Mizzou Basketball Guard Caleb Grill Named SEC Player of the Week

There’s been plenty to love about the way Mizzou’s basketball season has unfolded so far. On the day they cracked the AP Poll rankings for the first time in more than two years, the Tigers also received a highly prestigious honor.

Grill has been outstanding in his second season at Mizzou and sixth collegiate season overall.

He began his collegiate career at Iowa State before transferring to UNLV, then returned to Iowa State for two more seasons. Following that, he came to Columbia with hopes of putting up his best numbers yet for the Tigers.

Last season was forgettable, as he played just nine games before missing the rest of the year due to a serious wrist injury.

His numbers this season have been outstanding.

Grill has found most of his success coming off the bench, starting only the season opener before serving as a reserve in the other 12 games he has played so far.

He has averaged 13 points, three rebounds, and two steals per game while limiting his turnovers to fewer than one per game. Additionally, his shooting has been exceptional—55% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc, his true specialty.

The Kansas native has been a game-changer, especially off the bench, surprising second units with his shooting ability from deep and shifting momentum in several contests.

In December, he suffered a scary neck injury during a game against Lindenwood. Though the absence was precautionary, he missed more than a month before the team was ready to bring him back. Upon his return, he played the next few games with a clear minutes restriction.

It wasn’t until the last two significant wins that he returned to form, resembling the player everyone saw earlier this season.

As a key contributor in the wins against No. 5 Florida and Arkansas, he averaged 20 points, four rebounds, nearly four steals, and three assists. Additionally, he shot just under 70% from the field and an impressive 60% from beyond the arc.

To cap off the day, Grill reached 1,000 career points during the win against Arkansas on Saturday. Senior guard Tamar Bates also hit the milestone in the game.

The SEC Player of the Week award, a difficult honor to earn in such a competitive conference, is the first of his career.

Grill, a team captain since joining the Tigers, is admired by players, staff, and coaches alike. Described as a true leader on and off the court, he is widely regarded as deserving of this honor, a sentiment the team undoubtedly shares.

He hopes to lead Mizzou to another conference win—what would be their fifth straight—on Tuesday night in Texas against the Longhorns.