Preview: Mizzou men's basketball looks for fourth straight victory against Pacific

After starting 0-1 in a disappointing loss where they blew a lead, the Missouri Tigers have bounced back, winning three straight during their extended home stand.

Most recently, they defeated the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils on Thursday, tying a school record with a 72-point margin of victory.

The Pacific Tigers have struggled recently, entering their game in Columbia on a three-game losing streak, including a 91-72 loss to No. 20 Arkansas, a thrilling three-point defeat to Northern Arizona and a 76-66 loss to Hawaii..

The Tigers’ first three games, all wins, were dominant, including a 53-point victory over Life Pacific, where they nearly hit 100 points—something they haven’t done since 2016. With multiple scoring threats, Mizzou will need to be sharp defensively.

The last time these Tiger teams met was in December 1971, when Mizzou secured a 64-59 victory. A lot has changed since their last non-conference matchup.

The Pacific Tigers boast several high scorers, including Elijah Fisher and Elias Ralph, who both average 17.7 points per game in 32 minutes of play. Ralph, a senior, also contributes 7.8 rebounds per game.

In addition, starting guards Lamar Washington and Jefferson Koulibaly both play over 30 minutes per game and average close to 10 points each. Washington also contributes nearly 8 assists per game.

Looking at their five starters, two players stand out as threats from beyond the arc.

First is the previously mentioned junior guard Fisher, who averages over 46% from three, taking around three attempts per game.

Alongside Fisher is junior guard Koulibaly, who has been exceptional from beyond the arc this season. Shooting 50% overall and 52% from three on nearly five attempts per game, he’s a major threat. As a '3 & D' player, he forces turnovers on defense and knocks down deep shots on offense, making him a key player to watch this Friday night.

Both Fisher and Koulibaly are on their third team in as many years, but they’re having career years on both ends of the floor. Fisher, who previously played for Texas Tech and DePaul before joining Pacific, is nearly doubling his points, assists, and steals. Meanwhile, Koulibaly, who played for Washington State and SMU in the past, entered the season having started just 1 of his first 36 games, but has started all six games this year.

Koulibaly averaged just over 8 minutes per game in his first two years but has seen his playing time jump to over 30 minutes per game this season, and he’s responded impressively. He’s tripled his rebounds, assists, and steals, and has increased his scoring from less than 2 points per game last year to over 9 this season.

Mizzou will look to capitalize on sloppy play from Pacific, which has struggled with turnovers in its first six games.

While Pacific's offense is impressive, their defense should not be overlooked. They've limited scoring against tough opponents by forcing turnovers. Six players average over a steal per game, with four of them being starters. This ensures their defense will be strong from the start.

Mizzou will look to improve to 4-1 and maintain their perfect home record, while Pacific, currently 0-2 on the road, aims to snap their three-game losing streak. Tipoff from Mizzou Arena is at 6:30 p.m., with the game available on both SECN+ and ESPN+.