Mizzou sophomore Trent Pierce fires a three-point shot during Monday’s NCAA basketball season opener against Memphis. (Photo courtesy: Mizzou Athletics)
| NCAA Men’s Basketball | 1 | 2 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri (0-1) | 42 | 33 | 75 |
| Memphis (1-0) | 32 | 51 | 83 |
Terrance Williams
Staff Writer
MEMPHIS, TN — The first 20 minutes of the first game of the new NCAA basketball season looked fantastic for the University of Missouri on Monday.
The Tigers looked fresh, played terrific defense, and made a number of thrilling shots to jump out to a 10-point halftime lead.
That edge ballooned to 13 points in the second half, but Missouri was outscored 51-33 in the final 20 minutes, and eventually lost to Memphis, 83-75.
“We didn’t do a great job of paint protection like we did in the first half,” Gates said. “In the second half, they were able to execute, because they got that ball to the paint from the standpoint of setting up their press. They couldn’t set up the press in the first half as much, because the ball wasn’t going in as easy.”
Trent Pierce scored 10 of his team-high 13 points in the first half for Mizzou. Aidan Shaw also started hot, scoring nine of his 11 points before the break. But both played just five minutes in the second half, which Gates said was done strategically to put more ball handlers on the court to beat the press.
But the switches did little to slow down Memphis (1-0).
“I take this loss on my shoulders,” Gates said. “I don’t point fingers at our guys one bit at all. It is on Coach Gates. It’s on me. I am responsible for tonight’s second half.”
Mizzou’s Aidan Shaw knocks the ball away from a Memphis player during Monday’s NCAA Basketball game at the FedExForum in Memphis. (Photo: Chucky Booker)
Led by Anthony Robinson II — who finished with a team-high 16 points and seven assists — Mizzou rumbled out of the gate in commanding fashion. The sophomore guard scored 10 points after the break, wreaked havoc all over the court and consistently found ways to facilitate in fast-break opportunities.
Robinson also finished with three of the Tigers’ 11 total steals in 27 minutes.
“He’s been one of the most disruptive on-ball defenders,” Gates said. “He has to continue to read the game the right way and continue to get better.”
“I try to bring my energy and defense, and that will carry my offense,” Robinson said. “I just want to focus on the defensive point, and the whole game will come to me.”
Anchored by strong perimeter defense, Mizzou held Memphis to 11-of-32 shooting and forced eight turnovers in the first half.
PJ Haggerty made sure the visitors’ defensive success didn’t continue after intermission.
Haggerty scored 22 of his 25 points in the second half, willing Memphis to its second comeback win over Mizzou in as many seasons. The black-and-blue Tigers overcame a 14-point deficit to beat MU 70-55 on Nov. 10, 2023, at Mizzou Arena.
Mizzou’s Anthony Robinson II defends against a Memphis player during Monday’s NCAA Basketball game at the FedExForum in Memphis. (Photo: Chucky Booker)
Missouri (0-1) will host its home opener on Friday, when the Tigers will host Howard University. The Bison (0-1) lost their season opener on Monday to No. 1-ranked Kansas, 87-57.
Tip off at Mizzou Arena is slated for 7 p.m.
Missouri 75
| ## | Player | GS | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | ORB-DRB | REB | PF | A | TO | BLK | STL | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00 | Robinson II, Anthony | * | 27 | 4-5 | 1-1 | 7-9 | 1-3 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 16 |
| 02 | Bates, Tamar | * | 31 | 5-10 | 3-7 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 |
| 25 | Mitchell, Mark | * | 29 | 2-6 | 0-1 | 4-8 | 3-4 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| 31 | Grill, Caleb | * | 28 | 2-7 | 0-4 | 0-1 | 1-0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 33 | Gray, Josh | * | 21 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-6 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 11 | Pierce, Trent | 14 | 5-10 | 2-6 | 1-2 | 1-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | |
| 23 | Shaw, Aidan | 17 | 4-4 | 1-1 | 2-2 | 1-1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | |
| 12 | Perkins, Tony | 21 | 2-7 | 0-2 | 2-3 | 0-2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| 01 | Warrick, Marques | 7 | 1-3 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| 21 | Marshall, Peyton | 3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 35 | Crews, Jacob | 2 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| TM | TEAM | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2-1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | – | 200 | 26-57 | 7-24 | 16-25 | 10-20 | 30 | 24 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 11 | 75 |
