Missouri Tigers look to continue hot SEC start against LSU this weekend: preview
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- Mizzou rides SEC surge, 3-1 start and improved offense into road game at LSU
- LSU hits four straight SEC losses amid injury to leading guard Dedan Thomas Jr.
- Mark Mitchell, Jayden Stone and Trent Pierce provide scoring balance and playmaking
Fresh off an 84-74 victory over Auburn at home, Mizzou continues its Southeastern Conference slate against LSU on Saturday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Last season, the Tigers handled LSU with ease, taking them down 83-67 behind a 20-point performance from Tamar Bates, who has spent most of this season with the Denver Nuggets' G League team. Mizzou will be traveling south looking for a similar result this season.
These two teams could not be trending further in different directions. Mizzou is in the midst of a complete turnaround following its disastrous non-conference slate. The Tigers are 3-1 to open conference play, good enough for a five-way tie at the top of the league standings, and have entered the discussion for a tournament bid.
In Baton Rouge, the beginning of conference play has been devastating for the Bayou Bengals. After emerging from the non-conference slate with a 12-1 record, LSU has dropped four straight contests to begin SEC play.
On Wednesday evening, LSU seemed poised to claim its first SEC win, only to fall short at the hands of a buzzer-beater from Kentucky's Malachi Moreno, falling 75-74 at home.
A key factor in LSU's struggles in conference play has been the loss of junior guard Dedan Thomas Jr. Thomas, a transfer from UNLV, who was averaging 16.2 points per game, as well as a whopping 7.1 assists before being sidelined with a leg injury.
He has not played since a Dec. 29 win over Southern Mississippi, and his status remains undetermined heading into Saturday's tilt.
Stepping up in his absence has been senior Max Mackinnon. Mackinnon has averaged 14.5 points a game, including performances of 16 points and 27 points against Kentucky and Vanderbilt respectively.
Mizzou was able to defeat Auburn behind some much-improved free-throw shooting. The Tigers shot a paltry 50% from the line in the road loss to Ole Miss. In Wednesday's win over Auburn that number shot up to 68%, a number that while still concerning, has the Tigers trending in the right direction.
Leading the charge was graduate guard Jayden Stone, who hit all six of his attempts.
Stone and junior forward Trent Pierce have contributed to Mizzou's revival since the start of SEC play. Stone has hit double digits in three consecutive games, while Pierce has eclipsed ten points or more in three out of four conference games.
These new contributions paired with the consistent scoring brought to the table by senior forward Mark Mitchell have brought a completely new dynamic to the Tigers' offense. Mitchell had yet another explosive offensive performance in the win over Auburn, scoring 20 points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out five assists.
"He (Mitchell) knows how to get the best out of the coaching staff," Mizzou coach Dennis Gates said after the win over Auburn. "He comes with suggestions, and not responses all the time. As it relates to that, he just knows how to play the game, and he plays it at a high level.
"And he's one of the most versatile players in the country."
Mizzou takes on LSU at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Copyright 2026 Columbia Missourian
This story was originally published January 15, 2026 at 7:21 PM with the headline "Missouri Tigers look to continue hot SEC start against LSU this weekend: preview."