A big shift was needed in the play style of the Tigers, even after they took down Howard earlier this week. A lot went right for them in the first half, limiting turnovers, capitalizing on free throws, and hitting from three-point range consistently.
Above all, the biggest difference in the game was an X-factor by the name of Caleb Grill.
Mizzou struggled to start the game, as two straight turnovers led to the first two buckets, giving the Eagles an early 5-0 lead and stealing the home crowd's momentum. Although the Tigers fought back and kept it close, it wasn’t until Grill checked in that the momentum truly swung back to Mizzou's side.
The 6th-year senior, in his second season with the Tigers, made an immediate impact on the game, with strong support from his teammates and the home fans.
The score was 12-6 when Grill checked in. A quick pass to him in the corner off an inbound play cut the lead in half, but he didn’t stop there. Right after that, Grill forced a steal, got ahead of the Eagle defense, and went up high for a dunk that ignited Mizzou Arena.
7⃣ early points for Caleb Grill, forcing the turnover on one and finishing with the slam on the other#MIZ 🐯 pic.twitter.com/Z8Mu1fixfZ
— Mizzou Hoops (@MizzouHoops) November 12, 2024
Mizzou went up 13-12 after that massive jam, and they wouldn’t lose the lead for the rest of the contest. Shooting and defense came from all over, but thanks to Kansas native Grill, they were able to attack both sides of the ball early and often.
Grill finished with 16 first-half points, along with 3 rebounds. Throughout the first 20 minutes, he was hitting from everywhere, particularly from three-point range. He shot 86% from the field and an impressive 83.3% from deep in the first half. Two of those threes came from ridiculous range, both while fading away.
Caleb Grill connects from deeep and the guard is in double figures already as Tigers add to their lead 👌#MIZ 🐯 pic.twitter.com/cmu4WCTIRA
— Mizzou Hoops (@MizzouHoops) November 12, 2024
What's most encouraging from this performance is that it proves the Tigers can have multiple three-point threats. Last week against Howard, Mizzou went 3-for-22 from deep, totaling just 13.2% on the night. The only three made was by senior Tamar Bates, and five other Tigers shot at least two without hitting any. This time, however, it was a different story. Nearly every Tiger who attempted a three made one, and they finished the contest hitting over 50% of their three-point shots.
Grill truly played an unselfish game, showcasing the team player that he is. Even after an exhilarating and-one that brought him to 22 points with about 11 minutes left in the second half, he didn’t aggressively call for the ball or take a wild shot to add to his numbers. Instead, he moved around the court, naturally got the ball, and found an open Jacob Crews for a big Tiger three.
He finished with 33 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals, shooting an impressive 8-of-10 from three-point range. Considering he entered the game averaging just 3 points and 1 assist per game on the young season, Mizzou fans and the team have to be amazed and uplifted by his performance tonight.
The only other time Grill surpassed 30 points in his 6-year career was during the 2022-2023 season with Iowa State, when he scored 31 points in a game against UNC.
He led the way for the Tigers to pick up another much-needed victory at home. Grill is sure to see more action as the season continues, especially in their next match, a big home game against the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. CST.