KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Missouri’s Sophie Cunningham irritated Tennessee’s fan base late in the third quarter by elbowing Tennessee’s Rennia Davis on her way to the basket.

She gave them even more reason to gripe by the end of the day.

Cunningham scored 20 points and Haley Troup added a career-high 16 points off the bench as Missouri edged the 10th-ranked Lady Volunteers 66-64 on Sunday for its fifth consecutive victory. Missouri (13-3, 2-0 SEC) beat the Lady Vols at Knoxville for the first time in five attempts and ended a 20-game skid in road games against top-10 teams.

“It was such a good game, it was a hard-fought win,” said Cunningham, who scored 32 points in a victory over Tennessee last season. “Honestly, I prefer those close games. I think blowout games can get old.”

A postgame video showed Cunningham exchanging words with Tennessee’s Rae Burrell and Lou Brown after the game. The same video showed Cunningham going back to shake the hand of Tennessee assistant to the head coach Janet McGee, who initially appeared to walk past her without shaking her hand.

“I just wanted to make sure that she tapped my hand because we’re going to meet again and I kind of wanted to end on good terms,” Cunningham said.

Tennessee’s Rennia Davis missed a potential go-ahead shot in the final five seconds and a game-tying attempt at the buzzer.

In a game that neither team ever led by more than five points, Missouri was ahead 65-60 when Tennessee (12-2, 1-1) staged one last rally.

Zaay Green made a three-point play to cut Missouri’s lead to 65-63 with 1:28 remaining. Evina Westbrook had a chance to tie the game when she went to the foul line with 59.4 seconds left, but Missouri maintained a 65-64 advantage after she missed the second of two free throws.

Cunningham missed a shot on Missouri’s next possession, giving Tennessee another opportunity. Tennessee called a timeout with 19.6 seconds left and got the ball to Davis, whose shot bounced off the rim.

“I think it’s a makeable shot for me,” Davis said. “It just didn’t go in.”

After Cunningham made one of two free throws with 3.1 seconds left, Tennessee called another timeout and got the ball at midcourt. The Lady Vols again threw to Davis, whose hurried shot that fell short of the basket.

Troup, a redshirt freshman who was averaging just 2.9 points per game, put Missouri ahead for good 56-54 by hitting a 3-pointer with 6:08 remaining. Troup went 4 of 6 from 3-point range.

“You can kind of feel it as a player when you’re kind of in the zone,” Troup said. “I just felt that.”

Lauren Aldridge added 12 points for Missouri and made all three of her 3-point attempts.

Davis and Westbrook had 16 points each for Tennessee, which had a four-game winning streak snapped. Cheridene Green had 13 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Zaay Green added 11 points.

BIG PICTURE

Missouri: After shooting just 34.6 percent (9 of 26) in the first half, Missouri shot 56.5 percent (13 of 23) in the second half. The Tigers were 8 of 11 in the third quarter. Missouri also shot 6 of 9 from 3-point range in the second half. Cunningham, Aldridge and Troup were a combined 10 of 14 on 3-point attempts for the game.

Tennessee: The Lady Vols couldn’t overcome an off day from senior Meme Jackson, who scored just two points and missed all nine of her field-goal attempts. Jackson was averaging 14.8 points was coming off a 27-point performance in a 78-69 victory at Auburn.

CUNNINGHAM’S ELBOW

Cunningham delivered her elbow to Davis’ face in the final minute of the third quarter while driving to the basket for a shot that extended Missouri’s lead to 48-44.

Although Cunningham’s basket counted, she was called for an unsportsmanlike foul after officials saw the replay. Jackson made the ensuing two free throws for Tennessee.

“I’m really not surprised because of who it was,” Davis said. “At the end of the day, I was just playing defense and she was dribbling and she stuck her elbow all the way up and I flew back. She hit me dead in the eye.”

Cunningham, who has a reputation for physical play, had six rebounds, six assists and six turnovers to go along with her 20 points.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

Missouri had a 25-6 edge in bench scoring that made up for the Lady Vols’ 15-3 advantage in second-chance points.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

This loss likely will drop Tennessee out of the top 10.

UP NEXT

Missouri hosts Arkansas on Thursday.

Tennessee hosts No. 16 Kentucky on Thursday.

— Associated Press —

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball opened conference play in dominant fashion Thursday, as the Tigers defeated Ole Miss, 78-55, at Mizzou Arena. Mizzou had its best shooting night of the season in the victory, as the Tigers set season-highs in field goal percentage (65.9 percent) and three-point percentage (60 percent).

Mizzou’s 27-for-41 shooting night from the field was its first time shooting over 60 percent from the field since Feb. 23, 2017 against Ole Miss (60 percent, 30-for-50), while its 9-for-15 shooting from three marked its best shooting performance from deep since shooting 61.5 percent (8-for-13) against South Carolina on Jan. 7, 2018. Mizzou sank nine three-pointers in the game, marking the ninth time in the last 11 games Mizzou has made at least seven threes in a game.

TURNING POINT

For the second game in-a-row, Mizzou completely controlled an entire quarter to take a grasp of the game, this time the second quarter, as the Tigers outscored the Rebels, 21-6, in the second frame. The dominant quarter helped result in Mizzou taking a 40-21 lead into the locker room at halftime. Mizzou had nine players score in the half, led by senior guard Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) with nine points.

TOP TIGERS

• Junior guard Amber Smith (Shreveport, La.) paced the Tigers with 18 points in the game, her seventh double-figure scoring performance in the least eight games. Smith was extremely efficient from the field in the game, as she shot 8-for-10 from the field.
• Cunningham had 14 points in the game, and also contributed five rebounds and a team-high five assists. The Tiger senior had a perfect night shooting from the field in the game, as she shot 4-for-4 from the field and 3-for-3 from three.
• Junior guard Jordan Roundtree (St. Louis, Mo.) was Mizzou’s third double-figure scorer, as she matched a career-high with 10 points.

NOTES

• Mizzou’s 65.9 percent shooting from the field is its first time shooting better than 60 percent since Feb. 23, 2017 against Ole Miss (60 percent, 30-for-50), and its best shooting night overall in the last seven seasons dating back to the 2012-13 campaign.
• The Tigers 60 percent success rate from deep (9-for-15) is its best shooting night from three since shooting 61.5 percent (8-for-13) against South Carolina on Jan. 7, 2018.
• In addition to season-highs in field goal percentage and three-point percentage, Mizzou also set a season high in assists with 21, led by Cunningham’s five. Three other Tigers recorded three or more assists, as redshirt senior Lauren Aldridge (Marshfield, Mo.) and redshirt junior forward Hannah Schuchts (Tallahassee, Fla.) each had four, while redshirt freshman Haley Troup (Gadsden, Ala.) had three. Schuchts and Troup each recorded career highs with their dimes.

UP NEXT

Next, Mizzou travels to Knoxville, Tenn., for a meeting with No. 10 Tennessee on Sunday. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m.

— Mizzou Athletics —

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball closed nonconference action with a 70-50 victory over Arkansas State on Sunday at Mizzou Arena. The Tigers were paced by senior guard Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.), who reached 20 points for the fifth time this season and the 38^th time in her career with 20 points while sinking a career-high 16-of-18 shots from the free throw line.

After stepping away from the game over the summer, senior forward Cierra Porter (Columbia, Mo.) returned to the court for the first time this season and contributed four points, two rebounds and two steals in 11 minutes off the bench. Porter’s four points gave her 1,000 on her career as she became the 36^th member of Mizzou’s 1,000-point club.

TURNING POINT

Mizzou outscored the Red Wolves, 18-8, in the third quarter to extend its lead from three points and halftime to 13 points heading into the final quarter. The Tigers ended the third period on an 11-2 run, led by two three-pointers in the run from redshirt senior guard Lauren Aldridge (Marshfield, Mo.).

TOP TIGERS

• Cunningham scored 20 points to lead Mizzou in scoring for the 10^th time this season and the fourth time in Mizzou’s last five contests. Cunningham set career highs in free throws made and attempted, as she was 16-for-18 from the charity stripe. Cunningham also grabbed six rebounds and dished out five assists in the game.
• Junior guard Amber Smith (Shreveport, La.) scored nine points, grabbed 10 rebounds and set a career-high in blocks with five. Smith’s 10 rebounds marked the seventh time she has reached 10 boards.
• Making her third consecutive start, junior guard Jordan Roundtree (St. Louis, Mo.) had nine points and six rebounds.

