Missouri vs. Saint Louis
When: 6 p.m. CT
Where: Enterprise Center; Saint Louis, MO
TV: ESPNU
Radio: Tiger Radio Network
Twitter/X: @MizzouHoops
KenPom prediction: Mizzou -5
ESPN win probability: 67% chance
The Starters
Mizzou (1-0)
G: Jason Crowe Jr. (FR, No. 7 recruit nationally in the 247Sports Composite)
F: Trent Pierce (SR, 10.4 PPG in 25-26)
F: Toni Bryant (FR, No. 21 recruit nationally in the 247Sports Composite)
F: Mark Mitchell (5 YR, 18.3 PPG in 25-26)
C: Bryson Tiller (SO, 7.9 PPG in 25-26 at Kansas)
Notable Sixth Man: Jamier Jones (SO, 11.9 PPG in
2025-26 at Providence)
Saint Louis (1-0)
G: Trey Green (SR, 10.7 PPG in 2025-26)
G: Quentin Jones (SR, 9.1 PPG in 2025-26)
G: Ishan Sharma (JR, 9.1 PPG in 2025-26)
F: Kellen Thames (5 YR, 9.7 PPG in 2025-26)
F: Alon Michaeli (SO, 7.1 PPG in 2025-26 at Colorado)
Notable Sixth Man: Robbie Avila (5 YR, 12.8 PPG in 2025-26)
Note: These starting lineups are based on the previous game.
Get to Know Saint Louis: A Mighty Mid-Major With Continuity
The Saint Louis Billikens hail from the Atlantic 10 Conference and are led by head coach Josh Schertz, who came over from Indiana State in 2024. Saint Louis has 11 NCAA Tournament appearances in its history, coming off a second-round exit this past season.
Before Schertz led the Billikens, they had four March Madness runs in the 2010s that ended in the first two rounds under head coaches Rick Majerus, Jim Crews and Travis Ford. Under the current regime, Saint Louis has gone 48-21 and is coming off an A-10 regular season title.
Plenty of players chose to return to the Billikens during the offseason to make another postseason push. Saint Louis was picked to finish second in the conference out of 14 teams. It also had four players selected to All-Conference teams in the preseason poll, with Trey Green and Kellen Thames on the first team.
Both Thames and Green are returners, along with other contributors like Quentin Jones, Amari McCotry and Ishan Sharma. The Billikens may get another boost Friday if 2025-26 A-10 Player of the Year Robbie Avila plays. He was granted a fifth year on Wednesday and is going to suit up for the game, but it’s unclear what his role will be yet.
Saint Louis won its first game of the season, 92-67, against Lehigh on Monday behind a combined 30 points from Thames and Jones. Based on the film from its opener, the Billikens are a team that looks to get Downhill and get in passing lanes for transition points.
With this being the first meeting between the two in-state programs since 2001, there’s definitely added significance. The last three games from 1999-2001 were decided by less than 10 points combined.
Three Keys to the Game
Take Advantage of the Size Mismatch
Mizzou has an opportunity to establish itself physically against Saint Louis, and it needs to take advantage of that from the opening tip. The Tigers have plenty of size throughout their frontcourt, with 6-foot-10 Trent Pierce, 6-foot-9 Mark Mitchell, 6-foot-11 Bryson Tiller and 6-foot-10 Toni Bryant giving Dennis Gates multiple options to create mismatches.
However, the Tigers shouldn’t simply rely on their height advantage on paper. They need to turn it into production around the basket, particularly on the offensive glass and in the paint. Getting Mitchell and Tiller involved early could force Saint Louis to commit additional defensive attention inside, opening up opportunities for Mizzou’s perimeter players.
Mizzou has the personnel to dictate the physicality of this game against a Billikens squad whose tallest starter was 6-foot-9 in their season opener.
Get Trent Pierce Going From Beyond the Arc
One of the biggest keys to Mizzou’s offensive success this season will be getting consistent production from Trent Pierce, particularly from three-point range. The senior forward was one of the Tigers’ most reliable perimeter threats last season, and his shooting ability could be especially valuable against a Saint Louis defense that will have to account for Mizzou’s size inside.
Pierce shot a career-best 38.4% from three-point range last season. He also averaged 1.9 made three-pointers per game, ranking second on the team.
However, Pierce will be looking to bounce back after a relatively quiet shooting performance in Tuesday’s season opener against Cleveland State. He finished just 1-for-6 from beyond the arc despite Mizzou connecting on 14 three-pointers as a team.
Make SLU Beat You From 3-pt Range
Saint Louis presents a difficult defensive challenge because of its ability to create havoc in the paint. However, Mizzou should be a good match with its size and force the Billikens to prove they can consistently win through perimeter shooting.
The Billikens do have shooting talent, which makes this particularly important. Saint Louis shot an impressive 39.6% from three-point range last season. Even more concerning, it returns three players who shot better than 40% from deep: Trey Green (44.2%), Ishan Sharma (41.7%) and Robbie Avila (41%).
Saint Louis’ offensive identity revolves around drives and kicks. That means Mizzou needs to take away the easiest scoring opportunities without overcommitting defensively. That doesn’t mean leaving shooters open; it means forcing the Billikens to settle because they can’t get through the Tigers’ interior presence.
Game Prediction
My prediction: Mizzou 82 – Saint Louis 67
This game should be very fun defensively. I think it’s safe to say that it’ll be a slow start from both sides given that it’s both teams’ first real test, but Mizzou’s size and athleticism will shine through. While it would be cool to see another close game like the rivalry was in its last few seasons, the Tigers’ pieces seem to fit together better than previously thought. This is a game that should continue to be on the schedule, but Mizzou will stay undefeated.
