Geist leads Missouri past Green Bay, 100-77

COLUMBIA, Mo.-Jordan Geist, a role player known most for his scrappy style, scored 28 points Saturday night to help Missouri beat Green Bay 100-77.

Geist, a reserve guard who entered the game averaging 5.2 points, turned into a scoring machine, exceeding his previous career high by 10. Geist had 18 points at halftime on 7-of-8 shooting. He continued his efficient play in the second half, finishing 11 of 14 from the field. He even dunked - sort of, as the ball got a bit of the rim - on a breakaway after a steal.

Green Bay (3-5) hit five of its first seven shots and opened a 13-4 lead. Missouri's Kevin Puryear tied it at 21 with a driving layup with 11:30 left before halftime, and Jordan Barnett's 3-pointer a few minutes later gave the Tigers a 29-21 lead. It only got worse for the Phoenix, who couldn't stop penetration by Missouri's guards. By halftime, the Tigers led 60-40.

Turnovers have been a problem for Missouri (8-2) early in the season, but it only had eight against Green Bay. Barnett finished with 19 points, Jeremiah Tilmon added 12 points and 11 rebounds and Jontay Porter finished with 12 points and eight rebounds. Walk-on Adam Wolfe, a fan favorite, got the Tigers to the 100-point mark with a 3-pointer in the final minute.

David Jesperson made 5 of 6 3-pointers and led the Phoenix with 17 points. Khalil Small added 12, Will Chevalier scored 11 and Hunter Crist finished with 10.

 

BIG PICTURE

Green Bay: Saturday's game was a reunion for Phoenix coach Linc Darner. He was a teammate of Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin at Purdue from 1992-95. Darner scored 437 career points for the Boilermakers, while Martin racked up 1,666 career points.

Missouri: Coach Martin announced Friday that freshman C.J. Roberts plans to transfer. Roberts, 6-foot point guard from Irving, Texas, was expected to redshirt this season. The Tigers usually play three point guards, and none of them are seniors, so prospects for future playing time were cloudy. "We wish him nothing but the best, and we will assist him in any way possible," Martin said.

 

UP NEXT

Green Bay: The Phoenix will visit Indiana State (4-5) on Tuesday.

Missouri: The Tigers have the week off for final exams and return to court Saturday with a home game against North Florida (3-7).

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