The Missouri Tigers celebrate taking a giant lead in Thursday’s win over Mississippi Valley State. (Photo courtesy: Cedric Williams)

NCAA Men’s Basketball12Final
Mississippi Valley State (1-2)192039
Missouri (3-1)5160111

Terrance Williams
Staff Writer

COLUMBIA, MO — Marques Warrick scored 11 of his 16 points in the first half when the University of Missouri men’s basketball team took off to a huge lead on its way to a 111-39 win over Mississippi Valley State on Thursday night at Mizzou Arena. The 72-point margin matches the largest win in Tigers history.

It was Missouri’s largest margin of victory since defeating Chicago State 117-45 in 1995. The Tigers also beat MacMurray 106-34 in 1976.

Caleb Grill and Tamar Bates added 15 points each, Mark Mitchell had 13 points, Jacob Crews scored 11 points, and freshmen Marcus Allen and Annor Boateng each scored 10 for Missouri (3-1), which has won three games in a row, after losing its season opener at Memphis on November 4.

The Tigers made 15 of 31 from the arc, led by Warrick’s four, and shot 57 percent overall. The Delta Devils (1-2) had 23 turnovers that turned into a 45-2 scoring edge for Missouri.

Arthur Tate scored 10 points to lead Mississippi Valley State.

Leading by 32 at halftime, Missouri opened the second half by scoring first 15 points of the second half to lead 66-19. The Tigers hit 100 points with just under five minutes left in the midst of a 17-0 run.

After Mississippi Valley State scored first in the game, Missouri ran off 12 straight points. Another 12-0 run with 3s from Grill, Jacob Crews, and Bates made it a 30-point margin with 6 1/2 minutes left in the first half, which ended with the Tigers up 51-19.

Mizzou sophomore Anthony Robinson defends against Mississippi Valley State’s Donovan Sanders during Thursday’s NCAA men’s basketball game at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. (Photo courtesy: MU Athletics)

Mizzou’s runs continued in the second half, which began with a 14-0 spurt for the Tigers, but also included runs of 17-4, 11-0, and 12-2.

Thursday’s game was the third in a 10-game homestand for the Tigers, who will be off for a week before returning to action next Friday, November 22, with a game against Pacific.

Mississippi Valley State 39

Missouri 111

##PlayerGSMINFG3PTFTORB-DRBREBPFATOBLKSTLPTS
02Bates, Tamar*146-93-40-02-022220015
25Mitchell, Mark*164-72-43-61-231201513
06Boateng, Annor*253-70-24-62-131000210
00Robinson II, Anthony*132-30-11-12-35110045
33Gray, Josh*111-10-00-02-24110002
01Warrick, Marques276-104-50-00-220400016
31Grill, Caleb184-72-45-50-221300015
35Crews, Jacob214-103-80-01-230100011
04Allen, Marcus143-30-04-41-340210010
11Pierce, Trent142-50-24-70-11100118
23Shaw, Aidan92-21-10-23-36310005
21Marshall, Peyton140-00-01-40-11120231
10Sanchez, Jeremy20-00-00-00-00100000
17Brown, JV20-10-00-00-00101000
TMTEAM00-00-00-04-26001000
Totals20037-6515-3122-3518-244214195415111

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