Returning to Mizzou Arena for the first time after upsetting the former top-ranked Kansas Jayhawks, the Missouri Tigers had a little more momentum on their side than usual.
Missouri fully carried that into Saturday against the Long Island Sharks, completing a convincing 88-61 win to mark its ninth-straight of the season.
In the first half, it was largely the Trent Pierce show. Even though the sophomore only received eight minutes of action before halftime, he already reached a new career-high of 17 points by knocking down 4-of-7 triples. By the end of the afternoon, he had 24 on 8-of-14 shooting from the field.
“I had a good shooting day, it’s been a rough past couple games for me shooting it and I think just my confidence, knowing that I could shoot the ball, coach and my teammates encouraging me to keep shooting, allowed me to go into this game forgetting about the last missed shot and just hitting my next one,” Pierce said.
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Pierce’s involvement within the rotation had started to dwindle in previous matchups. He only played seven minutes against Cal and five against Kansas, and was unable to score in either game. Nevertheless, the forward kept a positive mindset and made the most of his opportunity.
“Trent wants to play, and what he showed today was his ability to not focus on the minutes he had, but doing something with what he got,” coach Dennis Gates said. “You didn’t see him blink at all … he’s going to be unbelievable for us, and he’s going to continue to help us.”
Gates has encouraged his players to “shoot the ball,” and despite some struggles there, Pierce stayed true to the area of his game he was recruited for in the first place. The confidence he immediately displayed gave the Tigers a big boost on offense, and helped them finish the game with an impressive 14-of-28 clip from behind the arc.
Marques Warrick added 16 points with four 3-pointers of his own, while Jacob Crews and Tony Perkins each provided two.
It was the opposite result for Long Island, shooting just 8-of-24 as a team from 3-point range. Its offense struggled to find any sort of leeway from the Missouri defense, which prevented it from getting quality looks.
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Mark Mitchell did much of the work inside the paint, finishing the game with 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks on 7-of-9 shooting. The Sharks had little answer for his strength and force down low, providing some rather easy looks. Though, his free throw output left much to be desired, only knocking down 1-of-5.
The Tigers got to to the free-throw line at a strong rate, but didn’t convert as many opportunities as they might’ve liked. As a collective group, it shot a total of 12-of-19.
At first, Long Island jumped out of the gate with some confidence. It gained an 8-7 lead over Missouri with 15:31 remaining in the first half, but rather quickly, the home team took hold of the direction the rest of the game would go in.
From the 15:29 to 11:14 mark in the first half, the Tigers went on a 14-0 run started by Bates at the the charity stripe and ended by Robinson in the very same place. To fill in the gaps, Mitchell finished two layups in the paint, while both Warrick and Aidan Shaw knocked down a 3-pointer of their own.
Thanks in large part to Pierce, Missouri kept that momentum building up until halftime to gain a 45-24 lead. An 8-3 run for the Sharks at the start of the second half gave a little bit of a scare, but the Tigers were able to avoid a major second half slip and began to push the pace offensively once more.
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Never shy of shooting it from deep, Missouri continued its dominance in non-conference play — even if the result was largely predictable. However, the circumstances around the game could’ve made up for upset territory, in what Gates called a “trap game.”
“Coming off an emotional high against Kansas, our team was able to show character as it relates to how they handled the new attention or the new phone calls or the messages of congratulations,” Gates said. “I thought they had an edge to them, in addition to having finals. You had two things that could really deter a team.”
The Tigers avoided succumbing to those deterrents, and will get a shorter break following the win before going up against Jacksonville State at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Columbia, Mo.
Damon Wilson II is reportedly set to transfer again after a nine-sack season at Missouri. Ed Zurga / Getty Images
Damon Wilson II, the player at the center of a lawsuit showdown with Georgia over his transfer to Missouri last year, is planning to re-enter the portal, a source briefed on the decision said.
Wilson figures to be a premium target for teams that need an edge rusher: He led Missouri with nine sacks this season, which was tied for third in the SEC. The news of his plans was reported by On3 on Tuesday afternoon. But his decision to enter is more intriguing given his ongoing legal dispute with Georgia over his exit from that program last year.
Wilson spent his first two seasons in Athens. He transferred to Missouri last January. In October, Georgia sued him, seeking $390,000 in damages from Wilson for leaving the team after the program said he signed an agreement to return for the 2025 season. Georgia filed to compel Wilson to arbitration.
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Wilson answered on Dec. 23 by filing a lawsuit against Georgia in Boone County, Mo. Wilson’s attorneys alleged a civil conspiracy by Georgia’s athletic department and collective to “penalize Wilson for his decision to transfer.” The lawsuit also alleged the agreement Wilson signed with Georgia in December 2024 was not a contract.
This was believed to be the first time a player and a school took each other to court over a transfer decision and figures to be closely watched. Wilson leaving Missouri would not end the court proceedings.
Wilson’s legal representatives did not offer immediate comment on Tuesday afternoon.
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 5, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 5 drawing
04-18-24-51-56, Powerball: 14, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 5 drawing
Midday: 2-4-6
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Midday Wild: 4
Evening: 2-4-5
Evening Wild: 1
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 5 drawing
Midday: 6-0-7-3
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Midday Wild: 1
Evening: 8-9-9-5
Evening Wild: 4
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash4Life numbers from Jan. 5 drawing
01-15-50-55-57, Cash Ball: 02
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Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from Jan. 5 drawing
Early Bird: 06
Morning: 02
Matinee: 11
Prime Time: 15
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Night Owl: 03
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Jan. 5 drawing
01-02-22-27-33
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Jan. 5 drawing
15-22-39-41-62, Powerball: 09
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Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
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Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
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When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Cryptocurrency is a form of digital currency that uses cryptography for security and operates independently of central banks.
The Ankeny Police Department is asking anyone from Ankeny and across the Des Moines metro to come forward if they think they may be a victim of a Missouri man who is accused of running a cryptocurrency investment scam.
Charles Spencer Burri of Columbia, Missouri, was arrested and charged with financial exploitation of an elder and stealing $750 or more. The Columbia Police Department alleged Burri — owner and operator of Burri Asset Management LLC — has solicited thousands of dollars for cryptocurrency investments but stopped responding to victims after he received their money.
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Columbia police reported to Ankeny they had uncovered evidence Burri possibly met with people in Ankeny and the Des Moines metro in July 2025, according to a news release Friday, Jan. 2.
Ankeny police believe there may be additional victims in the area who have not been identified, according to the release. Sgt. Trevor McGraw in Ankeny said Monday that no victims had come forward over the weekend.
Anyone who Burri or Burri Asset Management LLC may have contacted, or who has experienced financial loss through a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme, is encouraged to contact the Ankeny Police Department through its non-emergency line at 515-286-3333, extension 5, and file a report.
Phillip Sitter covers the suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at PSitter@usatodayco.com.Find out more about him onlinein the Register’s staff directory.
