Missouri and Saint Louis are set to meet Friday night at the Enterprise Center, and the matchup comes with plenty of early-season buzz for both sides. The Tigers are 1-0, the Billikens are 1-0, and this is the first time the programs have faced each other in 25 years.
For Missouri, the game is the first of seven high-profile nonconference tests on the schedule. The Tigers arrive after a blistering opener, one that produced the biggest victory in program history for a season opener. Missouri rolled past Cleveland State 111-50, a 61-point win that featured seven Tigers scoring in double figures.
Jason Crowe Jr. was the headliner in that rout, pouring in 23 points to lead all scorers. Mark Mitchell also made his mark by running the offense and finishing with a career-high 10 assists. Missouri’s pace and pressure showed up in the numbers too: the Tigers outscored Cleveland State 24-6 in fast-break points and turned the ball over just four times.
Saint Louis opened with a strong showing of its own, beating Lehigh 92-67 on Monday. The Billikens also had balanced scoring, with six players reaching double figures.
Kellen Thames and Quentin Jones tied for team-high honors with 15 points apiece, while 6-foot-11 sophomore Jax Kerr chipped in eight points and eight rebounds off the bench. Saint Louis shot 60% from the field in that win.
Both teams will be dealing with absences. Saint Louis will be without star center Robbie Avila, who was denied a roster spot despite gaining eligibility, according to Sports Illustrated Senior Writer Pat Forde, who tweeted Friday. Because the Billikens already had 15 players rostered, the College Sports Commission denied the request to add Avila.
Missouri’s availability picture has been hit as well. Jaylen Carey was indefinitely suspended Monday, Aidan Chronister is out with a non-shooting hand injury that will keep him sidelined for at least four weeks from Tuesday, Luke Northweather was also absent from the home opener, and Annor Boateng is out for the entire season.
Missouri On SI beat writers will provide live updates and analysis throughout the game.
In Other News...
Ahmad Hardys Mizzou Return Came After A Comeback Few Saw Coming
Ahmad Hardys path back to the field for Missouri was anything but ordinary. Shot in the leg in May and forced into surgery that placed a metal rod in his femur, the running back spent months working through rehab before finally making it back for Halloween, when he took part in the Tigers win over Arkansas.
For a Missouri team that has leaned on toughness all season, Hardys return carried real weight beyond the box score. Eli Drinkwitz made clear how much the staff valued both the recovery itself and the way Hardy was able to contribute once he was back on the field, a reminder of how much had to go right just for this moment to happen. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzous 2027 Offense Just Got A Lot More Interesting
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The arrangement still leaves some uncertainty, though, since his contract gives him the option to enter the 2027 NFL Draft if that path becomes available. Even so, Missouri now has a clearer picture at the most important position, and with several other skill-position players also eligible for 2027, the offense suddenly has a much more defined core to work with. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Just Got A Much Tougher SLU Problem Than Expected
What had looked like a straightforward early-season matchup for Missouri has suddenly become more complicated. St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Jason Sengheiser granted Robbie Avila an injunction that gives him a fifth year of eligibility and blocks the NCAA from using roster limits to keep him off the floor, and Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz confirmed Avila will be dressed and available for the Billikens upcoming game against Missouri.
For a Tigers team already preparing for a cross-town test, the timing matters. Avilas case mirrors that of Mark Mitchell, who also received a court allowance to return to the Saint Louis roster, adding another layer of uncertainty to a game that now carries a little more intrigue than expected. [Read more 🡒]