Tuesday night was supposed to be the first real look at Missouri’s revamped roster, and it delivered exactly that. With a crowd at Mizzou Arena waiting on a team built around a highly touted freshman class, three four-star transfers and a handful of returners, the Tigers opened the season by overwhelming Cleveland State 111-50.
The loudest early moment belonged to Jason Crowe Jr. The five-star freshman point guard, the biggest draw on the roster, answered the opening buzz almost immediately with a step-back 3-pointer that dropped cleanly through the net and gave Missouri a 7-0 lead just over a minute into the game.
Crowe never let up from there. In his debut, he scored 23 points on 9-for-16 shooting and helped push Missouri to a point total it didn’t reach in any game in 2025-26. He scored from all over the floor, mixing midrange jumpers, finishes through contact and threes in a debut that matched the hype around him.
Another five-star freshman made his presence felt right away, too. Toni Bryant blocked two shots on Cleveland State’s first defensive possession and finished the first half with 11 points, including three 3-pointers, along with four rebounds and two blocks.
Missouri also got strong first impressions from its transfers. Bryson Tiller started at center and opened his scoring with a drop-step dunk. He ended the night with 10 points, nine rebounds and one block, a welcome response after his struggles against UNLV.
Jamier Jones brought energy in transition all game and repeatedly attacked the rim. He converted three and-1 opportunities, finishing with 13 points, five rebounds and a combined three steals and blocks.
Kennard Davis, the St. Louis transfer who played last season at BYU, added 19 points on 7-for-9 shooting and knocked down four 3-pointers.
Mark Mitchell, one of the returning pieces, filled a different role than the one he had last season. Missouri coach Dennis Gates said Monday that Mitchell had been “uncomfortably” forced into being the team’s main shot-taker and at times its only offense a year ago, and Gates wants his playmaking to show up more this season.
Mitchell responded with a career-high 10 assists, including an alley-oop feed to Bryant in the third quarter. He also scored 11 points, as did fellow returner Trent Pierce.
Every active Tiger saw the floor. Aidan Chronister was sidelined after injuring his left hand in Monday’s practice and will be out at least a month.
Luke Northweather and Jaylen Carey did not play, with Carey suspended for a violation of team rules and Northweather held out as a precaution. Annor Boateng remains out for the season, and C.J.
Gunn, who had been expected to compete for a spot, was ruled ineligible by the SEC but was on the bench in street clothes.
Missouri is now 1-0 and heads to St. Louis next, where it will face Saint Louis at 6 p.m. Friday at Chaifetz Arena.
In Other News...
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For Missouri, the projection is another reminder that the Tigers postseason destination is beginning to take shape even as the bigger questions around the league remain unsettled. Arkansas and Vanderbilt were left out of the analysts bowl projections entirely, underscoring how much can still change in the SEC race, and how quickly one result can alter the path from here. [Read more 🡒]
Eli Drinkwitz Is Pushing A CFP Change Missouri Fans Will Notice
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Drinkwitz is backing a move to a 24-team playoff with more automatic bids for conferences and play-in games instead of relying so heavily on selections. There is already a tentative agreement for that format to arrive after 2032, but the formal details are still being worked out, which means Missouri fans are watching both the rankings and the broader playoff debate with real interest. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Just Got A CFP Reality Check With Everything Still Ahead
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What makes the number interesting is the path still in front of Missouri, with three of those final four games coming against Top 10 opponents. Early rankings are never the final word, and the Tigers postseason case will rise or fall on what they do in those marquee matchups. The betting market still sees Missouri as a team with a shot at the national title, but the real answer will have to come on the field. [Read more 🡒]