Mitchell standing as the second-smallest player in the starting lineup at 6 foot 9.
So is Missouri good? It’s too early to say whether this team is ready to chase titles or make a real March push. One blowout over a clearly overmatched opponent doesn’t answer that.
But it did show this much: the ride should be entertaining.
“I feel like it's surreal, just going out there for warmups and seeing all the fans,” Crowe said. “Coming to the games last year, that’s why I wanted to play in this environment, and I feel like I thrived in it.”
In Other News...
Missouri Opens Texas Week With One Early Advantage
Missouris first SEC availability report for its matchup with Texas brought a bit of clarity to the start of a big week, and the Tigers came out of it in decent shape. The league-required update listed no new injuries for Missouri beyond the players already ruled out, which at least gives the Tigers a clean initial read as they begin preparing for one of the conferences marquee games.
Texas, meanwhile, had a longer list to sort through, with several starters and key contributors showing up as questionable or out, including wide receivers Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo, running back Hollywood Smothers and defensive end Colin Simmons. The reports will be updated daily as kickoff gets closer, so Missouris early edge is only a snapshot, but it is the kind of snapshot a team would rather see on its side heading into a week like this. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzous Shot At A Statement Win May Depend On Texas Saturday
Missouri heads into Saturday with the same injury picture it has been carrying, as Malae Fonoti, Josh Atkins and Gavin Hoffman remain out. The bigger question, though, is what Texas will have available when the Tigers try to turn this into a statement game, because the Longhorns are dealing with a much longer list of concerns and several starters are still in question.
Among the names to watch are Colin Simmons, Ryan Wingo, Cam Coleman, Kade Phillips and Graceson Littleton, all listed as questionable. Texas is already without running back Hollywood Smothers and tight end Nick Townsend, while Trevor Goosby is out for the season, leaving the Longhorns with some real uncertainty on both sides of the ball as Missouri looks to capitalize on the opening. [Read more 🡒]
Ahmad Hardy Just Became Mizzous Biggest Question Against Texas
Ahmad Hardy finally got back on the field in Missouris win over Arkansas, and even in a limited return, the Tigers had to like simply having their returning All-American running back available again. Hardy played five snaps and carried twice for five yards, a modest first step after missing time, but it was enough to signal that Missouri can begin folding him back into the offense as the stakes rise late in the season.
Eliah Drinkwitz has already said Hardys workload should grow against Texas, which adds another layer to a matchup that already has plenty riding on it. Missouri has leaned on Jamal Roberts to lead the SEC in rushing yards, but the Tigers are now trying to balance that production with Hardys return while staring down a Texas defense that will make every carry count. [Read more 🡒]