Missouri overcomes slow start to beat Georgia 68-56

Classes don’t start at Missouri for another six days, and yet Jontay Porter already has a head start on his assignments.

The 6-foot-11 freshman didn’t miss a single one Wednesday night as he went for 15 points and 10 rebounds in his first career start to help Missouri overcame a poor shooting performance in the first half and beat Georgia 68-56.

Porter shut down Bulldogs star Yante Maten, a preseason all-Southeastern Conference selection, and keyed a second-half spark for Missouri, which improved to 12-4 overall and 2-1 in the SEC.

Tigers coach Cuonzo Martin said he started Porter to let junior Kevin Puryear relax after he struggled offensively the last seven games. But Martin added that Puryear looked better in some of those games than his statistics suggested.

Missouri struggled mightily from the floor in the first half as an offense that lives and dies on jump shots couldn’t find the basket. Porter got the Tigers on the board with a layup in the opening 20 seconds, and senior Jordan Barnett added another off a steal 7 minutes later that would be Missouri’s only points not on the free-throw line in the first 10 minutes.

Graduate transfer Kassius Robertson’s corner three was Missouri’s first basket on a jump shot, and that came 11 minutes into the game. It would be the only jump shot Missouri hit in the first half.

Missouri shot 8 for 30 from the floor before halftime, and just 1 for 9 from beyond the arc, the team’s worst shooting performance in the first half since it went 1 for 13 from deep against Emporia State on Nov. 20.

“I think we were really stagnant on offense,” Puryear said. “Standing around a lot, not moving the ball like we’re capable of moving. Didn’t really move the ball like we’re capable of moving.”

Robertson’s three at the end of the first half was waived off, after video replay showed the shot came a half-second too late. That sent Missouri into the half down just 23-20 despite the poor shooting.

Missouri was able to stay in the game thanks to the defensive effort the team put on Maten. The 6-foot-8 senior came into the game averaging 20 points and 9.4 rebounds and was held to just two points in the first half, both of which were free throws.

Porter was the primary defender on Maten and held him to a season-low nine points and two rebounds.

Georgia coach Mark Fox thought Missouri deserved “some credit” for Maten’s poor performance, but also thought his star player deserved some blame.

“I didn’t like his response today,” Fox said. “He’s been a great player. He’s a terrific player. Tonight he didn’t respond to the challenge. He didn’t play as well.”

Porter and fellow freshman forward Jeremiah Tilmon came out of halftime on fire. The duo keyed a 13-4 run in the first 5 minutes, giving Missouri its first lead since the opening minute. Porter found Tilmon for a dunk, the first of three the East St. Louis native had in the second half.

“I think they gave us a surge that we really needed,” Puryear said. “I think when they made those plays the flow was a lot better on offense.”

The Tigers got additional offensive support from senior forward Barnett, who after a quiet first half, hit a three with 14:31 left in the second half to extend Missouri’s lead to nine points. He finished with seven points and eight rebounds.

After struggling with foul trouble the first two games of conference play, Tilmon had 10 points in the second half and wasn’t afraid to draw contact from Maten.

With 10 minutes remaining, Georgia guard Rayshaun Hammonds hit a three that got Missouri’s lead down to 42-40. Robertson responded with five straight points. Puryear, who came off the bench in favor of Porter, later added nine of his own to help secure Missouri’s first home conference win of the season.

Martin was pleased with the win but said Missouri still needs to play the 40 minutes of games. He felt that his team let Georgia back in the game a bit toward the end.

Missouri has already lost close games to Florida and West Virginia after leading by double-digits in the second half. For the Tigers to keep that from continuing, Martin said they need to keep their foot on the gas until the final buzzer.

“It’s finishing the game,” he said. “It’s not the score, it’s the game. You play the game until it’s over.”

MISSOURI 68, GEORGIA 56

This story was originally published January 10, 2018 at 10:22 PM with the headline "Missouri overcomes slow start to beat Georgia 68-56."