National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Missouri 91, Oral Roberts 64
When: 7:00 PM ET, Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Where: Mizzou Arena, Columbia, Missouri
Officials: # Chuck Jones, # Owen Shortt, # Troy Mathis
Attendance: 0

Senior guard Mark Smith scored 18 points to lead the Missouri Tigers past the visiting Oral Roberts Golden Eagles 91-64 in the season-opening game for both teams.

Guards Xavier Pinson (17 points, four assists) and Dru Smith (16 points, six assists) also had strong games for the Tigers, who matched their highest point total from the previous two seasons.

Max Abmas led Oral Roberts with 18 points and Kevin Obanor scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

The Golden Eagles, who averaged 80.2 points per game last season, launched 35 3-point shots and missed 28 of them. They also turned the ball over 15 times after averaging just 10.35 turnovers per game last season.

Missouri earned a 44-32 rebounding edge in the game and shot 53.1 percent from the floor -- including 10-for-25 from 3-point range.

Missouri broke out to a quick 7-0 lead and never trailed in the game. Oral Roberts pulled even at 11-11 before their shooting went cold.

After making three of four shots from 3-point range to open the game -- with Abmas hitting two of them -- the Golden Eagles missed 11 of their next 13 shots from behind the arc.

That slump allowed the Tigers to push their lead 16 points. They finished the first half with a 42-32 lead, with Dru Smith scoring 12 of his points and Jeremiah Tilmon grabbing seven of his 12 rebounds in the game.

The Tigers scored the first seven points in the second half, too, while continuing to push their offensive pace.

With Mark Smith hitting three consecutive 3-point jumpers, the Tigers pushed the lead to 65-41 and coasted to the easy victory.

The Tigers played 11 players and 10 of them scored.

Missouri has won nine of 10 games from the Golden Eagles during their all-time series.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Oral Roberts   Missouri
Max Abmas 18 Scoring Mark Smith 18
Max Abmas 5 Assists Dru Smith 6
Kevin Obanor 9 Rebounds Jeremiah Tilmon 12
Kevin Obanor 6 Free Throws Made Javon Pickett 5
Max Abmas 2 Steals Dru Smith 4
Max Abmas 1 Blocks Dru Smith 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Oral Roberts 64 34.8 7-35 11-12 10 29 3 7 15
Missouri 91 53.1 10-25 13-18 18 41 1 11 17