Missouri Tigers Face Cleveland State Vikings in Showdown

Columbia, MO – The Missouri Tigers will host the Cleveland State Vikings today at 1 p.m. CT at Mizzou Arena. This game marks the first meeting between the two teams. Both squads are eager to make a statement on the court.

The Tigers, who enter the game with a perfect 7-0 record, are coming off a convincing 98-66 win against South Carolina State. Missouri aims to maintain its unbeaten run before facing tougher opponents next week, including Notre Dame and Kansas.

On the other hand, Cleveland State enters with a 3-5 record, having recently won 109-56 against Waynesburg. The Vikings are looking for a fresh start under new head coach Rob Summers, who took over after Dennis Gates left for Missouri.

Key players for Missouri include Mark Mitchell, averaging 18.1 points per game, and Anthony Robinson II, who is contributing 11.6 points per game. The Tigers have shown strong offensive performance so far, averaging 93.9 points per game.

Cleveland State relies heavily on transfers, with most of their starting lineup coming from other programs. Dayan Nessah and Tre Beard lead the Vikings with 15.5 points each. However, Josiah Harris, a crucial player for the team, is dealing with injury issues and may not play.

Coach Summers will look to instill a competitive edge into his team as they face their former mentor, Dennis Gates. The Vikings plan to exploit their rebounding abilities, having performed well in recent games. In contrast, Mizzou is aiming to capitalize on Cleveland State’s high turnover rate, averaging 14.9 turnovers per game this season.

As both teams prepare for this face-off, the excitement builds around Mizzou Arena. This contest promises to be a memorable debut for the Vikings against the Tigers and a test of Missouri’s early-season dominance.