COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri’s throwback uniforms might have to stick around.
Wearing the classic Block M jerseys and Tiger paw shorts from the program’s banner years, the Tigers throttled former conference nemesis and 12th-ranked Iowa State, 78-61, on Saturday in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge behind another flurry of 3-pointers. The win was Mizzou’s fourth this season against a ranked opponent and might push the Tigers (16-5) back into the national polls Monday.
After making a season-high 16 3s earlier this week at Ole Miss, it was bombs away again Saturday at sold-out Mizzou Arena, where the Tigers shot 14 of 30 from deep against one of the nation’s elite defensive teams. The Cyclones (15-5) committed a season-high 19 turnovers against MU’s relentless defensive pressure, leading directly to 30 MU points.
Mizzou’s Kobe Brown, leaving the game briefly in the first half, continued his All-SEC campaign with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while D’Moi Hodge stayed hot from deep with 17 points. Nick Honor added 12, while DeAndre Gholston scored 10. The Tigers improved to 15-0 when scoring at least 70 points.
The Tigers shot out of a cannon to open the second half, blasting off with a 13-5 run before the first media break. Back-to-back Honor 3s started the surge, followed by a Mosley jumper, then a 3-pointer for a 55-37 lead that ignited the sold-out crowd. Mizzou connected on its first six shots of the half.
Missouri couldn’t have played a much better first half, shooting nearly 54% from the floor while making 7 of 12 3-pointers. The Tigers forced 11 Iowa State turnovers, an uncharacteristic sloppy half for the Cyclones, while getting whistled for only six fouls.
Brown left the game briefly after appearing to twist his left ankle — he stayed on the floor to drain his free throws — but came back two minutes later and finished the half with a game-high 16 points.
Brown could have had two more on a alley-oop dunk in transition, but ISU’s Gabe Kalscheur was called for a foul on the floor to wipe out the basket. But it was the second foul for ISU’s second-leading scorer, leaving guard Jaren Holmes as the Cyclones’ only perimeter scoring threat on the floor.
Honor’s corner 3 in the final minutes put the Tigers up 37-30 lead, the biggest of the game for either team, then Hodge’s quick 3 from the opposite corner pushed the Tigers ahead by 10.
Gates switched up his starting lineup for the third straight game, going with Noah Carter at forward over freshman Aidan Shaw. Isiaih Mosley made his second straight start but first in Columbia in his hometown. The Tigers played without guard Tre Gomillion (groin) for the second straight game, while ISU was without third-leading scorer Caleb Grill.
