COLUMBIA, Mo. — On Tuesday night, the Missouri Tigers faced the Jacksonville State Gamecocks, winning the matchup with a score of 83-72. Jacob Crews contributed significantly from the bench, scoring 19 points, while Mark Mitchell added 18 points to the team’s impressive performance. This victory marks Missouri’s 10th consecutive win, a streak not seen since the 2013-14 season when they started with an undefeated record of 10-0.

The Tigers had additional support from Trent Pierce, who accumulated 12 points, and Anthony Robinson II, who scored 11 points. On the other side, the Gamecocks were led by Jaron Pierre Jr. with 18 points, and Jamar Franklin, who scored 15 points. Jao Ituka and Michael Houge chipped in 13 and 12 points respectively, helping Jacksonville State keep the game competitive.

Missouri gained momentum in the second half as Crews hit two crucial three-pointers surrounding a layup from Mitchell, which helped the team to a decisive 8-0 run. This surge allowed Missouri to take a commanding 75-68 lead with just over four minutes left in the game. The scoring continued with Mitchell converting two free throws followed by another three-pointer from Crews, extending the advantage to 80-68.

Prior to this, Mason Nicholson’s dunk had briefly put Jacksonville State ahead at 68-67 with nearly six minutes left in the game. The Gamecocks had established their largest lead earlier, reaching 19-12 following a jump shot by Houge with just over ten minutes left in the first half.

This game marked the inaugural meeting between Missouri and Jacksonville State. Historically, the Gamecocks faced challenges against SEC teams, holding a record of 1-44 and 1-43 against current SEC members. Their only previous victory against an SEC opponent dates back to the 1952-53 season when they triumphed over Alabama with a score of 67-64.

Looking ahead, Jacksonville State is scheduled to compete against Eastern Kentucky this Saturday, while Missouri will be hosting Illinois on the following Sunday.