Live Blog of Mizzou at LSU

A sluggish first half was too much for Missouri to overcome on the road at LSU, with MU falling 78-70. The loss puts Missouri at 13-5 on the season and 3-2 in SEC play.

LSU entered the game as the last remaining SEC team yet to earn a conference win. After starting its SEC road slate with a win over Kentucky at Rupp Arena, Missouri has now lost two straight road games.

Missouri fell behind quickly in the first half, making a second half effort amount to too little too late. MU was persistent in its comeback, surviving ebbs and flows to make it a four-point game entering the final 55 seconds.

MU consistently cut away at the gap in the second half, being led by offensive efforts from Jayden Stone and Trent Pierce. Stone was the driving force behind MU’s offense waking up in the second half, scoring 16 points in the half after scoring just four in the first. MU trailed by 14 after the opening two minutes of the half, but cut the deficit to as few as three points at the 11:44 mark.

But even though Missouri’s offense shot better than LSU in the second half, LSU’s offense persisted and had answers just about every time MU threatened the lead.On four different occasions in the second half, LSU nailed a 3 following a score from Missouri.

In the first half, center Shawn Phillips Jr., who entered the game seventh in points per game for Missouri, led the team in scoring with six points. Stone was the only player to make multiple field goals in the half.

Missouri didn’t make any of its first six shot attempts, allowing LSU to take a 10-0 lead to open the game.

LSU’s defense was mostly impenetrable, preventing many opportunities for Missorui’s leading scorer, forward Mark Mitchell, who only scored two points on just three shot attempts in the opening half.

Turnovers also disrupted Missouri’s offense, with MU finishing the game with a 7-to-12 assist- to-turnover ratio. Guard T.O. Barrett was responsible for x of those assists, but x of those turnovers.

Missouri’s lineups were also put out of whack early in the second half when trying to dig away at the deficit when Mitchell tallied his fourth personal foul with 14:27 remaining. This inserted the lanky redshirt freshman center Trent Burns onto the court during critical moments.

Ultimately, the hole MU dug itself into in the first half was too much to overcome in a better second half.

One of the few bright spots for Missouri was a better day from the free-throw line, with MU making 80% of its attempt from the charity stripe, 14% better than its SEC-worst average of 66%.

Missouri will return home for its next game, hosting No. 21 Georgia at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Live Updates
Second Half
Final Stats
First Half
First Half Stats
Pre Game
Injuries
Starting Lineups
How to Watch

Live Updates

Second Half

Final Stats

FINAL: Missouri 70, LSU 78

0:17 - Missouri 70, LSU 76

After LSU made two free throws, its heading back to the line after a failed offensive possession for MU. Missouri will need something close to a miracle now.

1:05 - Missouri 68, LSU 74

LSU's Rashad King sinks an impressive jumper as the shot clock expires for a key shot to extend LSU's lead. LSU has been able to make just about every shot it has needed to.

3:25 - Missouri 61, LSU 69

LSU still managing to keep its distance. Mark Mitchell making two free throw attempts that he'll have out of the timeout would go a long way for a potential comeback for Missouri in the final minutes.

7:43 - Missouri 52, LSU 60

MU did a nice job to cut the deficit to just three points, but LSU responds with a 3 and a fast break layup. Missouri's zone defense was holding LSU's offense at bay for the last few minutes, but LSU now starting to break through it.

11:50 - Missouri 45, LSU 50

Missouri's deficit now the smallest its been since the opening minutes of the game. Jayden Stone and Trent Pierce have began to find shoting opportunities. Meanwhile, forward Mark Mitchell has already been subbed out after reaching four personal fouls.

14:52 - Missouri 38, LSU 48

Missouri scored seven unanswered points after consecutive 3s from Trent Pierce and Jayden Stone, cutting the deficit to seven points. But LSU stoped that momentum with a 3 of its own.

First Half

First Half Stats

HALF: Missouri 27, LSU 37

3:42 - Missouri 18, LSU 29

LSU now holds its biggest lead of the game, with the LSU offense hitting its stride while the Missouri offense is struggling to find its own. MU shooting 28.6% from the field, compared to 42.9% from LSU. Missouri's sporadic success from 3 has been the best part of its offense, but that hasn't been too consistent either.

7:46 - Missouri 9, LSU 19

Missouri going through another cold streak offensively, scoring just one field goal in a nearly four-minute span. MU has had two lostball turnovers in the last minute of play, disrupting the offense.

11:36 - Missouri 7, LSU 11

It took nearly all of the first six minutes, but Missouri eventually broke the scoring drought with a fadeaway shot from Mark Mitchell. Trent Pierce followed that up with a clean 3. Missouri starting to find its offensive flow.

Picking up where he left off last game 👌@trentpierce22 // #MIZ 🐯 pic.twitter.com/YDAA8G3R9d
— Mizzou Hoops (@MizzouHoops) January 17, 2026

15:34 - Missouri 0, LSU 8

Missouri has missed all six of its opening shot attempts, four of which have been 3s. MU has been unable to penetrate inside at all. LSU doing a good job defensively.

Pre Game

Injuries

Missouri

OUT: F Jevon Porter

Porter will be out for a sixth consecutive game due to a leg injury he suffered in practice.

"Right now, he's out. I'm waiting for the doctors to give me a return to play," Gates said Friday. "Right now, he's not even in return to play. ... He can still condition, he can still do certain things with the strength coach."

LSU

OUT: F Jalen Reed, G Dedan Thomas Jr.

Thomas was initially listed as doubtful, but has been downgraded ot out. A transfer from UNLV, he has missed the last five games with a leg injury. He's LSU's leading scorer, averaging 16.2 points and also 7.1 assists per game.

Reed has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with an Achilles injury. He averaged 9.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in six appearance's to start the season.

Starting Lineups

Missouri	LSU
G Anthony Robinson II	G Max Mackinnon
G Jayden Stone	G Rashad King
G Jacob Crews	F Pablo Tamba
F Mark Mitchell	F Marquel Sutton
C Shawn Phillips Jr.	C Michael Nwoko

How to Watch

Who: Missouri (13-4, 3-1 SEC) vs. LSU (12-5, 0-4 SEC)

What: Missouri's third SEC road game of the season.

When: Saturday, Jan. 17, 2:30 p.m.

Where: Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

TV: SEC Network

Radio: Tiger Radio Network (Play-By-Play: Mike Kelly Color: Chris Gervino)

SiriusXM: LSU - 374, Missouri - 385

Series: LSU leads 12-5

Read more Missouri Tigers news: