OMAHA, Neb. – Mizzou Men’s Basketball got one final tune-up under its belt on Sunday in a scrimmage at Creighton, an exhibition that was closed to the media and public at the CenturyLink Center.
Head coach Kim Anderson‘s group battled the preseason No. 23-ranked Bluejays to a 41-41 tie in the first stand-alone, 20-minute half, before yielding a 45-31 result to the home team in the second 20-minute period.
Freshman guard Frankie Hughes (Cleveland, Ohio) stood out for the Tigers, leading the Black & Gold in scoring with 12 points in the first half and 10 in the second half for a combined 22 points. Hughes sank 9-of-21 field goal attempts (.429) in the scrimmage.
Both freshman forward Willie Jackson (Cleveland, Ohio) and sophomore forward Kevin Puryear (Blue Springs, Mo.) scored 12 points each over the two periods. Jackson and Puryear recorded eight and seven rebounds, respectively.
Back-to-back three-point makes from sophomore guard Cullen VanLeer (Pacific, Mo.) pushed the Tigers in front of Creighton, 32-28, with 4:14 left in first-half action. Mizzou and Creighton fought back and forth down the stretch, with an unlucky foul on sophomore guard Terrence Phillips (Orange County, Calif.) sending the Bluejays to the line for the game-tying free throws to enter the break knotted 41-41. Phillips did his part, though, dishing six assists and recording 10 points and 10 rebounds in the scrimmage.
Mizzou tightened the second half to a six-point Creighton advantage at three different points, including a 27-21 score at 5:51 after a Hughes jumper. The Bluejays attempted 29 free throws after the break against Mizzou’s 12 thanks to a 21-10 difference in foul calls.
Jackson was efficient in the second half, sinking 4-of-5 from the field. In total, seven different Tigers scored in the scrimmage.
In a revision of NCAA rules, publicity is allowable for closed scrimmages once play has concluded. Additionally, coaches typically agree to reset the scoreboard, including fouls, at the halftime break.
Anderson’s team opens its 2016-17 schedule at Mizzou Arena on Friday, Nov. 4, when the Tigers host Central Missouri at 7 p.m
