Courtesy Dave Reiter, Mizzou Athletics

DeMarre Carroll is wasting little time becoming a Missouri Tiger fan favorite. The Preseason Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Year hit 7-of-8 shots, scored a game-high 16 points and pulled down six boards to lead the University of Missouri to a dominating 78-51 exhibition win over Missouri-St. Louis, Saturday afternoon in Columbia, Mo.

 

Carroll, who transferred to Mizzou from Vanderbilt, scored the Tiger’s fist six points, while adding two assists and two steals in just 23 minutes of playing time. The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward led a group of four Tigers in double figures, which included senior guard Stefhon Hannah, who had 14 tallies and a game high six steals. Although he didn’t get into double figures in points, senior guard Jason Horton dished eight assists and had a pair of steals in yet another solid night of action.

 

Missouri-St. Louis actually jumped out to an early lead by hitting its first-four three-pointers. The Tritons got triples from Jason Black, Paul Paradoski (two treys) and Larricus Brown, but didn’t hit from beyond the arc the rest of the way and the Tigers rolled to a 33-24 halftime lead.

 

Missouri’s pressure defense wreaked havoc on the UMSL offense, as the Tigers forced an incredible 36 turnovers, turning those miscues into 40 points. For the game Missouri outscored UMSL 40-15 off turnovers.

 

Mizzou outscored UMSL 45-27 in the second half, fueled by nine second-half points from Hannah and six more from junior guard Matt Lawrence. Scoreless in the first half, Lawrence hit a pair of treys to help push the MU lead as high as 29.

 

Leo Lyons narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points and a game-high nine rebounds, while sophomore Keon Lawrence was again steady, dropping in 13.

 

Head Coach Mike Anderson’s squad, recipients of eight votes in the season-opening Associated Press Top 25 Poll, returns to action on Thursday (Nov. 8) at 7 p.m. The Tigers conclude exhibition play against Missouri Western at Mizzou Arena.