Missouri Rebounds with a Vengeance, Blasts VMI 106-68 to Move to 3-0 (Nov. 9)

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Two days after a narrow escape in their opener, the Missouri Tigers came out on Sunday afternoon determined to leave no doubt. They did just that. Missouri dominated the Virginia Military Institute Keydets 106-68 at Mizzou Arena, using a second-half avalanche to turn a once-competitive game into a rout. Senior forward Mark Mitchell continued his early-season tear with 24 points and 10 rebounds, leading a balanced Tigers attack that saw five players score in double figures. The 38-point blowout was a resounding response to Missouri’s Friday night scare, as Coach Dennis Gates’ squad reasserted its firepower and focus to improve to 3-0. By the final minutes, the Tigers were on cruise control, the home crowd on its feet and a message delivered: the lethargy of Friday was gone, and a locked-in Missouri is a formidable sight.

Early on, however, VMI (2-1) showed it had no intention of being a mere footnote. The Keydets came out fearless, trading blows with Missouri throughout the first ten minutes. In fact, VMI led 19-18 midway through the first half, as the Tigers started cold from the field – misfiring on easy layups and struggling to find a rhythm from deep. Missouri didn’t hit a three-pointer until about eight minutes remained in the half, and for a moment the upset alarm bells started to flicker again in Columbia. But unlike two nights prior, the Tigers quickly flipped the switch. A hustle play by reserve guard T.O. Barrett, who snagged an offensive rebound and scored a reverse layup at the 10:37 mark, finally put Mizzou ahead 22-19 and seemed to jolt the team awake. On the next defensive possession, Mark Mitchell swatted a VMI shot at the rim, igniting a fast break that Sebastian Mack finished with a layup. That sequence kicked off a 12-3 Missouri run highlighted by back-to-back Anthony Robinson II buckets (a three-pointer followed by a breakaway dunk) that brought the Mizzou Arena crowd alive. Missouri suddenly found its groove, making its last eight shot attempts of the half. By intermission, the Tigers led 50-40, and even that margin felt a bit modest given how thoroughly they were asserting themselves in the paint.

If the first half was merely a strong response, the second half was an emphatic knockout punch from Missouri. The Tigers opened the half with a flurry: Mitchell threw down a thunderous jam in transition, then Mack scored two fast-break layups off steals, stretching Missouri’s lead to 13 in a blink. That was only the beginning. With the score 60-49, sophomore forward Jacob Crews buried a mid-range jumper that sparked a 17-5 blitz by the Tigers. In that span, Crews caught fire for seven quick points, including a corner three and a crafty put-back, while junior guard Anthony Robinson II added a three-pointer and a driving layup on consecutive possessions. By the time the dust settled, Missouri was up 77-54 and VMI looked visibly deflated. The Tigers kept their foot on the gas, reeling off yet another spurt – a 7-0 run heading into the final media timeout – to push the lead past thirty. As the reserves poured in and the crowd roared, Missouri closed the game with a 19-1 run over the final four and a half minutes. The final tally, 106-68, underscored a dominant second half in which the Tigers outscored VMI 56-28. There would be no tense finish this time; Missouri had emphatically taken care of business.

The statistical gulf between the teams told the story of Missouri’s dominance. The Tigers shot 56.9% from the field (37-of-65) and cracked the century mark, while holding the Keydets to a paltry 33% shooting. Most striking was Missouri’s utter control of the interior – the home team owned a staggering 60-2 advantage in points in the paint. All game long, the Tigers pounded the ball inside for high-percentage looks, and VMI simply had no answer for Missouri’s size and athleticism around the rim. The Tigers outrebounded the Keydets 50-25 and gobbled up 18 offensive boards, leading to a 30-2 edge in second-chance points. “We’re not accustomed to playing against size and strength like that, and they took us out of rhythm,” VMI head coach Andrew Wilson admitted afterward, praising Missouri’s physical presence. Indeed, 7-foot center Shawn Phillips Jr. and 6’10” forward Luke Northweather patrolled the lane with authority, altering shots and securing rebounds that denied VMI any hope of easy buckets inside. Missouri also ratcheted up its defensive pressure, logging 11 steals and forcing 16 turnovers as the game wore on. The Tigers turned many of those miscues into quick points, pushing the tempo at every opportunity. After showing some cracks in their defense Friday, the Tigers looked much more connected and energized on that end, making life miserable for the Keydets in the final 20 minutes.