NOTES

• Cunningham’s 16 made free throws are the most made by a Tiger since Kerensa Barr made 17 vs. Colorado on Jan. 24, 1987.
• As a team, Mizzou shot a season-high 88.5 percent from the free throw as the Tigers made 23-for-26 from the charity stripe.
• With four points, Porter became the 36^th member of Mizzou’s 1,000-point club and the first since Cunningham reached the plateau last season.

UP NEXT

Mizzou will now transition to the conference play as the Tigers host Ole Miss on Thursday, Jan. 3 at Mizzou Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

— Mizzou Athletics —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Missouri basketball coach Cuonzo Martin is from Illinois, and he has stocked his roster with five scholarship players from his home state. They will enjoy their trips home for Christmas a little more after the Tigers beat Illinois 79-63 Saturday night.

Sophomore forward Jeremiah Tilmon and freshman guard Javon Pickett, who both signed letters of intent with Illinois out of high school before switching their allegiance to Missouri, had big nights. Tilmon scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Pickett added 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field. Jordan Geist led the Tigers with 20 points and seven assists.

Missouri (8-3) ended a five-game losing streak to Illinois (4-8) in the annual Braggin’ Rights rivalry. Martin had spent the previous week downplaying the importance of the game, but he said afterward he considers Illinois to be Missouri’s biggest basketball rival. He said last year’s loss to the Illini caused him to have a “miserable Christmas.”

“I’ve always watched this game from afar, and now to be a part of it, it’s a tremendous atmosphere,” said Martin, who is in his second year coaching Missouri. “It’s bigger than just another game.”

Trent Frazier led the Illini with 28 points, and Giorgi Bezhanishvili and Aaron Jordan added 10 points each.

Boos rained on Tilmon and Pickett from the Illinois side of the arena, but the loudest boos were directed at Missouri’s Mark Smith, who played for the Illini last year before transferring. Smith scored just five points on 2-of-8 shooting.

“I heard them, for sure,” Tilmon said of the boos.

Geist and Frazier carried their teams in the first half. Frazier made 5 of 6 shots from 3-point range and had 17 points at halftime. Geist hit 3-pointers on three straight possessions and drew two charges to help the Tigers grab a 39-35 halftime lead.

Frazier put Illinois in front for the first time since the first half when he drove to the left block and kissed a shot off the glass with 7:43 left in the game. But Tilmon put Missouri right back in the lead at 58-56 with a dunk and free throw on the next possession and the Tigers pulled away.

“Give Missouri credit, they made just about every play in those last seven minutes,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said.

FEISTY GEIST

Since arriving at Missouri two years ago as a lightly regarded junior college transfer, Geist earned a reputation as a feisty player who gets under the skin of opponents. That side was evident early, when he and Illinois’ Ayo Dosunmu were both hit with technical fouls after they got into a dispute.

The difference between his sophomore and senior years is that Geist is now far more than an agitator. He is Missouri’s leading scorer at 13.4 points per game.

“Geist was the difference for them,” Underwood said. “That’s a young man who played seven minutes and had four turnovers last year.”

Geist, a point guard, committed only two turnovers against the Illini’s pressure defense.

TALE OF TWO HALVES

After missing just one 3-point attempt in the first half, Frazier cooled off in the second half, making just 1 of 7 from 3-point range. He also missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw opportunity while Missouri went on its late-game run. The Illini made just 7 of 14 free throws as a team.

“I was getting a little fatigued,” Frazier said. “In the second half, they made an adjustment trying to keep the ball out of my hands. I’ve got to be better than that. Tired is no excuse for me.”

BIG PICTURE

Illinois: The Illini are off to their worst start since the 1974-75 season, when they also started 4-8 on their way to an 8-18 mark in Gene Bartow’s only season as coach. With eight scholarship newcomers on the roster and a nonconference schedule loaded with high-major opponents, the rough start hasn’t been totally unexpected.

Missouri: Hopes shrank for the Tigers when do-it-all sophomore forward Jontay Porter suffered a season-ending knee injury in an October scrimmage. After starting the season 3-3, they have won five straight — including victories over UCF, Xavier and now Illinois — raising the possibility that this won’t be the rebuilding season many expected.

UP NEXT

Illinois: The Illini return to action Saturday with a home game against Florida Atlantic.

Missouri: The Tigers will complete their nonconference schedule with Saturday’s home game against Morehead State.

— Associated Press —

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball utilized a 24-5 third quarter outburst to lift itself to victory, 67-45, over Illinois on Friday afternoon in Champaign, Ill. Mizzou led by one at halftime, but came out of the locker room firing in the second half, shooting 56.3 percent (9-for-16) from the field and 55.3 percent from deep (5-for-9) to pull away from the Fighting Illini and claim victory. The win was Mizzou’s second consecutive win in the series between the two schools, and the first in Champaign since Jan. 3, 1993.

Junior guard Amber Smith (Shreveport, La.) led all scorers with 16 points and pulled in a game-high nine rebounds in the victory. Freshman guard Akira Levy (Baxter, Tenn.) joined Smith in double figures for the Tigers, scoring a career-high 14 points to go along with three assists and two steals.

TURNING POINT

Mizzou led 27-26 at the intermission before opening the third period on a 20-2 run to extend its lead to 19 at 47-28 with 2:00 remaining in the quarter. Senior guard Sophie Cunningham(Columbia, Mo.) and redshirt senior guard Lauren Aldridge (Marshfield, Mo.) sparked the run for Mizzou, as the pair combined for 15 points with Cunningham draining three triples and Aldridge two threes. Mizzou would end the quarter with a 20-point lead at 51-31, as the Tigers shot 56.3 percent (9-for-16) from the field and 55.3 percent from deep (5-for-9) in the period. Illinois would never get closer than 18 after the Tigers’ run.

TOP TIGERS

• Smith led the team in scoring for the third time this season with 16 points while also grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. The Tiger junior is now averaging 14.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game this season.
• Levy turned in a career-high with her 14 points, as she scored 10 of her 14 points in the second half. The Tiger freshman also had three assists and two steals in the game.
• Cunningham had nine points and four rebounds in the game, while also recording two assists and two steals.

NOTES

• Mizzou shot better than 45 percent from the field for the fifth time this season and for the second consecutive game as the Tigers shot 27-for-60 (45.0 percent) from the field.
• Levy scored a career-high 14 points in the game, besting her previous high of 11 which she reached twice this season (Nov. 13 vs. Missouri State, Dec. 9 at Saint Louis).
• Smith reached double figures for the sixth consecutive game and the 10^th time this season with 16 points. Mizzou is now 23-4 all-time when Smith scores in double figures.
• With 10 three-pointers made, Mizzou has now made 10 or more threes in five games this season. The Tigers have sank seven or more three-pointers in nine of their last 10 contests.
• Mizzou held the Fighting Illini to 45 points in the game, the second-lowest point-total the Tigers have allowed this season, trailing only the 36 points Mizzou allowed to SIU Edwardsville on Nov. 19. Mizzou has now held its opponents to 65 points or less in 11 or 13 games this season

UP NEXT

Mizzou will now have an eight-day break before returning to the court on Sunday, Dec. 30 where the Tigers will host Arkansas State. Tipoff from Mizzou Arena is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

— Mizzou Athletics —

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Jeremiah Tilmon scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Missouri to a 71-56 victory over Xavier on Tuesday night.

Foul trouble has been a recurring theme for Tilmon, a 6-foot-10 sophomore forward, but he avoided silly fouls while playing solid defense against the Musketeers. Mark Smith and Jordan Geist added 13 points each for the Tigers (7-3) and combined for 13 rebounds.

Quentin Goodin scored 21 points for Xavier (7-5), which shot 39 percent from the field.

Tilmon’s big night started early. Xavier initially didn’t double-team him in the post and he overpowered defenders Tyrique Jones and Zach Hankins inside. He also showed open-court skills when he stole the ball from guard Paul Scruggs and drove the length of the court for a layup in the first half.

Missouri led 41-27 at halftime and extended the advantage to as many as 29 points in the second half.

BIG PICTURE

Missouri: An 11-day layoff appeared to do wonders for the Tigers, who turned in their most complete performance of the season. They shot 45 percent from the field and controlled the game after building a double-digit lead midway through the first half.

Xavier: In coach Travis Steele’s first season, the Musketeers’ mastery of Missouri evaporated. Xavier had beaten the Tigers four straight times — including three times in the previous four years — before Tuesday night’s loss.

UP NEXT

Missouri: The Tigers head to St. Louis for a neutral-site game against Illinois on Saturday at the Enterprise Center. Missouri will try to break a five-year losing streak in the annual Braggin’ Rights rivalry game.

Xavier: The Musketeers return to Cincinnati for a home game Friday against Detroit Mercy.

— Associated Press —

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball shot a season-best 51.9 percent (27-for-52) from the field as the Tigers earned a 69-50 win over Texas State Monday night at Mizzou Arena. Senior guard Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) led three Tigers in double figures with 20 points, including 11 points in a 4:10 stretch in the fourth quarter.

Junior guard Amber Smith (Shreveport, La.) was an efficient 5-of-8 from the field to end the night with 15 points, her fifth-consecutive contest in double figures. She also match a career-high with five assists, and grabbed five rebounds. Junior Jordan Roundtree (St. Louis, Mo.) made her first start in the game, and responded by scoring a career-high 10 points in 29 minutes of action.

TURNING POINT

Mizzou raced to a 24-15 lead after the first quarter on 66.7 percent (10-for-15) shooting in the opening 10 minutes, including ending the period with field goals in nine of its last 11 attempts. The 66.7 percent stands as the second-highest first quarter output so far this season, trailing only the 80 percent (8-for-10) the Tigers shot against West Virginia on Dec. 2. Smith connected on 3-of-4 on her own for seven points in the quarter.

TOP TIGERS

• Cunningham was 8-for-13 from the field as she posted a team-high 20 points. It was her third outing of at least 20 points in 2018-19, and the 37^th occurrence of her Tiger career.
• Cunningham also moved into a tie for sixth-place on Mizzou’s career assists list with three in the game. She is now tied with Lisa Ellis (1984-88) with 324.
• Smith finished with 15 points to mark her ninth double figure outing of the year and fifth game in a row with at least 10 points. She also matched a career-high with five assists.
• Roundtree earned her first career start against the Bobcats and responded with a career-high 10 points to go along with five rebounds and three steals in a career-high 29 minutes.

NOTES

• The Tigers shot a season-best 51.9 (27-53) percent from the floor against the Bobcats. Mizzou’s previous high was 48.1 (25-52) percent against Michigan on Nov. 23.
• Mizzou shot 66.7 percent in the first quarter alone, the team’s second-highest first period percentage of the season. The Tigers shot a season-best 80 percent (8-for-10) in the first frame at West Virginia on Dec. 2.
• Missouri’s 24 first quarter points were also the second-highest total of the season, trailing just the 25 the team scored in the opening frame against Saint Louis on Dec. 9.
• Mizzou outscored Texas State 36-14 in the paint.

UP NEXT

Mizzou returns to the court on Friday, Dec. 21 when the team travels to Champaign, Ill., to face Illinois at Noon.

— Mizzou Athletics —

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Ciarra Duffy scored 20 points and South Dakota beat No. 22 Missouri 74-61 on Saturday for the Coyotes’ first road win over a Top 25 team in program history.

The Coyotes (10-1) won their eighth straight game, a streak that includes a November victory over then-No. 23 Iowa. Their only loss came at Drake, which briefly made the Top 25 after that.

South Dakota took the lead for good early in the third quarter when the Arens sisters — senior Allison and sophomore Monica — combined for eight points in a 10-0 run. Missouri cut a 13-point deficit to two on Sophie Cunningham’s 3-pointer that capped 17-7 run over the first six minutes of the fourth quarter. But those were the Tigers’ final points — they missed their last six shots — while the Coyotes finished on an 11-0 streak.

Monica Arens finished with 13 points and Allison Arens 10.

Cunningham scored 19 points with 11 rebounds to lead the Tigers (8-3), who had a five-game win streak snapped.

Missouri made 12 3-pointers, five more than the Coyotes, but were outscored 30-16 in the paint and outrebounded 41-34.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Sophie Cunningham had 18 points and eight assists, Amber Smith had her third consecutive double-double, and No. 23 Missouri held off Saint Louis for a 74-62 win on Sunday night.

Smith, who has six double-doubles this season, finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Emmanuelle Tahane had 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting and Akira Levy scored 11 for Missouri (8-2). The Tigers have won five in a row.

Tahane scored the final five points in the third quarter, Smith hit a 3 to open the fourth and Cunningham scored the final six points in a 14-3 spurt that gave Missouri a 58-47 lead with 7 1/2 minutes to play. Myia Clark’s 3-pointer less than a minute later pulled Saint Louis within six points but the Billikens got no closer.

Ciaja Harbison led Saint Louis (4-6) with 18 points and Clark scored 10 of her 11 in the fourth quarter.

Jordan Chavis, Smith and Hannah Schuchts each hit a 3-pointer in a 71-second span to make it 17-5 midway through the first quarter, an 8-0 spurt pushed Missouri’s lead to 17 points a couple minutes later and the Tigers led 40-28 at halftime. They missed their first six field-goal attempts, and eight of their first nine, in the third quarter and Saint Louis opened the second half with a 16-4 run to make it 44-all.

— Associated Press —

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri looked to be in trouble after Oral Roberts’ DeShang Weaver drilled a pair of 3s to cut the Tigers’ lead to just three at the beginning of the second half.

Missouri hadn’t been able to break Oral Roberts’ zone defense and all of its big men were in major foul trouble.

But Missouri’s offense came alive in the second half to defeat Oral Roberts 80-64 Friday night for its third win in a row.

The Tigers fed off the 3-point shot all game. Freshman Torrence Watson shot 4 for 4 from 3 and Mark Smith knocked in three from beyond the arc as well. He led the Tigers with 14 points. Missouri finished 12 for 26 from 3.

“I came in a little late and hit a 3, then Mark (Smith) hit a 3, then a layup,” Watson said. “Every time we hit a 3, the bench gets hyped, everybody gets hyped. So it really gets us going.”

It wasn’t all pretty for the Tigers, however. Missouri’s bigs played with foul trouble all game. Forwards Jeremiah Tilmon, Mitchell Smith and Reed Nikko finished with four, three and four fouls, respectively.

Tilmon was called for two, including a technical, in his first six minutes of playing time. Off the bench, Nikko picked up four fouls in his first three minutes and Smith committed three fouls in his first four minutes.

As a result, the Golden Eagles had their way down low for most of the game. Emmanuel Nzekwesi took advantage of Missouri’s foul situation and scored 17 points to lead Oral Roberts. Emir Ahmedic came off the bench for ORU to lead all players with 10 rebounds.

But nearly every time the Golden Eagles would cut a Tigers lead, Missouri would roar back with a big 3-pointer.

“What I was really disappointed in was our 3-point defense,” Oral Roberts coach Paul Mills said. “Specifically with guys who could shoot. The two guys we knew could really shoot ended up going 7 for 10 from 3 and the rest of the team went 5 for 16.”

The turning point of the game came around the 13-minute mark in the second half when Missouri senior Jordan Geist sprinted down the court for a fast break layup and stole the following inbounds pass. He converted an and-one after the swipe to put the Tigers up 10. The basket was in the midst of a 10-0 run.

“I think it helped us, and I think it helped him,” Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin said.

The Tigers would extend their second-half lead up to 29 before putting Oral Roberts away.

BIG PICTURE

Oral Roberts: The Golden Eagles now have nine losses. Credit to Oral Roberts for staying in the contest against Missouri, but its defense slowed down in the second half.

Missouri: The Tigers are carrying momentum from this three-game winning streak into a two-game stretch against more challenging opponents, Xavier and Illinois. They’ll need to play how they did in the second half, rather than the first, to win both of those matchups.

TROUBLES WITH THE ZONE

Throughout the first half, Missouri had difficulty breaking Oral Roberts’ zone defense. The Tigers had a handful of possessions where they tossed the ball around the perimeter without being able to penetrate into the lane.

“We’ve just got to move the ball better,” Geist said. “We kind of just kept passing it back to each other, not doing much. The most we can do is try to get them out of it. The more shots you make, you’ve got to force them out of it.”

SANTOS DEBUTS

Missouri guard K.J. Santos appeared in his first game for the Tigers after transferring from Illinois-Chicago in 2017 and dealing with a foot injury. Santos went scoreless in 11 minutes of play. He picked up a rebound and turned the ball over twice.

“We wanted to try to play him,” Martin said. “Defensively, I think he’s ready to play, conditioning-wise. Offensively, I think he’s a step slow, and you can see that in practice. He hasn’t been able to shoot shots because of the foot.”

UP NEXT

Oral Roberts has a break before playing Richmond on the road Dec. 15.

Missouri returns to Mizzou Arena on Dec. 18 for a matchup against Xavier.

— Associated Press —