Missouri Tigers rout Iowa State, 74-59

Cuonzo Martin’s first game as the Missouri Tigers’ head coach came with a win, as the Tigers cruised past Iowa State, 74-59.

The Missouri Tigers’ fans and fourth-ranked recruiting class couldn’t have asked for a more perfect start to their season, as they start out with a win.

Friday night’s game began with much anticipation before the first sell-out crowd at Mizzou Arena, since the 2013 season. The last few years of Missouri basketball are a distant memory, at this point.

Probably the most troubling point of the game was when freshman forward Michael Porter, Jr. was seen sitting on the bench within the first couple of minutes of the game. His absence, which wasn’t felt as much as I thought it may have been, came as a bit of a surprise.

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It was later discovered, that MPJ’s hip – or leg – was bothering him, and rather than risk aggravating the presumed injury, he rested it for the remainder of the game.

While it was disconcerting to see Michael Porter, Jr. on the sideline, the team still exceeded expectations on the court and excelled from beyond the arch. There were a number of back-to-back three pointers made by the Tigers, as well.

The last time Missouri dominated a game was against Vanderbilt, when the Tigers won by 20 points, 72-52.

If this dominating performance by the Tigers is a sign of things to come, it should indicate that Missouri has returned to its pre-2014 self at the very least, and has put the rest of the SEC on notice. This Tigers team looks like it has a legitimate chance to make a postseason run.