Caleb Grill and Mark Mitchell scored 17 points each as Missouri defeated Arkansas 83-65 Saturday in Columbia, Mo., to remain unbeaten at home.
Tamar Bates scored 15 points, Tony Perkins scored 11 and Trent Pierce added 10 as the Tigers (15-3, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) improved to 14-0 at Mizzou Arena.
Zvonimir Ivisic had 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots as the Razorbacks (11-7, 0-5) remained winless in league play. Adou Thiero scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds for Arkansas.
The Razorbacks outscored Missouri 42-32 in the paint and blocked six shots, but the Tigers built a 14-4 edge in free throws and an 11-5 advantage in 3-point makes.
Missouri raced to an 18-2 start with Bates hitting three 3-point jumpers and scoring on a transition layup.
Arkansas finally answered with a 9-2 run, capped by Ivisic’s 3-point jumper from atop the key, to cut the lead to 20-11.
The Tigers continued their hot shooting through the half, pushing their lead to 35-18 with Perkins and Gtill knocking down 3-pointers.
Missouri extended its lead to 52-35 at the half by closing with a 6-2 surge, capped by Mitchell’s drive with 11 seconds left.
The Tigers hit 9-of-17 shots from 3-point range during the first 20 minutes while the Razorbacks missed 11-of-14 shots from beyond the arc.
Mitchell opened the second half with a 3-pointer to extend Missouri’s lead to 20 points.
The Razorbacks responded by attacking the basket for eight straight points — including two Thiero baskets — to cut their deficit to 57-45.
After the Tigers stabilized with Grill cutting to the basket to two layups, Arkansas scored eight straight points again to pull within 10 points. Billy Richmond III got to the rim twice for easy baskets.
Anthony Robinson II essentially clinched the game by retrieving an offensive rebound, then hitting a deep 3-pointer to put the Tigers up 79-63 with 3:08 left.
–Field Level Media
