Halftime Report
Only one more half stands between Missouri and the win they were favored to collect coming into this afternoon. They have jumped out to a quick 35-31 lead against Loyola Maryland.
If Missouri keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 5-2 in no time. On the other hand, Loyola Maryland will have to make due with a 1-5 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who's Playing
Loyola Maryland Greyhounds @ Missouri Tigers
Current Records: Loyola Maryland 1-4, Missouri 4-2
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, November 25, 2023 at 12 p.m. ET
- Where: Mizzou Arena -- Columbia, Missouri
- TV: ESPN Plus
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Fubo (Try for free) Fubo's holiday offer just kicked off - For a limited time, new subscribers can save $40 on Fubo's Pro, Elite, and Premier plans ($20 off the first and second months)
- Ticket Cost: $2.00
What to Know
Missouri will be playing the full four quarters on Saturday, but they're expected to have things wrapped up well before that. They will be playing at home against the Loyola Maryland Greyhounds at 12:00 p.m. ET at Mizzou Arena. Missouri has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last four games.
Winning is just a little bit easier when you drain seven more threes than your opponent, a fact Missouri proved on Wednesday. They put the hurt on the Bulldogs with a sharp 82-59 win. The victory came about thanks to a strong surge starting at the 7:37 mark of the first half, when they were facing a 29-13 deficit.
Missouri's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Sean East II, who scored 21 points. Noah Carter was another key contributor, scoring 13 points along with 6 rebounds and 4 blocks.
Meanwhile, Loyola Maryland's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Sunday after their third straight loss. The matchup between the Greyhounds and the Retrievers wasn't particularly close, with the Greyhounds falling 94-79. That's two games in a row now that Loyola Maryland has lost by exactly 15 points.
The Tigers' defeat dropped their record down to 4-2, while the Bulldogs' bumped their own down to the opposite: 2-4.
While only Missouri took care of their fans the last time they played, neither team managed to cover. As mentioned, Missouri is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 19.5 points. Bettors picking them against the spread have some confidence (to put it mildly), as the team is sitting on a five-game streak of failing to cover when playing at home.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Missouri have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 33.7 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Loyola Maryland struggles in that department as they've been even better at 36.2 per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Odds
Missouri is a big 19.5-point favorite against Loyola Maryland, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Tigers as a 19-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 140.5 points.
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Injury Report for Missouri
- Kaleb Brown: Out for the Season (Lower Leg)
