Men’s Basketball Hosts Jackson State Sunday

The Missouri men’s basketball program begins a three-game holiday homestand on Sunday, hosting Jackson State. First tip at Mizzou Arena is set for 5 p.m. on SEC Network +.
 
PROMOTIONS
• Sunday marks MU’s Fighting for Literacy contest.
• As part of the game, Heart of Missouri United Way is accepting book donations for kids.
• MU and UW volunteers will be at the gates to collect donations for local nonprofits with a check for more than $10,000 presented from last year’s Fighting for Literacy fundraiser.
 
ABOUT MISSOURI
• The Tigers enter the weekend with a 3-1 mark, earning a road win on Thursday with a 70-68 victory at Minnesota.
• Three MU players are scoring in double figures this season – Sean East II (16.0), Noah Carter (13.3) and Nick Honor (11.8).
• East also leads Mizzou with nine assists, while Carter has a team-best 7.3 rebounds.
• The Tigers are averaging 73.5 points per game, while allowing 66.8 points.
 
ABOUT JACKSON STATE
• Jackson State is 0-5 to start the 2023-24 season.
• The Tigers fell in their most recent game on Thursday at Tulsa, 72-52.
• Jackson State is led by Ken Evans Jr. with 18.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
• Chase Adams leads the team with 3.2 assists.
• The Tigers are averaging 64.4 points per game, while allowing 84.2.
 
SERIES HISTORY
• The schools are meeting for the eighth time and the first in 22 years.
• Missouri has won all seven of the previous games with six of the seven coming in Columbia.
• All but one of the meetings have been decided by double-digits – an 80-76 Mizzou win in 1993.
 
MIZZOU VERSUS SWAC
• Missouri has won all 24 meetings versus SWAC foes with 23 of the 24 decided by double digits.
• The Tigers have already defeated one SWAC school this season, topping Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the season opener, 101-79.
• Overall, Mizzou has defeated SWAC schools by more than 31 points per game, 88.8 to 57.6.
 
GAINING MOMENTUM
• The Tigers hit the road this week to gain some early-season momentum.
• Mizzou is coming off a 70-68 win at Minnesota. It marks the Tigers’ first road non-conference win against a power conference school since 2013 against NC State – ending a nine-game skid.
• It was also MU’s first road win against a Big Ten school since 2003.
 
MIZZOU RALLIES FOR VICTORY
• The Tigers are coming off an impressive rally in Thursday’s victory.
• Trailing by 20 points at Minnesota with just over 11 minutes remaining, Mizzou finished the game on a 31-9 run for a 70-68 win – capped by a Sean East II and-one with 9.9 seconds remaining.
• It ties Missouri’s largest rally since joining the SEC – also coming from 20 down to defeat Georgia in 2020 – and largest by Mizzou in at least 25 years.
 
THE BEST IN CLOSE GAMES
• Once the Tigers pulled close Thursday, it was advantage Missouri.
• Under Dennis Gates, the Tigers are now a perfect 9-0 in games decided by five or fewer points.
• The Tigers are one of just five schools nationally that are unbeaten in games decided by five or less points during the last two seasons with their 9-0 record leading the country.
 
DEFENSE KEYING EARLY START
• The Tigers have showcased a strong defensive start in 2023-24.
• Mizzou has not allowed a team to shoot more than 43 percent in any game this season with opponents shooting 38.6 percent overall.
• In fact, the Tigers allowed foes to shoot 44.6 percent last season and have held each team below that mark this year.
• One key to MU’s success is rejections – ranking 10th nationally with 7.0 blocks per game.
• Sophomore Aidan Shaw leads Mizzou and ranks 26th in the NCAA with 2.50 blocks per game.
 
NEW FACES
• One challenge the Tigers face early in the 2023-24 season is introducing a number of new faces.
• The Tigers are welcoming 11 newcomers to the roster this season.
• The nine newcomers that have played so far are currently combining to average 28.0 points, 14.0 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 4.5 steals and 2.8 blocks.
• In fact, newcomers scored 32 points in Thursday’s win (45.7% of team’s total) – including 15 of the final 21 points during the rally – with freshman alone accounting for a season-best 14 points.
• Tamar Bates leads all newcomers with 9.3 points, while Caleb Grill is next with 7.3 points per game.