Caleb Grill celebrates making a key three-pointer in Mizzou’s win over Vanderbilt on Saturday. (Photo: Terrance Williams)

NCAA Men’s Basketball12Final
Vanderbilt (13-3, 1-2)323466
Missouri (13-2, 2-1)413475

Cedric Williams
Senior Editor

COLUMBIA, MO — The University of Missouri men’s basketball team picked up its second straight Southeastern Conference win and 13th win at home this season, when it knocked off visiting Vanderbilt, 75-66, Saturday afternoon in front of a sold-out crowd at Mizzou Arena.

The Tigers are now 13-3 on the season and 2-1 in SEC play. That’s a long way from last season when Missouri went 0-19 in conference games.

“Our guys played with some resolve and resilience,” Mizzou head coach Dennis Gates said. “Which ultimately led to us coming out with the victory.”

Mizzou’s Josh Gray goes for a blocked shot during the Tigers’ win over Vanderbilt on Saturday. (Photo: Terrance Williams)

Mizzou never trailed in its wire-to-wire win over Vandy. The Tigers began the game with a red-hot start — going four-for-four from three-point land — as they built a quick 14-2 lead.

The Commodores battled back into the game, but Mizzou went on a 10-0 run later in the half to build its biggest lead at 39-22. It seemed like the Tigers would coast into halftime with a big lead, but Vanderbilt closed the final 2 1/2 minutes with a 10-2 spurt that allowed them to pull to 41-32 at the first half break.

“I didn’t like how we closed the first half,” Gates said. “We were forcing shots that we didn’t need to and we weren’t challenging their shots like we should. That’s something we will be working on.”

After Mizzou began the second half with a pair of quick buckets to go back up by 13, Vanderbilt responded with a 12-2 run to make the score 49-46.

From that point on, the teams traded baskets, but Vanderbilt was able to get within a point and even had a chance to take its first lead on a possession with five minutes to go. But the Missouri defense forced a turnover, which led to a breakaway slam dunk by senior Tamar Bates to put the Tigers back up three.

Then, after another stop, Bates added a free throw, followed by two free throws by teammate Anthony Robinson II that put the Tigers up 66-60. Vanderbilt never got closer than three points after that, as Mizzou sank all of its free throws in the final two minutes.

“We stopped their second chance points and kept them off the free-throw line late,” Gates said. “We went zone and it kept us out of rotation, whoever was in the middle was able to rebound efficiently.”

Junior Mark Mitchell led the Tigers with 19 points in their win over Vanderbilt on Saturday. (Photo: Terrance Williams)

Junior forward Mark Mitchell led Mizzou with 19 points — sinking six-of-11 shots from the field and seven-of-nine from the free throw line. Robinson finished with 15 points and a career-best eight assists.

Caleb Grill came off the bench to add 13 points, while Bates put in 12. Senior center Josh Gray led the Tigers with 11 rebounds.

“I believe we’re a resilient team,” Robinson said. “We’re gonna stay together and the connectivity we have the trust we have in each other plays a big part in staying connected in those moments.”

The Tigers will be on the road for their next contest, which comes on Tuesday, January 14, when Mizzou will head to Gainesville to take on No. 5-ranked Florida. That contest is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m., and will be televised nationally on ESPNU.

Missouri’s next home game will come next Saturday, when the Tigers will host Arkansas in a 5 p.m. game at Mizzou Arena.

Vanderbilt 66

##PlayerGSMINFG3PTFTORB-DRBREBPFATOBLKSTLPTS
30Manon,Chris*254-72-30-01-123100210
11Hoggard,A.J.*323-151-42-21-23261019
99McGlockton,Devin*263-60-00-04-610303116
05Nickel,Tyler*171-21-20-00-22211003
04Huffman,Grant*120-00-02-20-00301002
01Edwards,Jason316-111-37-90-112020120
02Collins,MJ283-72-55-52-351010013
22Carey,Jaylen181-31-10-21-12211103
03Tanner,Tyler110-10-00-00-00321020
TMTEAM00-00-00-00-44003000
Totals20021-528-1816-209-20292111142766

