With Illinois looming, Missouri blows out Xavier 71-56 behind 23 from Jeremiah Tilmon

When Jeremiah Tilmon picks up a foul, he prefers to laugh at himself. But on Tuesday, the joke was on Xavier.

First-year coach Travis Steele decided to leave Tilmon undoubled in the post and the 6-foot-10 sophomore made him pay, scoring a career-high 23 points with 10 rebounds in a 71-56 blowout victory. Tilmon played 33 minutes, one off his career-high, and stayed out of foul trouble the entire game.

Mark Smith and Jordan Geist each added 13 points in Missouri’s fourth straight win.

Missouri struggled early to score against Xavier’s 2-3 zone, trailing 9-3 in the opening minutes. The Tigers responded with their best half of the season, countering with a 17-0 run for a double-digit lead.

Steele thought Missouri’s run was two-fold: The Tigers forced numerous turnovers and tore his zone to bits with a healthy of combination of shooting and slashing.

“The way we play is like a take what they give you type of game,” said MU senior Kevin Puryear. “We react to their defense. When we see a zone, we’ve got a lot better over time of playing through a zone. Like it’s a man (to man) defense.”

Besides forcing turnovers, Missouri’s defense played its most complete game of the season. Xavier shot just 38.8 percent from the field and 32 percent from three-point territory. The Muskeeters came into the game leading the nation in two-point field goal percentage at a 60.8 percent clip.

Xavier had six players averaging around double-figures coming into the game and only one scored more than 10 points. Guard Quentin Goodin led the team with 21.

Puryear locked down Xavier forward Naji Marshall, a regular double-double threat who was held to just five points.

“I thought going in that Marshall was the head of the snake to me,’” Puryear said. “Just what he can do at his size, 6-foot-7, dribbling with both hands, can shoot the ball. He’s a really good player.”

Tilmon had two layups on which he was fouled and was able to convert the three-point play each time. He got supporting help from Javon Pickett and Mark Smith, who had eight points apiece in the first half thanks in part to a pair of threes.

The Tigers’ defense was suffocating, forcing Xavier into multiple shot-clock violations and 11 turnovers. Tilmon had a steal and went the length of the floor for the layup. And when Steele started having him doubled, he looked for his teammates.

The East St. Louis, Illinois native found a streaking Pickett down the paint for an easy layup to extend Missouri’s lead to 22-11. Xavier would get MU’s lead down to 10, but the Tigers always answered with a basket.

Both MU coach Cuonzo Martin and Tilmon were surprised that Tilmon was left undoubled in the post. Mizzou’s game-plan focused on expected double-teams. Martin told Tilmon to use his size and power to score rather than his trademark hook shot. The result was 12 points and seven rebounds in the first half.

“I was playing calmed and poised,” Tilmon said. “It’s a second and third and fourth effort I was trying to keep going. Don’t quit on the first effort. That was my plan.”

Xavier came into Tuesday’s game as one of the worst teams in three-point shooting defense and MU took advantage. The Tigers shot 35 percent from three-point range for the game. After going into halftime with a 41-27 lead, Smith hit a long three with 16:28 left in the second half to extend MU’s lead to 48-29.

Tilmon punctuated his night with a thunderous dunk off a no-look bounce pass from Xavier Pinson to give Missouri a 25-point lead with 9:30 left. He exited to a standing ovation.

Missouri next heads to St. Louis for the annual Braggin’ Rights game on Saturday riding a four-game winning streak. The Tigers have lost five straight to the Illini and will start three former Illinois signees, in Tilmon, Pickett and Mark Smith. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.

After losing two straight to Xavier during his career, Puryear hopes Saturday ends another MU losing streak.

“I’ve got to out with a win (against Illinois),” Puryear said. “I have to.”

This story was originally published December 18, 2018 at 8:11 PM.