COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kassius Robertson had 23 points and Jontay Porter and Jordan Barnett scored 19 apiece as Missouri won its first Southeastern Conference road game in nearly four years with a 79-68 victory at South Carolina on Wednesday night.
Robertson, Porter, the freshman brother of injured star Michael Porter Jr., and Barnett combined 13 of Missouri’s 14 3-pointers. Porter set a career high for the Tigers (11-3, 1-0 SEC), which had lost its past 32 regular-season road games in the league since winning at Arkansas on Jan. 28, 2014.
Barnett and Jordan Geist each finished 4-point plays for Missouri, which connected on 10-or-more 3s for the 10th time this season.
It was not the home SEC debut South Carolina envisioned. Point guard Hassani Gravett missed his second straight game with a right ankle injury and a Southern ice and snow storm along the coast dropped temperatures into the 20s and kept many fans home.
The Gamecocks closed to 20-19 on Felipe Haase‘s 3-pointer with 8:43 left before the half when Missouri took off on a 16-2 run to gain a stronghold it never relinquished. South Carolina got a 21-point deficit to 74-65 on Justin Minaya‘s 3-pointer with 2:03 to go.
But Robertson had a layup and two foul shots to keep the Tigers out front.
Chris Silva led the Gamecocks with 18 points.
Courtesy: Associated Press