Missouri 75

##PlayerGSMINFG3PTFTORB-DRBREBPFATOBLKSTLPTS
25Mitchell, Mark*296-110-17-92-570111019
00Robinson II, Anthony*344-42-25-91-013810315
02Bates, Tamar*294-53-31-20-333220012
11Pierce, Trent*273-72-51-21-34312019
12Perkins, Tony*122-21-10-00-00003005
31Grill, Caleb284-92-73-31-451100213
01Warrick, Marques161-70-30-00-11311002
33Gray, Josh190-20-00-04-711313200
35Crews, Jacob40-20-20-00-00000000
23Shaw, Aidan20-00-00-00-00001000
TMTEAM00-00-00-00-11000000
Totals20024-4910-2417-259-24331615143675

2024-25 Missouri Tigers Men’s Basketball Schedule

DateTimeAtOpponentLocationTV/Results
November 4, 2024 (Monday)7 p.m.AwayMemphisMemphis, Tenn.L 83-75 (0-1)
November 8, 2024 (Friday)7 p.m.HomeHowardMizzou ArenaW 77-62 (1-1)
November 11, 2024 (Monday)6 p.m.HomeEastern WashingtonMizzou ArenaW 84-77 (2-1)
November 14, 2024 (Thursday)6:30 p.m.HomeMississippi Valley StateMizzou ArenaW 111-39 (3-1)
November 22, 2024 (Friday)6:30 p.m.HomePacificMizzou ArenaW 91-56 (4-1)
November 24, 2024 (Sunday)4 p.m.HomeArkansas – Pine BluffMizzou ArenaW 112-63 (5-1)
November 27, 2024 (Wednesday)5:30 p.m.HomeLindenwoodMizzou ArenaW 81-61 (6-1)
December 3, 2024 (Tuesday)6 p.m.HomeCaliforniaMizzou ArenaW 98-93 (7-1)
December 8, 2024 (Sunday)NoonHomeKansasMizzou ArenaW 76-67 (8-1)
December 14, 2024 (Saturday)11 a.m.HomeLong IslandMizzou ArenaW 88-61 (9-1)
December 17, 2024 (Tuesday)6:30 p.m.HomeJacksonville StateMizzou ArenaW 83-72 (10-1)
December 22, 2024 (Sunday)NoonNeutralIllinoisSt. Louis, Mo. / Enterprise CenterL 80-77 (10-2)
December 30, 2024 (Monday)6:30 p.m.Alabama StateMizzou ArenaMizzou ArenaW 82-65 (11-2)
January 4, 2025 (Saturday)3 p.m.AwayAuburnAuburn, Ala.L 84-68 (11-3)
January 7, 2025 (Tuesday)8 p.m.HomeLSUMizzou ArenaW 83-67 (12-3)
January 11, 2025 (Saturday)2:30 p.m.HomeVanderbiltMizzou ArenaW 75-66 (13-3)
January 14, 2025 (Tuesday)8 p.m.AwayFloridaGainesville, Fla.
January 18, 2025 (Saturday)5 p.m.HomeArkansasMizzou Arena
January 21, 2025 (Tuesday)8 p.m.AwayTexasAustin, Texas
January 25, 2025 (Saturday)5 p.m.HomeOle MissMizzou Arena
February 1, 2025 (Saturday)NoonAwayMississippi StateStarkville, Miss.
February 5, 2025 (Wednesday)6 p.m.AwayTennesseeKnoxville, Tenn.
February 8, 2025 (Saturday)2:30 p.m.HomeTexas A&MMizzou Arena
February 12, 2025 (Wednesday)8 p.m.HomeOklahomaMizzou Arena
February 15, 2025 (Saturday)2:30 p.m.AwayGeorgiaAthens, Ga.
February 19, 2025 (Wednesday)8 p.m.HomeAlabamaMizzou Arena
February 22, 2025 (Saturday)7 p.m.AwayArkansasFayetteville, Ark.ESPN or ESPN2
February 25, 2025 (Tuesday)8 p.m.HomeSouth CarolinaMizzou ArenaESPN2 or ESPNU
March 1, 2025 (Saturday)5 p.m.AwayVanderbiltNashville, Tenn.
March 5, 2025 (Wednesday)7 p.m.AwayOklahomaNorman, Okla.
March 8, 2025 (Saturday)11 a.m.HomeKentuckyMizzou ArenaESPN or SECN
March 12-16, 2025 TBDNeutralSEC TournamentNashville, Tenn. / Bridgestone ArenaSECN or ESPN