Live Blog for Mizzou's Matchup with VMI

Updates and analysis for Missouri's third game of the season.

Nov 9, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers senior forwards Mark Mitchell (25) and Jevon Porter (14) go up for the ball against VMI junior guard AJ Clark (5) during a matchup against the Keydets at Mizzou Arena. | Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSi

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Missouri Tigers earned their third win of the 2025-26 season, taking down the VMI Keydets 106-68. 

In many ways, this game may have been a confidence booster for the Tigers. Missouri played with its food a little too much on the road against Howard and, most recently, against Southeast Missouri State. A blowout win in Game 3 certainly helped in that aspect. 

This was a winning effort fueled, once again, by senior forward Mark Mitchell. He finished with 24 points on 7-for-13 shooting, marking his second straight 20-point outing. He also earned 10 of those points at the free throw line. 

The Tigers finally got a solid outing from junior guard Anthony Robinson II, who finished with 20 points and four assists on 6-for-7 shooting, also going 4-for-5 from the perimeter. This was, statistically, his best game of the season. 

Robinson’s defense was also a difference maker for the Tigers. He picked up four total steals, but his ability to generate deflections and turnovers in general was impressive. His ability to pick guards up full-court also helped slow down the VMI offense. 

Missouri wasn’t able to slow down Keydet forward T.J. Johnson, who went for 31 points in 8-for-19 shooting. He had the green light to attempt practically any perimeter shot, a strategy that seemingly worked for him. 

Johnson’s production was a reason for the Keydets jumping out to an early lead, striking some fear into the Tigers. The Tigers ran away with it around the nine-minute mark of the half, thanks to a five-point run from Robinson, to put any of those doubts to bed. 

The Tigers looked better as a unit on the defensive side of the ball, but it still wasn’t perfect. The Keydets went 15-for-41 from the perimeter, which may not look like such a menacing number. Many of those were open, especially at the hands of Johnson. As a team, the Tigers forced 17 turnovers. 

Jacob Crews also had his best night of the season to date. He finished with 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting, while adding six rebounds to his stat line. 

Missouri’s next matchup is the first big-name test of the season, facing Minnesota at  7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at Mizzou Arena.

Second Half

• Randall just posterized Kaden Stuckey for a final highlight of the game.

• Robinson is up to 20 points on the night, while also going 4-for-5 from the three-point line. That'll be a nice confidence-builder for him moving forward.

• Missouri's size has shown today. They're out-rebounding VMI 41-24 with under five minutes to play.

• Jacob Crews has subtly recorded a nice game, finding himself up to 14 points and six rebounds. He's one of two Tigers to make a three-point shot, along with Robinson.

• Mitchell keeps stacking buckets for the Tigers, most recently on an uber-athletic layup that started from the free-throw line. He's also been able to get to the charity stripe plenty and is up to 24 points with 10:53 to play.

• 10 fouls have been called between both teams through the first six-and-a-half minutes of the second half.

• The start to the second half hasn't been pretty. There's been lots of fouls and missed layup attempts. Missouri still leads and is up 56-43.

First Half

First half stats | Mizzou Athletics

• The Tigers lead by 10 at halftime, headlined by 16 points from Mitchell and 12 points from Robinson. T.J. Johnson of VMI has 21 points, as well.

• A Flagrant 1 foul was just called on VMIs Cal Liston. Jevon Porter went 1-for-2 from the free throw line as a result, along with the Tigers gaining possession.

• VMI is 7-for-17 from the perimeter so far. Missouri has not done a great job defending the three-point line to start this game. The Tigers do lead 41-30 as the half winds down.

• Robinson is finding his footing on offense, scoring five straight for the Tigers. Missouri leads 28-22 going into a timeout with 7:40 to play.

• Missouri is doing an exceptional job of creating contact and getting to the free-throw line. It's drawn nine fouls and is 7-for-11 from the line so far.

• The Tigers lead 15-14 with 12:49 to play. 10 of those points for the Tigers have been scored by forward Mark Mitchell.

• Freshman forward Nicolas Randall is making his first appearance as a Tiger at the 15:08 mark.

• VMI is up 6-3 through two minutes of play. The Keydets are throwing a 2-1-2 zone look at the Tigers, which seems to be throwing them off so far.

Pregame

Luke Northweather will start in the absence of Shawn Phillips Jr. Here's the entire starting lineup for the Tigers against VMI:

G- Anthony Robinson II
G- Sebastian Mack
F- Jevon Porter
F- Mark Mitchell
F- Luke Northweather

• Starting center Shawn Phillips Jr. will be out due to illness, per the team. Phillips joins Annor Boateng, Trent Pierce and Trent Burns as Tigers who will not play today.