The Tigers led by as many as 31 points in the fourth quarter and cruised to a 109-92 win over the Southern Ontario All-Stars to cap the team’s three-game exhibition run with a perfect 3-0 mark.
Leo Lyons led the Tigers with 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting and newcomer Zaire Taylor chipped in 15 points and eight steals to lead the Tigers in the 17-point win. Taylor tied for the team lead with five boards, while dishing four assists for a terrific all-around performance.
The All-Stars stayed in the game early on with great three-point shooting. A veteran group comprised of former Canadian collegiates, including the five starters off of Brock University’s 2007-08 national championship team, hit 9-of-14 three-pointers in the opening half and tied the game at 29-29 early in the second quarter before the Tigers took over.
Missouri used a 16-0 run late in the second quarter to build a 56-34 advantage with J.T. Tiller, Lyons and fellow senior DeMarre Carroll leading the way. Tiller opened the run with five quick points off of steals and Lyons added six off a jumper from the wing and a pair of dunks. The second of Lyons’ two dunks came courtesy of an alley-oop pass from Carroll, who also added a dunk and a steal/lay-in.
The Tigers kept the pressure on in the second half, slowly extending their advantage to 31, 94-63, on a Justin Safford jumper from the wing. The All-Stars did cut into the advantage with a barrage of late three-pointers and 32-of-46 shooting from the foul line.
