Russell Scores 26 in Redhawks Hard Fought Loss to Missouri

Sunday, December 4

Columbia, Mo.

3:00 PM

Southeast Missouri State University

5-4,0-0OVC

Missouri

9-0,0-0SEC

Team	1	2	F
Southeast Mo. St.	40	49	89
Missouri	50	46	96

Final Statistics

12/4/2022 6:50:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Final Statistics Postgame Press Conference

COLUMBIA, Mo. –Phillip Russell scored a game and season-high 26 points and Israel Barnes added 21 points as Southeast Missouri (5-4) gave Missouri (9-0) all it could handle in a 96-89 loss Sunday afternoon at Mizzou Arena.

SEMO established season-highs in points, field goal percentage and 3-pointers made. The Redhawks buried 13 threes and shot 54 percent (34-of-63). SEMO also made a scorching 66.7 percent (18-of-27) of its field goals in the second half alone.

The Redhawks were down 19 (82-63) with 8:33 left to play, but never let up.

SEMO outscored Mizzou, 24-11, over the next seven-and-a-half minutes to get within six. Israel Barnes made a pair of 3-pointers with his second narrowing the Tigers lead to 93-87 at the 1:08 mark.

Russell's jump shot trimmed Mizzou's lead to six again (95-89) with 39 seconds on the clock and that was as close as the Redhawks could get.

SEMO trailed, 34-20, with just under seven minutes to play in the first half before going on a 20-5 run to take the lead.

Josh Earley made a layup to cut Mizzou's lead to single digits before Russell buried a 3-pointer on back-to-back possessions to make it a 36-33 contest.

Kobe Clark's 3-pointer made it a one-possession game and Earley scored to get SEMO within one. Russell then stole the ball and made a fast break layup to put the Redhawks ahead, 40-39, with 2:08 to play.

Mizzou answered by scoring the final 11 points to grab a 50-40 halftime lead.

SEMO buried eight 3-pointers and shot 44.4 percent (16-of-36) from the field in the first half. Russell was responsible for four treys and had 16 of his points in the game's opening 20 minutes.

Russell, one of three Redhawks in double figures, shot 10-of-17 from the field and 5-of-9 from 3-point land. His five threes tied a career-high and scored over 20 points for the third time this year.

Barnes, in his first career start, went 7-of-12 from the floor, 3-of-6 from downtown and 4-of-7 at the free throw line. He scored over 20 points for the second game in a row.

Earley, who missed the last four games with a leg injury, returned to chip in 15 points off the bench.

SEMO's 13 three-pointers marked the most in a non-conference game since the Redhawks had 14 at Florida State on Dec. 17, 2018.

Kobe Brown led Mizzou with 25 points and eight rebounds, and Sean East II notched 21 points off the bench.

The Tigers shot at a 55.7 percent (34-of-61) clip from the field and made 11 treys.

Additionally, Mizzou outscored SEMO, 31-8, in transition.

The Redhawks faced the Tigers for the ninth time and first since the 2014-15 campaign.

SEMO returns home to host Purdue Fort Wayne on Dec. 7.