Trent Pierce scores career-best 24 points off bench; Missouri beats LIU 88-61 for 9th straight win

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Trent Pierce came off the Missouri bench to score a career-high 24 points as the Tigers followed up their win over No. 1 Kansas by rolling to an 88-61 win over Long Island University on Saturday.

Missouri ran its win streak to nine straight wins after its season opening loss to Memphis. The Tigers have three games remaining in a string of 12 straight home games and will not play on the road until January 4, when they travel to face No. 2 Auburn.

Pierce gathered in a long offensive rebound and stroked a 3-pointer with about six minutes left in the first half, drew a foul and turned it into a four-point play to push the Missouri lead to 30-17. He followed it with three more 3s and closed the half with a layup and a dunk in the final minute, scoring 17 of the team’s final 19 points for a 45-24 lead at the break. He added his career-best fifth 3-pointer with two minutes left and his layup in the final minute capped the Tigers’ scoring effort.

The sophomore was 8 of 14 from the field, including 5 of 11 from distance, and was 3-for-3 from the line with four rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot. Marques Warrick hit 6 of 8 from the field, including 4 of 5 from beyond the arc and finished with 16 points off the bench. Mark Mitchell finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Malachi Davis led Long Island University (4-9) with 12 points., Terrell Strickland and Jalen Lee each added 11 points.

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