Missouri Dominates Pacific in Rare Matchup
COLUMBIA, Mo. — In a thrilling showdown that marked the first meeting in over half a century, the Missouri Tigers overwhelmed the Pacific Tigers with a commanding 91-56 victory on Friday night. This matchup was only the third encounter between the schools, with a lengthy 53-year gap since their last game.
Reserve guard Caleb Grill led the offensive charge for Missouri (4-1), scoring 25 points on an impressive 9-for-12 shooting performance. Tamar Bates contributed 11 points, while Trent Pierce added 10 from the bench. The Tigers showcased their three-point shooting prowess, sinking 14 of 30 attempts from beyond the arc.
Pacific (3-4) saw standout performances from Elias Ralph, who scored 19 points, and Seth Jones, who added 15. Despite beginning the game with an early lead courtesy of a three-pointer and a dunk from Elijah Fisher, Pacific quickly fell behind as Missouri seized control.
After a brief back-and-forth, Missouri embarked on a decisive 16-4 run halfway through the first half, propelled by strong plays from Josh Gray. This momentum established a solid double-digit lead that the Tigers maintained for the remainder of the game.
The historical significance of this encounter was evident, as it was the first time Missouri faced a West Coast Conference (WCC) team in 20 years. Overall, the Tigers hold a record of 2-4 against the WCC, with their last win against a WCC opponent dating back to December 30, 2004, when they defeated No. 12 Gonzaga.
With this dominant performance, Missouri aims to strengthen its position as it navigates through the season, ready for future challenges ahead.
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