CMU Men Rally, But Fall Short In Season Opener At Missouri

Tuesday, November 9

Columbia, Mo.

8 p.m.

Central Michigan University

0-1,0-0MAC

Missouri

1-0,0-0SEC

Central Mich.

Missouri

Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw

11/9/2021 11:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

COLUMBIA, Mo. – A good effort and a good opportunity.

But in the end, the Central Michigan men's basketball could not close the deal as the Chippewas dropped their season opener, 78-68, on Tuesday to Missouri at Mizzou Arena in the CMU coaching debut of Tony Barbee.

"We'll learn and grow form this," said Barbee, who was named in April to head the program. "I'm proud of them for hard they fought, but we're not in this for moral victories. We're in this for wins."

The Chippewas trailed by 19 points early in the second half and then scrambled back within two, 64-62, with just over three minutes remaining.

They were within four, 72-68, with under a minute to play, but gave up a backbreaking putback dunk with 38 seconds remaining and then turned the ball over on their next possession. Missouri converted on the other end with 28 seconds left to make it 76-68.

Jermaine Jackson Jr. hit five 3-pointers en route to 19 points to lead the Chippewas, while Miroslav Stafl added 15. Brian Taylor was CMU's top rebounder with eight.

That trio, along with five other Chippewas, were playing their first game in a CMU uniform as Barbee revamped the roster with transfers and first-year players heading into the season.

"There's a lot of positives to take away from it, especially for the first time with these guys playing together in a live game on the road against a tough SEC opponent," Barbee said. "I'm proud that the guys did not give up and they kept scratching and clawing to get themselves back in the game and give themselves an opportunity.

"But like I told (my players), in life and in basketball, if you've got opportunities in front of you, you can't let them slip out of your hand. I thought we did that tonight."

The Chippewas were outrebounded, 44-31, but committed just 12 turnovers, a relatively low number against a team like Missouri that is bent on pressuring opponents into coughing up the ball.

CMU goes to DePaul on Saturday, Nov. 16 (6 p.m.), continuing a rugged early season schedule that includes a neutral-site date with No. 1-ranked Gonzaga and a trip to Kentucky. CMU's first seven games are away from McGuirk Arena. The Chippewas' home opener is Dec. 5 against Western Illinois.

"We're a decent team right now," Barbee said, "but we're nowhere near the team that we're going to be come December; we're nowhere near the team that we're going to be in January or February or March. We've got to grow day by day and get better."