Kobe Brown scored 20 points while hitting 9 of 14 shots he attempted, as Missouri outscored Southern Indiana in Monday night’s season opener at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, 97-91. The win officially began the Dennis Gates era at Missouri, following the April hiring of the former Cleveland State head coach at MU.
The “Voice of the Tigers” Mike Kelly interviewed Gates on the Tiger Radio Network following the win:Â
Missouri had six players score in double figures, with Tre Gomillion and Sean East II each tallying 12 points, with DeAndre Gholston and D’Moi Hodge each scoring 11, and Clemson transfer Nick Honor scoring 10 points with five assists.
Missouri had to sweat out a Southern Indiana attack that scored 60 second half points with blistering hot shooting, with Jelani Simmons scoring a game-high 23 points for the Screaming Eagles, with Trevor Lakes adding 18, Jeremiah Hernandez 14, Isaiah Swope 13, and Tyler Henry 11. This is Southern Indiana’s first season in Division One, with the program playing out of the Ohio Conference. Mizzou will next be in action on Friday night, hosting the Penn Quakers.
The Missouri women, behind 17 points from senior forward Hayley Frank, beat in-state rival Missouri State 68-51 at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield. Junior guard Sara-Rose Smith added 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Tigers, who outscored the Lady Bears 44-24 in the paint. Lauren Hansen had nine points and Katlyn Gilbert 9 for Mizzou, now 40-9 all-time in season openers.
