Live blog of Mizzou basketball's exhibition game against UNLV

Starting Lineup

Missouri swapped out guard Kennard Davis Jr. for forward Mark Mitchell Jr. in its starting lineup. Mitchell is joined by Jason Crowe Jr., Trent Pierce, Toni Bryant and Bryson Tiller.;

It's been 30 years since British R&B singer Mark Morrison released the hit single "Return of the Mack," and ahead of an exhibition contest between Missouri and UNLV, the title is part of Missouri's scouting report. The road game, set to tip off at 9 p.m., will feature former Tiger Sebastian Mack, who spent the 2025-26 season at Missouri, played 18 games and started nine but was phased out of the lineup by the end of January.

If Mack follows his recent trajectory, it's likely he will take an abundance of shots against his former team in hopes to secure UNLV's first exhibition victory of the season.

Since transferring to UNLV in the offseason, Mack has flourished through two exhibition matchups. In the Rebels' losses to Utah and BYU, Mack led the team in scoring, notching 25 and 26 points on 20-for-42 shooting from the field. Outside of the senior guard, the closest Rebel in total points is sophomore Cam Miles with 31.

The Tigers, similarly, are led by a variety of youth and experience following their lone exhibition game and victory against Kansas State.

Freshman phenom Jason Crowe Jr. is in command of the offense while sophomore Bryson Tiller and freshman Toni Bryant are projected to be major contributors on both sides of the ball. Seniors Mark Mitchell and Trent Pierce are each long-time returning starters and played double-digit minutes in the Missouri's exhibition win over Kansas State, with Pierce adding 10 points.

Mitchell, the Tigers' 2025-26 leading scorer, was not featured in the starting lineup after an offseason filled with eligibility battles and went scoreless in over 15 minutes of action. CJ Gunn, who is also in the midst of a legal saga in regards to his eligibility for the upcoming season, did not play in the first matchup.

How to Watch

Jan 3, 2026; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Sebastian Mack (12) dribbles the ball during the first half against the Florida Gators at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Who: Missouri (0-0, 1-0 preseason) vs. UNLV (0-0, 0-2 preseason)

When: 9 p.m. Oct. 29

Where: Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada

TV: MW+

Series: Mizzou leads 3-2 (all regular season)

Last Time Out, Missouri: The Tigers defeated Kansas State 71-67 with a starting lineup consisting of Crowe, Kennard David Jr., Pierce, Bryant and Tiller. Crowe led all Tigers with 21 points, five assists and three steals on 7-for-18 shooting and 1-for-6 distance shooting. Tiller was a defensive catalyst in the game, leading Missouri with 33 minutes, nine rebounds and five blocks.

Last Time Out, UNLV: In the Rebels' second exhibition, they fell to BYU 77-89 at home. Mack led all scorers with 26, while Cam Miles and Jeremy Foumena each recorded double-digit scoring performances. Ultimately, the Rebels' 18 turnovers was too much to overcome as they suffered their second home exhibition loss of the year.

Last Meeting: Feb. 9, 2005 - Missouri and UNLV have not met in over 20 years, and haven't played each other since the Tigers moved to the SEC. But when the two teams last competed, UNLV defeated Missouri 74-71 in the very same Thomas & Mack Center the squads will play in tonight.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google