For the first time in a quarter-century, Mizzou and SLU men’s basketball teams are meeting on the court.
Missouri basketball, fresh off slamming Cleveland State by 61 points in its season-opener, is rolling right into the meat of its beefed-up nonconference slate, traveling for a game Friday, Nov. 6, against in-state rival Saint Louis on a neutral floor at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. The game tips off at 6 p.m. and airs on ESPNU.The Tigers (1-0) made light work of head coach Dennis Gates’ former team in their season debut, but the warm-up period was short this year.
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Saint Louis (1-0), which is coached by Josh Schertz, thumped Georgia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season before falling to eventual national champion Michigan. Several key members from that Big Dance squad are back for more with the Billikens this year.
More: Guard CJ Gunn ruled ineligible, will not play for Missouri basketball this year
SLU and Mizzou have not played since December 2001. That hiatus ends Friday evening.
Here’s what you need to know about SLU before Friday’s game at Enterprise Center:
Will Robbie Avila be available to play for SLU?
Mizzou isn’t the only team in the state with some significant November court drama.
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Standout forward Robbie Avila had a hearing Wednesday for a preliminary injunction against the NCAA. He needs the court order to be able to play for the Billikens this season.
Avila was the leading scorer on the SLU team that won 29 games, won the Atlantic-10 regular season title and went to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season. The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 12.8 points and 4.1 assists per game and shot 41.0% from 3-point range. He’s a difference-maker.
The judge indicated that a ruling should come soon. Saint Louis head coach Josh Schertz said that if the result is favorable for Avila, he will play the forward against Missouri.
Change on this front could come at any time, so keep your eyes peeled.
Feb 28, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Saint Louis Billikens center Robbie Avila (21) reacts after making a three point shot against the Duquesne Dukes during the second half at Chaifetz Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Son of former Tigers star is SLU starter
The son of the Big Eight Freshman of the Year and Mizzou alum Kelly Thames will face his father’s alma mater this coming Friday.
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And Kellen Thames is going to be a real challenge for Mizzou to defend.
The high-motor fifth-year guard, listed at 6-6, shot 6-of-6 from the field in SLU’s season-opening win over Lehigh for 15 points and added six rebounds. He’s excellent at getting out in transition and attacking downhill.
The Billikens scored 50 points in the paint against Lehigh. They’re going to give Mizzou a test on the interior, and Thames is going to be leading that effort.
His father played 128 games for Mizzou between 1993-98 under Norm Stewart and averaged 17.6 points and 8.2 rebounds in his career. He is eighth on MU’s all-time career-points list with 1,689.
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Player to watch: Trey Green
How Missouri is able to defend Green is going to be interesting.
We’re curious to see what Mizzou’s massive lineup will look like against a smaller, quicker guard. Cleveland State didn’t test Mizzou in the paint or from 3-point range. A player like Green can do both.
He’s listed at 6-foot, 165 pounds. Missouri will have a size advantage no matter who they put him up against. But is that going to matter?
Green took nine shots in 25 minutes in SLU’s season-opener. Five were from 3-point range and, according to CBB Analytics, the other four were at the rim.
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Those are analytically efficient scoring zones, and Green is productive getting to his spots. He was excellent from behind the arc with a 44.2% mark on 208 total attempts, or 6.1 per game.
Will Missouri have an answer for the small, sharpshooting guard? Green will provide a strong early test.
Score prediction: Missouri 83, Saint Louis 78
Mar 19, 2026; Buffalo, NY, USA; Saint Louis Billikens head coach Josh Schertz instructs his team against the Georgia Bulldogs during the first half of a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Mizzou isn’t cruising through its November slate this year. The action gets tough, early.
SLU was excellent last season. The Billikens ran Georgia off the floor in the first round of the Big Dance, and enough of their key players are back this year for another strong run through A-10 play and into March.
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More: Is Mizzou basketball good? Time will tell, but the Tigers are certainly fun
We don’t truly know a whole lot about either team so far. There wasn’t much to learn on opening night. This has the makings of a competitive, entertaining game, and we’re going to side with Mizzou’s elite freshmen talent being able to produce in a big spot early in their careers.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri basketball vs SLU scout report, score prediction
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
