Missouri's strong start wasn’t enough to keep pace with No. 21 Kansas as the Jayhawks pulled away for an 80-60 win in Sunday’s Border War matchup at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. The Tigers traded runs with Kansas throughout the first half and briefly took a 23-22 lead late in the period, but a game-changing 22-3 Kansas run stretching across halftime gave the Jayhawks full control.
Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson returned after missing a month with a hamstring injury and made an immediate impact, scoring 17 points. Tre White led all scorers with 20 points and added 13 rebounds, while Flory Bidunga chipped in a double-double of his own with 10 points and 11 boards.
Missouri struggled to consistently generate offense, finishing with a season-low 60 points on 34 percent shooting from the field. The Tigers also went cold from three-point range, hitting just seven of 27 attempts. Mark Mitchell led Mizzou with 21 points, accounting for over a third of the team’s made field goals, and Jacob Crews added 11.
Foul trouble and missed opportunities at the line was the dagger in the Tigers’ comeback chances. Missouri now sits at 8-2 and will look to bounce back Thursday night at home against Alabama State.