Missouri Tigers made their point in men’s basketball opener: this Mizzou team can score
.JPG "Missouri’s Tre Gomillion, right, tries to block the shot of Southern Indiana’s Tyler Henry during Monday night’s opener for the Tigers at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo.")
After leading his team to a win in Monday night’s regular-season opener, first-year Missouri Tigers men’s basketball coach Dennis Gates twice mentioned the fact that more than 10,000 fans were in attendance for game against Southern Indiana.
And that’s a solid figure for a program that averaged about 6,600 per home game last year.
What wasn’t much discussed was the Tigers’ offensive output. Mizzou won 97-91, and not since 2017 had the Tigers scored as many points in a game that didn’t go to overtime.
Is this what’s to be expected now from Missouri, at least on the offensive end? If so, there might be many more occasions for big home crowds.
Afterward Monday’s victory, Gates spoke mostly of a defense that got a bit complacent toward the end and saw the opponent make 14 of 17 three-pointers in the second half to reduce what had been a 20-point lead.
But throughout the contest, Missouri’s offense hummed. The Tigers finished with six players in double figures, led by Kobe Brown’s 20 points. MU hadn’t had that many players reach double digits since 2018.
“I think because of our depth we can push the pace, for sure,” Gates said. “We have guys who have averaged double digits coming off the bench, and that is a remarkable weapon to have as long as we use it in the right way.”
One of those players, Isiaih Mosley, averaged 20.4 points for Missouri State last season and 15.8 points in three seasons at Springfield. He played 16 minutes and scored four points in the opener.
Missouri plays its second game of the 2022-23 season Friday against Penn at Mizzou Arena. Tipoff is 7 p.m. The Quakers opened their season with a 78-50 loss at Iona.
For Mizzou, Friday night’s contest begins a flurry of three home games in five days. After Penn, Missouri plays Lindenwood on Sunday at 5 p.m. and SIU Edwardsville on Tuesday at 7 p.m.