Mizzou’s Noah Carter scored 18 points and hit three three-pointers in the Tigers’ win over Loyola last Saturday. (Photo: Cedric Williams)
Mizzou Basketball – Gameday Info
Game No. 8 – Missouri (5-2) at Pittsburgh (5-1)
Date/Time – November 28, 2023 – 6:30 pm
Location – Petersen Events Center — Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast – ESPNU
Live Stats – Mizzou StatBroadcast
Terrance Williams
Staff Writer
PITTSBURGH, PA — After closing out a three-game homestand with two wins and a last-second loss, the University of Missouri men’s basketball team will hit the road for one of its toughest stretches of the season on Tuesday, when it heads to the University of Pittsburgh to meet the Panthers in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge.
Missouri’s next five matchups are all against top-flight programs, with only one of those games coming at Mizzou Arena.
The Tigers (5-2) will play Pittsburgh on Tuesday, then Wichita State at home on Sunday. They will then follow that up with a trip to No. 5 Kansas next Saturday, December 9, before facing Seton Hall in a game in Kansas City (Dec. 17), and then the annual Braggin’ Rights Game in St. Louis against Illinois (Dec. 22).
The next stretch of games could play a big part in whether or not the Tigers qualify for postseason play and it will all begin with Tuesday’s trip to Pittsburgh.
“I think we’re still getting to learn from each other,” Mizzou head coach Dennis Gates said. “Ultimately, we’ve got to get more consistency and when we become consistent as players, then you can become consistent in rotation.”
Pittsburgh (5-1) is coming off its winningest season in nearly a decade, a 24-12 season last year, which earned the Panthers a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Pitt won its first round game and has looked dynamite in its first three weeks of games this season.
Each of the Panthers’ five wins have been by double-digits, including a 76-51 romp over Oregon State last Friday. Pitt’s only loss came last Wednesday to Florida in the Preseason NIT.
The Panthers have seemed to successfully built on the momentum of last season by complimenting its two returning starters with several high-level freshmen and two quality mid-major transfers that have clearly made a major impact on the team.
Mizzou will be tested by a physical Pittsburgh team.
“You look at their personnel, it starts with you know, top-to-bottom, they have unbelievable depth,” Gates said. “They have great balance, tremendous toughness, tremendous shooting ability. It’s a well-balanced team and they’ve done a great job of constructing their personnel.”
Players to Watch: Mizzou will be led by its three grad student seniors, point guard Sean East, shooting guard Nick Honor, and forward Noah Carter.
Each of the three has already delivered big performances for the Tigers. Honor sparked Mizzou’s 20-point comeback win over Minnesota two weeks ago. East hit the game-winning shot in that game. And Carter is coming off an 18-point night, which included three three-pointers in the Tigers’ win over Loyola last Saturday.
Another player Gates has been high on is freshman guard Anthony Robinson, who leads Mizzou with 12 steals and is second on the team with 16 assists. Robinson has also scored in double figures in each of the last two games – the first MU rookie to do so since Kobe Brown in 2019-20. In addition, his 16 assists are the most by a MU freshman in his first seven games since Terrence Phillips had 24 in 2015-16.
“The only consistent thing that I see right now happening is Anthony Robinson being able to cement himself as a guy that may be impacting the game,” Gates said. “First off the bench, second off the bench. He’s playing well.”
Pittsburgh is led by senior forward Blake Hinson, who ranks third in the ACC in scoring at 19.2 points per game. Teammates Ishmael Leggett and Carlton Carrington are also both in the top 25. Leggett is averaging 15.7 ppg and Carrington is right behind at 15.2 ppg.
Up Next: Mizzou will be back home on Sunday, December 3, for a matchup against Wichita State. That contest at Mizzou Arena will tip off at 2 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
Missouri Tigers Projected Starters
| Player | Class | Height | PPG | RPG | APG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Nick Honor | GR | 5-10 | 13.0 | 1.7 | 1.9 |
| 55 Sean East II | GR | 6-2 | 15.4 | 2.1 | 2.6 |
| 31 Caleb Grill | GR | 6-3 | 7.6 | 5.3 | 1.6 |
| 35 Noah Carter | GR | 6-6 | 13.0 | 6.3 | 1.9 |
| 75 Connor Vanover | GR | 7-5 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 0.0 |
Pittsburgh Panthers Projected Starters
| Player | Class | Height | PPG | RPG | APG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Ishmael Leggett | JR | 6-3 | 15.7 | 8.0 | 3.3 |
| 7 Carlton Carrington | FR | 6-5 | 15.2 | 5.3 | 6.2 |
| 55 Zack Austin | R-JR | 6-7 | 8.5 | 6.5 | 0.8 |
| 2 Blake Hinson | SR | 6-8 | 19.2 | 4.7 | 1.2 |
| 33 Federiko Federiko | JR | 6-11 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 1.2 |
2023-24 Mizzou Tigers Men’s Basketball Schedule
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 28, 2023 (Tuesday) | 6:30 p.m. | Away | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, Pa. |  |
| December 3, 2023 (Sunday) | 2 p.m. | Home | Wichita State | Mizzou Arena |  |
| December 9, 2023 (Saturday) | 4:15 p.m. | Away | Kansas | Lawrence, Kan. |  |
| December 17, 2023 (Sunday) | 4 p.m. | T-Mobile Center | Seton Hall | Kansas City, Mo. | |
| December 22, 2023 (Friday) | 8 p.m. | Enterprise Center | Illinois | St. Louis, Mo. |  |
| December 30, 2023 (Saturday) | 2 p.m. | Home | Central Arkansas | Mizzou Arena |  |
| January 6, 2024 (Saturday) | Noon | Home | Georgia | Mizzou Arena | |
| January 9, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6 p.m. | Away | Kentucky | Lexington, Ky. | |
| January 13, 2024 (Saturday) | 2:30 p.m. | Home | South Carolina | Mizzou Arena | |
| January 16, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6 p.m. | Away | Alabama | Tuscaloosa, Ala. | |
| January 20, 2024 (Saturday) | TBA | Home | Florida | Mizzou Arena | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| January 23, 2024 (Tuesday) | 8 p.m. | Away | Texas A&M | College Station, Texas | |
| January 27, 2024 (Saturday) | Noon CT | Away | South Carolina | Columbia, S.C. | |
| January 31, 2024 (Wednesday) | 7:30 p.m. | Home | Arkansas | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 3, 2024 (Saturday) | 2:30 p.m. | Away | Vanderbilt | Nashville, Tenn. | |
| February 7, 2024 (Wednesday) | 8 p.m. | Home | Texas A&M | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 10, 2024 (Saturday) | 7:30 p.m. | Home | Mississippi State | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 17, 2024 (Saturday) | 7:30 p.m. | Away | Ole Miss | Oxford, Miss. | |
| February 20, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6 p.m. | Home | Tennessee | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 24, 2024 (Saturday) | 11 a.m. | Away | Arkansas | Fayetteville, Ark. | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| February 28, 2024 (Wednesday) | 5:30 p.m. CT | Away | Florida | Gainesville, Fla. | |
| March 2, 2024 (Saturday) | 7:30 p.m. | Home | Ole Miss | Mizzou Arena | |
| March 5, 2024 (Tuesday) | 8 p.m. | Home | Auburn | Mizzou Arena | |
| March 9, 2024 (Saturday) | 7:30 p.m. | Away | LSU | Baton Rouge, La. | |
| March 13-17, 2024 (Wednesday) | TBA | Bridgestone Arena | SEC Tournament | Nashville, Tenn. |