Noah Carter scored 18 points, Sean East added 17, and Missouri defeated Loyola of Maryland 78-70 on Saturday.
Nick Honor scored 13 and Anthony Robinson added 10 for the Tigers (5-2). Carter also had five rebounds, three steals and two assists. East had four assists.
Missouri hit a series of timely 3-pointers in the second half and turned a four-point halftime lead into a 59-46 lead near the 10-minute mark. Nick Honor opened the half with a 3-pointer, Caleb Grill hit a 3 for a seven-point lead at 15 minutes, Curt Lewis made one for an eight-point lead about four minutes later, then Jordan Butler and Honor connected from long range on consecutive possessions. Six of Missouri’s first nine makes in the second half were 3-pointers. The Tigers finished with 11 made 3-pointers in 28 attempts (39.3%).
Missouri’s largest lead was 13 points and Loyola scored six of the game’s last eight points to get within double digits.
Alonso Faure scored 18 points, D’Angelo Stines 14, David Brown 11 and Deon Perry 10 for the Greyhounds (1-5). Loyola led in rebounding 41-34, with Faure grabbing a game-high eight.
Missouri hit three 3-pointers in the early going and Loyola connected twice. The Tigers led 13-9 after six minutes then blew it open with an 18-0 run in which six players scored. However, after making 7 of 10 shots in the run, the Tigers missed their next 10 and the Greyhounds were within 35-31 at halftime.
Missouri plays at Pittsburgh in the ACC/SEC Challenge on Tuesday.
