In First Road Victory, Mizzou Annihilates Mississippi State By 42 Points
Score: Missouri 78, Mississippi State 36
Stars: Missouri: Keion Bell 24 Pts, 5 Reb, 2 Ast. Mississippi State: Trivante Bloodman 13 Pts, 3 Stl, 2 Reb.
Story: The University of Missouri Tigers finally won their first road game of the season, absolutely demolishing Mississippi State by 42 points. From the start, Mizzou came to play and end its road woes that have lasted all season. The team was 0-5 in previous road games and seriously needed a win to try to reenter the rankings and stay off the bubble. The Tigers started the game on a 14-0 run and Mississippi State didn't make its first basket until midway through the first half, after 9:50 of play.
When halftime hit, Missouri had already built a nice 24 point lead. In fact, Keion Bell was outscoring the Bulldogs all by himself, 16-10. Bell was the player of the game in this one, continuing his hot streak as of late. The senior dropped 24 points, which is his season high so far. It's been nice to watch Bell come into his own as he struggled to begin his Missouri career. Keion has found a spot as the second ballhander on the team, and has been the leading lockdown defender.
The second half was more of the same, as Missouri cruised the entire time and continued to shut down Mississippi State. When the clock hit zero, Missouri had a cool 42-point win. The Tigers margin of victory was more than the amount of points they let up, which is an accomplishment in itself. This wasn't the only accomplishment, however. Phil Pressey dished out his 500th carrer assist after breaking the school record in the previous game. Walk-on and coaches son Corey Haith hit a three pointer at the end of the game to earn his first career points in a Tiger uniform. As I've mentioned before, Haith is a fan favorite, so it was nice to see him get some playing time and some points.
While this was an amazing victory and much needed victory for the Tigers, this doesn't necessarily mark the end of the road struggle. Frank Haith tried a different strategy, flying the team out today as opposed to the day before, but he isn't going to have that luxury every game. In addition, Mississippi State was undermanned with only six scholarship players due to injuries and a suspension. The Bulldogs are one of the SEC bottom dwellers, so it was nice to see Mizzou put it to them and take no mercy.
It was the kind of win the TIgers needed to gain some confidence in road games, which they will need in their next game as they face Arkansas and former coach Mike Anderson on Saturday. Arkansas is a tough place to play and Missouri really needs to show up to prove that its road problems are a thing of the past. If the Tigers can pull out a win on Saturday, they can possibly reenter the Top 25 and also begin to establish themselves as a team to be reckoned with come tournament time in March.
