Caleb Grill celebrates making a key three-pointer in Mizzou’s win over Vanderbilt on Saturday. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
| NCAA Men’s Basketball | 1 | 2 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt (13-3, 1-2) | 32 | 34 | 66 |
| Missouri (13-2, 2-1) | 41 | 34 | 75 |
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
| ## | Player | GS | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | ORB-DRB | REB | PF | A | TO | BLK | STL | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | Manon,Chris | * | 25 | 4-7 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| 11 | Hoggard,A.J. | * | 32 | 3-15 | 1-4 | 2-2 | 1-2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| 99 | McGlockton,Devin | * | 26 | 3-6 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 4-6 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 05 | Nickel,Tyler | * | 17 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 04 | Huffman,Grant | * | 12 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 01 | Edwards,Jason | 31 | 6-11 | 1-3 | 7-9 | 0-1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 20 | |
| 02 | Collins,MJ | 28 | 3-7 | 2-5 | 5-5 | 2-3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | |
| 22 | Carey,Jaylen | 18 | 1-3 | 1-1 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| 03 | Tanner,Tyler | 11 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| TM | TEAM | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | – | 200 | 21-52 | 8-18 | 16-20 | 9-20 | 29 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 66 |
Missouri 75
| ## | Player | GS | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | ORB-DRB | REB | PF | A | TO | BLK | STL | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Mitchell, Mark | * | 29 | 6-11 | 0-1 | 7-9 | 2-5 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| 00 | Robinson II, Anthony | * | 34 | 4-4 | 2-2 | 5-9 | 1-0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 15 |
| 02 | Bates, Tamar | * | 29 | 4-5 | 3-3 | 1-2 | 0-3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 11 | Pierce, Trent | * | 27 | 3-7 | 2-5 | 1-2 | 1-3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| 12 | Perkins, Tony | * | 12 | 2-2 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 31 | Grill, Caleb | 28 | 4-9 | 2-7 | 3-3 | 1-4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 | |
| 01 | Warrick, Marques | 16 | 1-7 | 0-3 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 33 | Gray, Josh | 19 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 4-7 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 35 | Crews, Jacob | 4 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Shaw, Aidan | 2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| TM | TEAM | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | – | 200 | 24-49 | 10-24 | 17-25 | 9-24 | 33 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 75 |
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 | W 77-62 (1-1) |
| November 11, 2024 (Monday) | 6 p.m. | Home | Eastern Washington | Mizzou Arena | W 84-77 (2-1) |
| November 14, 2024 (Thursday) | 6:30 p.m. | Home | Mississippi Valley State | Mizzou Arena | W 111-39 (3-1) |
| November 22, 2024 (Friday) | 6:30 p.m. | Home | Pacific | Mizzou Arena | W 91-56 (4-1) |
| November 24, 2024 (Sunday) | 4 p.m. | Home | Arkansas – Pine Bluff | Mizzou Arena | W 112-63 (5-1) |
| November 27, 2024 (Wednesday) | 5:30 p.m. | Home | Lindenwood | Mizzou Arena | W 81-61 (6-1) |
| December 3, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6 p.m. | Home | California | Mizzou Arena | W 98-93 (7-1) |
| December 8, 2024 (Sunday) | Noon | Home | Kansas | Mizzou Arena | W 76-67 (8-1) |
| December 14, 2024 (Saturday) | 11 a.m. | Home | Long Island | Mizzou Arena | W 88-61 (9-1) |
| December 17, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6:30 p.m. | Home | Jacksonville State | Mizzou Arena | W 83-72 (10-1) |
| December 22, 2024 (Sunday) | Noon | Neutral | Illinois | St. Louis, Mo. / Enterprise Center | L 80-77 (10-2) |
| December 30, 2024 (Monday) | 6:30 p.m. | Alabama State | Mizzou Arena | Mizzou Arena | W 82-65 (11-2) |
| January 4, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Auburn | Auburn, Ala. | L 84-68 (11-3) |
| January 7, 2025 (Tuesday) | 8 p.m. | Home | LSU | Mizzou Arena | W 83-67 (12-3) |
| January 11, 2025 (Saturday) | 2:30 p.m. | Home | Vanderbilt | Mizzou Arena | W 75-66 (13-3) |
| 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 |