Coming off a defeat against the 0-5 Jackson State Tigers, Missouri looked to bounce back against the previously 2-3 South Carolina State Bulldogs on Nov. 22.

The first half left Missouri Tiger fans with a bad taste in their mouth. Missouri trailed by 15 points with around seven minutes remaining in the first half. Graduate student point guard Nick Honor and graduate student center Connor Vanover started to turn things around for the Tigers. Vanover hit his first 3-pointer of the season and also had a dunk that was assisted by Honor. 

Honor hit two 3-pointers in between buckets from Vanover, closing the Bulldog lead to 5 points. Honor would go on to hit another triple a few possessions later, tying the score. The Tigers fought from behind for most of the first half, and Honor helped them claw back.

Graduate student guard Sean East II opened the scoring for the game, but the Bulldogs got out to a quicker start. The Tigers missed a few early shots, and the Bulldogs capitalized on those misses. The Bulldogs also forced five turnovers during their early minute run. 

It took two minutes for the first bucket of the second half. East II opened it up with two straight layups, giving the Tigers a 39-37 lead. With around 15 minutes left in the second half, the momentum shifted in favor of the Tigers.

Freshman point guard Anthony Robinson II went on a 7-0 run himself, putting the Tigers up 46-39. This solo run featured an emphatic fast break dunk off an assist from junior guard Tamar Bates, who scored on the next play as well. This run marked a shift in the momentum needed for the Tigers. 

Missouri received contributions from all over the roster, especially from Robinson II. Robinson II had three rebounds to go along with 10 points on 100% shooting on the day. He also recorded two steals and a block to add to his contributions on the defensive end. His role is slowly increasing as the season progresses, giving the Tigers quality minutes in each of his appearances.

Sophomore forward Aidan Shaw also helped with the win off the bench, scoring 6 points to go along with his seven rebounds. Three of these rebounds were offensive, resulting in second chance points for the Tigers. Shaw’s biggest contribution came on defense with five blocks. 

The Tigers closed out the rest of the second half with ease, as multiple players got in on the scoring. Junior guard Curt Lewis stepped in and knocked down a 3-point shot. The Tigers went on a 22-0 run, leaving the Bulldogs scoreless for six minutes straight. Missouri’s defense only allowed 22 points in the second half, and their offense was clicking. 

Head coach Dennis Gates left the starters in for the majority of the second half. East II and graduate student forward Noah Carter still scored as the clock ticked down in the second half. Robinson II made a 3-pointer as the time nearly ran out, securing the victory for Missouri. The Tigers won 82-59 at home.

The Tigers went on to defeat Loyola Maryland on Nov. 25, wrapping up a long home stretch. Missouri will now travel to Pennsylvania to take on the Pittsburgh Panthers on Nov. 28, starting a difficult stretch of games to finish the out-of-conference portion of their schedule. 

Edited by Chase Gemes | cgemes@themaneater.com

Copy Edited by Briana Iordan