Memphis 83
| ## | Player | GS | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | ORB-DRB | REB | PF | A | TO | BLK | STL | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04 | Haggerty,PJ | * | 39 | 7-16 | 1-3 | 10-11 | 3-3 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 25 |
| 11 | Hunter,Tyrese | * | 34 | 4-11 | 2-4 | 4-4 | 1-3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 14 |
| 03 | Rogers,Colby | * | 30 | 4-7 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 1-0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 42 | Dainja,Dain | * | 25 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 1-7 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 02 | Jourdain,Nicholas | * | 21 | 1-4 | 0-1 | 1-2 | 1-4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 32 | Cisse,Moussa | 19 | 4-8 | 0-0 | 6-10 | 3-4 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 14 | |
| 07 | Carter,PJ | 11 | 3-6 | 3-6 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 | |
| 06 | Okojie,Baraka | 18 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1-3 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 01 | Harris,Jared | 3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| TM | TEAM | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2-0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | – | 200 | 26-58 | 8-20 | 23-29 | 13-24 | 37 | 24 | 16 | 16 | 3 | 8 | 83 |
2024-25 Missouri Tigers Men’s Basketball Schedule
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | TV/Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 4, 2024 (Monday) | 7 p.m. | Away | Memphis | Memphis, Tenn. | L 83-75 (0-1) |
| November 8, 2024 (Friday) | 7 p.m. | Home | Howard | Mizzou Arena |  |
| November 11, 2024 (Monday) | 6 p.m. | Home | Eastern Washington | Mizzou Arena | |
| November 14, 2024 (Thursday) | 6:30 p.m. | Home | Mississippi Valley State | Mizzou Arena | |
| November 22, 2024 (Friday) | 6:30 p.m. | Home | Pacific | Mizzou Arena | |
| November 24, 2024 (Sunday) | 4 p.m. | Home | Arkansas – Pine Bluff | Mizzou Arena | |
| November 27, 2024 (Wednesday) | 5:30 p.m. | Home | Lindenwood | Mizzou Arena | |
| December 3, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6 p.m. | Home | California | Mizzou Arena |  |
| December 8, 2024 (Sunday) | Noon | Home | Kansas | Mizzou Arena |  |
| December 14, 2024 (Saturday) | 11 a.m. | Home | Long Island | Mizzou Arena | |
| December 17, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6:30 p.m. | Home | Jacksonville State | Mizzou Arena | |
| December 22, 2024 (Sunday) | Noon | Neutral | Illinois | St. Louis, Mo. / Enterprise Center |  |
| December 30, 2024 (Monday) | 6:30 p.m. | Alabama State | Mizzou Arena | Mizzou Arena | |
| January 4, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Auburn | Auburn, Ala. | |
| January 7, 2025 (Tuesday) | 8 p.m. | Home | LSU | Mizzou Arena | |
| January 11, 2025 (Saturday) | 2:30 p.m. | Home | Vanderbilt | Mizzou Arena | |
| January 14, 2025 (Tuesday) | 8 p.m. | Away | Florida | Gainesville, Fla. |  |
| January 18, 2025 (Saturday) | 5 p.m. | Home | Arkansas | Mizzou Arena | |
| January 21, 2025 (Tuesday) | 8 p.m. | Away | Texas | Austin, Texas | |
| January 25, 2025 (Saturday) | 5 p.m. | Home | Ole Miss | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 1, 2025 (Saturday) | Noon | Away | Mississippi State | Starkville, Miss. | |
| February 5, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6 p.m. | Away | Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. | |
| February 8, 2025 (Saturday) | 2:30 p.m. | Home | Texas A&M | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 12, 2025 (Wednesday) | 8 p.m. | Home | Oklahoma | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 15, 2025 (Saturday) | 2:30 p.m. | Away | Georgia | Athens, Ga. | |
| February 19, 2025 (Wednesday) | 8 p.m. | Home | Alabama | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 22, 2025 (Saturday) | 7 p.m. | Away | Arkansas | Fayetteville, Ark. | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| February 25, 2025 (Tuesday) | 8 p.m. | Home | South Carolina | Mizzou Arena | ESPN2 or ESPNU |
| March 1, 2025 (Saturday) | 5 p.m. | Away | Vanderbilt | Nashville, Tenn. | |
| March 5, 2025 (Wednesday) | 7 p.m. | Away | Oklahoma | Norman, Okla. | |
| March 8, 2025 (Saturday) | 11 a.m. | Home | Kentucky | Mizzou Arena | ESPN or SECN |
| March 12-16, 2025 | TBD | Neutral | SEC Tournament | Nashville, Tenn. / Bridgestone Arena | SECN or ESPN |