Looking for their first win of the 2024-2025 season, the Missouri Tigers faced the Howard Bison. The Tigers got the result they were looking for, defeating the Bison 77-62 for their first win.

In a similar fashion to the Tiger’s opener against Memphis, the first 10 minutes of the game were sloppy. Neither team could score, but the Tigers’ defense seemed to be the calling card.

At halftime, only 21 points had been scored between both teams. That’s not what either team was looking for, especially given Missouri’s slow start in the opener. Regardless, they stayed consistent around ten points and did a good job getting to the free throw line.

The number of free throws made in the first game was a nightmare scenario and a key reason for the Tigers’ loss, which improved drastically against Howard. They shot 26-31 against the Bison, and in fact, it was one of the only ways the Tigers managed to get points on the board for the entire game.

Perimeter shooting was a massive problem against the Bison and was arguably the reason the game was so close. Missouri shot 3 for 22 on the night and all three came from guard Tamar Bates. The discrepancy in perimeter shots could be a problem for the Tigers if not cleaned up. Howard made 10 3-pointers in 19 attempts, a much higher efficiency than the Tigers. Missouri found ways to score without the perimeter, but the extra points certainly would have helped.

“We have to be able to rely on something else to be able to win ball games,” Bates said. “At the end of the day, our shots (won’t) always fall.”

Even though Howard rained down 10 triples, the Tigers excelled on the defensive side of the ball. In one-on-one situations, the Tigers were rarely beaten and the number of fouls caused was disruptive. The Tigers finished the night with 11 steals while forcing 17 turnovers.

The way the Bison played caused a high tempo game with lots of running up and down the field. The Bison also extended plays frequently and extended the game by going all the way down the clock.

“That was just our resilience on defense and just being able to stay on the line and break up passes with one or two seconds left on the shot clock,” Missouri forward Aidan Shaw said.

Shaw didn’t have the same statistical contribution as he did against Memphis, finishing with just four points and two rebounds in 26 minutes of action.

Leading the way on defense, as well as pace the game on offense, was sophomore guard Anthony Robinson II. Robinson appears to be blossoming into a lead point guard for the Tigers as he continues to show his explosiveness on offense and ability to disrupt on the other end. Robinson finished with three steals on the night and wreaked havoc on both ends.

“You see how he lights up the game and he’s very talented to go like that,” head coach Dennis Gates said.

As the game wound down, the Bison cut the score further than the Tigers would have liked. With 4:38 left in the game, a 3-pointer by guard Marcus Dockery pulled Howard back to just four points. How the Tigers would react after the narrow gap of a lead would be vital to the outcome and luckily they gave Gates the answer he was looking for. They played well on the field, but it’s the vocality off the field that propelled the Tigers’ response.

“In addition to the communication that allowed our students to play, they connected differently and challenged each other as a group,” Gates said. “I didn’t have to talk much. These guys started talking to each other and I saw leadership.”

Missouri’s ability to rally in crunch time in vital moments of the game ultimately propelled them forward to the finish line.

It wasn’t the prettiest win, but the Tigers secured a much-needed win at home to kick off a potential win for his season. This win ended a 20-game losing streak for the Tigers that dates back to December 30, 2024, when the Tigers defeated Central Arkansas.

The Tigers have a seemingly easy home stretch ahead of them, taking on Eastern Washington next Monday, November 11th. They follow the Eagles with Mississippi Valley State, Pacific, Arkansas Pine Bluff and Lindenwood.

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