Mizzou Falls to No. 2 Kansas, 73-64

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Missouri men’s basketball team dropped a decision at nationally-ranked Kansas in the Hy-Vee Hoops Border Showdown on Saturday, 73-64. The Tigers move to 7-3 for the 2023-24 campaign, while the No. 2 Jayhawks improve to 8-1.

Graduate guard Sean East II led the Tigers with 21 points in the game, his sixth contest of the season with at least 20. He added six assists and three boards as well. Nick Honor chipped in 17 points of his own, including four 3-pointers.

Honor would open the scoring for the Tigers with an early three, giving them a lead they would hold for 14 minutes. Mizzou would widen their edge to as much as nine in the first eight minutes on the back of a pair of East baskets and a Tamar Bates triple. Kansas, however, finished the first half strong and used a 20-2 spurt over the final six minutes of the frame to head into the locker room ahead, 41-29.

Kansas would lead by as many as 18 points in the second frame before a 13-3 Mizzou run pulled the visitors within single digits. Despite the MU effort, Kansas would hit its free throws late and grab the nine-point win, 73-64.

Kansas outshot MU 44.6 percent to 41.4 percent in the contest. The Tigers held the edge in steals (8-6) and blocks (5-4), while also forcing KU into 16 turnovers, only the second time this season the Jayhawks have surrendered the ball 16 or more times.

UP NEXT
The Tigers travel to Kansas City, Mo. to face off against Seton Hall on Sunday, Dec. 17 at T-Mobile Center. Tip is set for 4 p.m. and the game can be viewed on ESPN.