A key run to end the first half and start the second proved to be the difference on Sunday as the Mizzou men’s basketball team fell to No. 21 Kansas in the StorageMart Border Showdown, 80-60. The Tigers fall to 8-2, while the Jayhawks improve to 7-3.
MIZZOU LEADERS
Mark Mitchell led the team with 21 points, his sixth time leading the Tigers this season. The senior nabbed seven rebounds and notched six makes at the charity stripe. Graduate Jacob Crews added 11 points, making three buckets from beyond-the-arc. Junior Anthony Robinson II nabbed seven rebounds and notched six assists in the contest, both season highs.
GAME RECAP
The Jayhawks jumped out to a 7-1 before a Robinson triple knocked the lead to two. Two Mitchell fastbreaks put the Tigers in front for the first time, 11-9.
Missouri and Kansas traded buckets as the half continued with three lead changes through the first 12 minutes of the contest. A Mitchell fastbreak gave the Tigers a two-point advantage, 23-21, leading to a Jayhawk timeout with 4:28 to play in the first stanza.
However, Kansas took the edge to finish the first and start the second. A 12-2 spurt to finish the opening period, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer, gave the hosts a 33-25 halftime lead. KU then started off the second half notching an 11-1 run to further its advantage to 18 points, 44-26.
MU fought back with an 8-2 run, sparked by a Luke Northweather triple, cutting the Kansas lead to 12 with over 11 minutes remaining. However, Missouri was unable to close the gap any further as KU finished off the victory.
TEAM STATS
Mizzou closed the game shooting 34.4 percent. The Tigers led the contest in offensive rebounds, 16-12, and fast break points, 15-11.
The Jayhawks held the shooting advantage with 45.6 percent from the field and 42.9 percent behind the 3-point line, finishing with nine triples to Missouri’s seven.
UP NEXT
The Tigers return home to face off against Alabama State on Thursday, Dec. 11. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Mizzou Arena on SEC Network+.
