Mark Mitchell scored 29 points to lead Missouri past Southeast Missouri State 89-84 Friday night in Columbia, Mo.
Anthony Robinson II scored 15 points, Jayden Stone scored 14 and Sebastian Mack added 11 for the Tigers (2-0).
The Redhawks (0-2) were led by Braxton Stacker (26 points) and Luke Almodovar (24). Marqueas Bell scored 13.
SEMO led by as many as nine points during the second half and was still even at 76-76 with little more than three minutes left.
Missouri turned the ball over 19 times and missed 12 free throws to keep SEMO’s upset hopes alive.
After struggling during Missouri’s season-opening victory at Howard on Monday, Mitchell and Robinson asserted themselves against SEMO. Mitchell’s drive and Robinson’s 3-point jumper starter a 12-0 game-opening run for the Tigers.
The Redhawks answered with an 18-9 run with Almodovar hitting a 3-point jumper and throwing down an alley-oop transition drunk. SEMO hit seven straight shots to cut Missouri’s lead to 21-18.
Stacker hit two 3-pointers to draw SEMO within range. Then he drove for a three-point play and hit two free throws to put the Redhawks up 36-34.
Another Stacker jumper, then a drive by Bell pushed SEMO’s lead to 42-37.
The Tigers stabilized with 3-point jumpers by Luke Northweather, Stone and Jacob Crews, but Landren Blocker’s 3-point jumper gave SEMO a 51-46 halftime lead.
The Redhawks shot 59.4% from the field in the first half, including 41.7 from beyond the arc. They made 8 of 9 free throws while the Tigers missed 7 of 10.
SEMO extended its lead to 55-46 with four more free throws to open the second half. Mitchell took over by attacking the rim to put Missouri ahead 59-58 with 14:06 left to play.
The teams traded leads from there, until Mitchell’s three-point play with 3:10 left sent the Tigers on a 9-2 run that finally gave them control.
