COLUMBIA, Mo. — In an exciting matchup on Friday night, Tamar Bates showcased his skills by scoring 17 points, while Mark Mitchell contributed with 16, leading the Missouri Tigers to a solid 77-62 victory over the Howard Bison.

Missouri, now standing at 1-1 for the season, maintained a 12-point lead at halftime. However, they needed a strong finish in the second half to secure their victory. With just over four minutes remaining, Howard’s Marcus Dockery managed to narrow the gap to 61-57 with a three-pointer. Following this, the teams exchanged baskets, but Missouri surged ahead with an impressive 11-0 run, which was capped off by another three-pointer from Bates.

As the game drew to a close, the Tigers found themselves leading 74-59. Anthony Robinson II, who had a commendable game with 13 points, effectively sealed the win by converting 3 of 4 free throw attempts in the final moments.

On the other side, Dockery was Howard’s standout performer, scoring a total of 14 points, while Bryce Harris added 11 to the team’s tally.

Missouri excelled at the free-throw line, hitting 26 of their 31 attempts, largely thanks to Mitchell, who went a perfect 8 for 8. The Tigers also dominated in points derived from turnovers, boasting a 20-5 advantage in that statistical category.

In terms of shooting from beyond the arc, Howard had a notable performance, making 10 out of 19 three-point attempts, in contrast to Missouri’s struggles, hitting only 3 of 22 shots from deep.