Offensively, Missouri’s attack was as balanced as a coach could ask for. Mitchell’s 24-point, 10-rebound performance marked his second straight game topping 20 points, and he added 3 assists and a block in a well-rounded outing. The senior forward was aggressive getting to the foul line (10-of-13 on free throws) and set the tone with his work on the glass. “He’s our leader, and he came out hungry,” point guard Anthony Robinson II said of Mitchell’s mindset after the close call Friday. Robinson himself was outstanding, scoring 20 points on near-perfect shooting (6-of-7 from the field, including 4-of-4 from three-point range). The junior provided the afternoon’s signature highlight in the first half with a one-handed breakaway slam that brought the crowd to its feet, and he was a menace on defense with a game-high 4 steals. Graduate guard Jayden Stone filled the stat sheet as well, tallying 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting while chipping in 7 rebounds and 5 assists – his slashing drives and kick-out passes repeatedly collapsed VMI’s defense. Off the bench, Jacob Crews contributed 14 points, flashing his sharpshooting by hitting two triples and also mixing it up inside (6 rebounds). Freshman guard/forward Sebastian Mack rounded out the double-digit scorers with 14 points of his own along with 2 steals, providing an instant spark whenever he entered the game. Even role players got in on the fun: reserve forward Nicholas Randall, a 6’8” freshman, made his collegiate debut in the first half and impressed with solid defense in a brief stint, and Barrett’s gritty play early was a catalyst for Missouri’s initial run. In all, ten different Tigers scored, and every player on the active roster saw action by game’s end – a luxury afforded by the lopsided score. “Other than the free throw line, Mizzou dominated in other aspects of the game,” noted Rory Whetstone of Rock M Nation, referencing the Tigers’ one lingering issue of the day: free-throw shooting. Missouri hit only 25 of 39 from the charity stripe (64%), continuing a mild early-season trend of struggles there. It was a footnote on Sunday, but the team knows it’s an area to clean up in closer games.

Beyond that small critique, Coach Dennis Gates had to be pleased with his team’s response and execution. Missouri looked every bit the deep, versatile squad it believes itself to be. Gates had emphasized to his players that Friday’s nail-biter should sharpen their focus, not shake their confidence. The message clearly landed. The Tigers played with purpose and discipline against VMI – sharing the ball (18 assists), rotating on defense, and never letting up once they seized momentum. They also showed their depth: even with a couple of key forwards still sidelined by minor injuries, Missouri’s rotation didn’t miss a beat. If anything, the blowout allowed the coaching staff to experiment with combinations and get young players valuable minutes. The contrast from the SEMO game was stark; Missouri learned that when it brings intensity from the opening tip and imposes its style of play, it can overwhelm opponents. “Our focus was there today for 40 minutes,” Coach Gates said, crediting his team for not looking past VMI after the emotional win Friday. The tactical adjustment to emphasize interior play was evident – Missouri relentlessly attacked the rim, both in halfcourt sets and in transition, exploiting a size mismatch against the smaller Keydets. The result was a parade of dunks, layups, and drawn fouls that broke VMI’s resistance. Defensively, the Tigers toggled between man-to-man pressure and a disruptive 1-3-1 zone trap at times, which confused VMI and led to easy run-outs. The ability to switch defensive looks is something Gates has touted with this roster’s length and athleticism, and Sunday’s success in forcing empty possessions will build confidence in those schemes.

For Missouri, the 3-0 start is exactly what it hoped for, and Sunday’s emphatic win helps erase any lingering bad taste from the opener. The Tigers showcased the kind of offensive explosiveness and defensive energy that can carry them a long way this season if consistently applied. As Mitchell put it, “This is how we know we can play. When we play Mizzou basketball, we can be really good.” The challenge now is maintaining that standard. A bigger test looms next: Missouri will welcome its first high-major opponent of the year when Big Ten foe Minnesota comes to Columbia on Wednesday night. That matchup will give the Tigers an opportunity to validate their hot start against a Power Five team. Riding a wave of confidence and momentum, Missouri will aim to bottle Sunday’s effort and uncork it again versus the Golden Gophers. If the Tigers can deliver a similar level of execution and intensity, they’ll have a strong chance to keep their unbeaten run going – and perhaps start turning heads nationally. After reasserting their dominance against VMI, the Tigers appear refocused and ready for the challenges ahead.

Sources:

• University of Missouri Athletics (mutigers.com) – “Men’s Basketball Dominates VMI, 106-68”
• Associated Press via ESPN.com – “Mark Mitchell’s double-double leads Missouri in 106-68 win over VMI”
• Rock M Nation (SB Nation) – “Mizzou storms to a decisive victory over VMI”