COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Missouri Tigers wrapped up their nonconference matchup with an impressive 82-65 victory against Alabama State on Monday, showcasing a strong performance from multiple players.
Tamar Bates led the scoring effort with 16 points, while Mark Mitchell contributed 14. Trent Pierce and Tony Perkins each chipped in 12 points, highlighting the Tigers’ depth as ten players clocked in at least ten minutes on the court in this final tune-up before the Southeastern Conference action begins this Saturday.
For Alabama State, D’Ante Bass was a standout performer with 14 points, supported by Tyler Mack who added 11 to the scoreboard.
Missouri took control early on, with Pierce making a three-pointer just 19 seconds into the game, allowing the Tigers to maintain the lead throughout. Marques Warrick also nailed a three-pointer that extended Missouri’s lead to 22-11 midway through the first half. They further stretched their advantage to 42-22 after T.O. Barrett sank three free throws before the Hornets managed a late basket, heading into halftime down 42-24.
The Tigers exhibited a well-rounded offensive performance, shooting at 50% compared to the Hornets’ struggling 29%, who only managed a single free throw throughout the game.
Bates continued his momentum into the second half, scoring two quick baskets as Missouri went on to score the first six points after the break. Despite Alabama State’s efforts, they never managed to cut the deficit to less than 18 points until the final minute, finishing the second half with a better shooting performance of 15 out of 30 attempts.
This game marked the second meeting between these teams, with Missouri previously dominating the series 37 years ago, having achieved a record victory of 129-64—a benchmark that still stands as the highest-scoring game in Tigers’ history with the current win margin being the fourth largest.
As the Tigers prepare to embark on their SEC journey, they will be facing No. 2 Auburn on Saturday in what promises to be an exciting start to the conference season.