Columbia, Missouri: Mizzou Routs Cleveland State 111-50 for Largest Season-Opening Win in Program History

Missouri's season opener was over in the first five minutes. The Tigers scored the first 15 points of the game, led 56-18 at halftime and beat Cleveland State 111-50 on Tuesday night at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, the largest season-opening win in program history.

The 61-point margin was Missouri's largest in any game since a 72-point win over Mississippi Valley State on November 14, 2024. Missouri shot 60.9 percent from the field and made 14 of its 31 three-pointers, and the lead reached 63 points in the second half.

Freshmen set the tone

Jason Crowe Jr., a top-five national prospect, scored 23 points in his college debut, tying the most points a Missouri freshman has ever scored in a first game. Crowe made 9 of 16 shots, including 4 of 7 three-pointers, in 30 minutes. Fellow freshman Toni Bryant added 15 points and hit three three-pointers in the first five minutes, and Missouri's opening run reached 18-2 before Brandon White put Cleveland State on the board with a putback.

Kennard Davis Jr., a St. Louis native, scored 19 points off the bench on 7-of-9 shooting, with four three-pointers. Mark Mitchell scored 11 points and handed out a career-high 10 assists, Bryson Tiller had 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds, and Jamier Jones (13 points) and Trent Pierce (11) joined them in double figures. Seven Tigers scored at least 10 points, and Missouri's bench outscored the Cleveland State bench 41-14. Missouri also won the rebounding battle 43-29.

A long night for the visitors

Deandre Jones and Rayvon Griffith scored 13 points each for Cleveland State, which shot 32.8 percent from the field and made only 2 of 16 three-pointers. The Vikings went 11-22 last season, 6-14 in the Horizon League, in coach Rob Summers' first season. Summers worked as an assistant under Missouri coach Dennis Gates at Missouri, and Cleveland State is the program Gates coached before he took the Missouri job.

Missouri entered the season unranked, with the most votes of any team outside the AP Top 25. The Tigers have reached the NCAA Tournament three times in Gates' four seasons and lost in the first round last season, and the opener gave the home crowd a first look at a roster built around the second-highest ranked freshman class in program history.

What comes next

Missouri travels to St. Louis on Friday to play Saint Louis in the Regions Bank Show Me Showdown at the Enterprise Center, with tipoff at 6 p.m. Cleveland State plays its home opener on Friday against Michigan-Dearborn at the Wolstein Center.