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Alabama couldn’t stop Missouri basketball’s offense. When MU plays like that, can anyone?

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Alabama couldn’t stop Missouri basketball’s offense. When MU plays like that, can anyone?


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The symbolism was a little on the nose.

Shortly after Missouri basketball’s game against Alabama on Wednesday night, a fire was reported in a suite in Section 112 of Mizzou Arena. It was quickly extinguished, and no injuries were reported.

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The cause of the fire? Currently undisclosed.

But it’s surely not a coincidence that it started less than an hour after No. 16/15-ranked Missouri’s offense burned No. 4/4 Alabama for a 110-98 win, right?

The Tigers were hot to the touch, sizzling at a rate the Crimson Tide tried, and failed, mightily to contain.

The fire alarm started ringing about two minutes into Alabama coach Nate Oats’ postgame press conference — ‘‘a fire has been reported,”’” the automated messaging system relayed on repeat around Mizzou Arena’s halls. Oats recognized the immediate irony.

“Yeah,” he said. “They were on fire tonight.”

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Sure were.

Missouri (20-6, 9-4) shot 60.3% from the field. The Tigers clipped nine triples, led by three from Caleb Grill, who scored 25 points in the win. Mizzou scored 40 points in the paint, led by Mark Mitchell’s magnificent night working the inside for a career-high 31-point performance. 

Grill and Mitchell combined for an 18 of 23 mark from the free throw line, part of 47 total free throw attempts. Eighteen of Mizzou’s 35 field goals were assisted. The Tigers turned 14 turnovers directly into 21 points.

If there’s an offensive stat to keep, Mizzou likely put up a gaudy total.

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The gaudiest of them all? Missouri scored 1.45 points per possession.

When it looks like it did Wednesday — when Missouri’s offense is operating at its very best — there looked to be exceptionally little Alabama could do to stop the Tigers.

The Tigers did that by making Alabama pick its poison.

The Crimson Tide sagged off Mitchell and Anthony Robinson II at the 3-point line to protect driving lanes on two separate occasions in the first half. They aren’t MU’s best deep-ball shooters, but they punished the Tide for having the gall, knocking down their open looks for triples.

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When Alabama adjusted and started getting bodies to the perimeter, Mitchell came alive inside, working the paint and drawing and-1 opportunities nearly every time the ball came his way.

That was the to-and-fro the Tigers kept pushing. Alabama was forced to abandon one — inside or outside — to try and stop the other.

Missouri’s offensive adjustments were quicker.

“We just have a lot of weapons,” Mitchell said. “I think we can beat you inside. We can obviously beat you outside, and I think that’s probably a hard thing for teams to game plan. We knew some coverages that they might show us and some different looks that they might give us, and we never panicked, just because the coach prepared us so well.”

Missouri needed every swish.

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Alabama was the nation’s No. 3-ranked offense entering the evening, and it sure looked like that. As much as Mizzou did to separate, the game wasn’t out of sight until there was less than a minute on the court.

The Crimson Tide shot 53.8% from the field. They were 13-for-31 (41.9%) from 3-point range. Elite point guard Mark Sears scored 35 points. On two occasions in the second half, Alabama got within six points of MU’s lead.

And still … that wasn’t nearly enough to fully track down Gates’ Tigers.

“I credit Alabama. They did some great things. They gave us their best punch, I just thought our guys were counter-punchers,” Gates said. “And, you know, we were sort of in a in a defensive mode, and were able to punch back. And, again, there were several plays that allowed us to re-spark or reignite our momentum, and these guys just continue to make plays on both ends of the court. And they played the game unselfishly.”

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How about some of those moments?

After Sears tallied six straight points to make it a two-score game with 10 minutes to play, the game was more in the balance than it had been since the first minute of play.

The answer? Trent Pierce fought off traffic after hauling in an offensive board and delicately put a shot back up and in. Mitchell drew an and-1 underneath the rim and scored the free throw. Grill went 2-for-2 at the line and then nailed a 20-footer on an inbounds pass. 

Crisis averted with a 9-0 run in 1 minute, 27 seconds; 15-point lead restored.

The difference in the game, ultimately, was the 12-0 run with which Mizzou opened the game. Everything that was to come was contained within those electric 2:28 of game time.

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Pierce and Robinson knocked down 3s within a minute of tipoff. The duo took fastbreaks straight to the rim for layups. Tamar Bates pump-faked a shot from the corner and took it inside for a couple more paint points.

Dotted throughout, Grill converted some signature who-needs-separation 3s; Tony Perkins made the Tide pay at the line and in the mid-range; Mitchell drew and-1 after and-1; and the Tigers turned 12 steals into instant offense.

Mizzou caught fire and rode that into a win that takes the Tigers into a tie for fourth place in the SEC. With a third top-five victory on the résumé and a sixth Quad 1 win, Gates’ team will likely soon receive projections for a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament.

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Alabama didn’t have answers. 

And when it looks like that, who could?

“When everybody’s playing like that, I just think it’s a tough matchup for anybody,” