Missouri basketball improved to 5-2 after beating Loyola Maryland on Nov. 25.
Missouri men’s basketball picked up their second straight win after knocking off the Loyola Maryland Greyhounds. The Tigers struggled in the second half but closed out the win successfully.
The black and gold defense forced 18 turnovers against the Greyhounds, 12 of which came in the first half. Freshman guard Anthony Robinson II had five steals, contributing to the hounding of Loyola Maryland on the defensive end. The Tigers upped their defensive intensity for this matchup.
Missouri got out to a quick start thanks to two three-pointers from senior forward Noah Carter. Carter hit a third shot from outside at the 13:06 mark, extending the Tigers lead to 20-9. Very early on, it seemed as if the Tigers would run away with the game.
Robinson II excelled in the first half, scoring six of his ten points early. He made his presence felt in multiple facets of the game as well, including two steals, one of which led to a fast break bucket of his own. Robinson also hit Carter for a three to extend the lead.
A pair of free throws from senior point guard Nick Honor gave Missouri the largest lead of the game at 31-9. It looked like the Tigers had run away with it, but the Greyhounds didn’t back down. They went on a 16-0 run, closing the gap to just five points nearing the end of the first half. It looked like the Tigers were going to be in another close battle. Missouri went into the half up by just 35-31, when the lead was previously at 21 .
The Tigers strapped in for a long second half battle, with both teams exchanging buckets early. Robinson contributed with two free throws soon after being subbed into the game, putting the Tigers up 47-41 with 13:39 to play. Robinson also hit a mid-range jumper soon after.
The Missouri bench got in on the scoring against the Greyhounds, with junior guard Curt Lewis stepping onto the court and hitting a three. Freshman center Jordan Butler also knocked down a three-pointer, putting Missouri up 56-46.
Despite it being a close game, the Tigers never once trailed in the second half. They countered Loyola runs with runs of their own, never giving up their lead. As the second half ticked down, senior guard Sean East II stepped up, scoring nine points in the last six minutes of the game.
East scored in multiple ways. He attempted four free throws throughout the entire game, knocking down three of them. East also did his damage within the three-point line, whether it was from the mid-range or in the paint. Regardless of where he was scoring from, the senior stepped up when the Tigers needed a bucket.
East’s run down the stretch solidified the win for Missouri with a final score of 78-70. The score looked close, but the Tigers took care of business.
Noah Carter finished with 18 points, leading the team in scoring. East followed with 17 points, then Honor with 13. Robinson filled the stat sheet, with 10 points, five steals and five rebounds.
The Tigers start a challenging stretch of games, featuring a five-week stretch with five challenging opponents, including a rivalry matchup in Lawrence, KS against the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday, Dec. 9.
Edited by Chase Gemes | cgemes@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Grace Knight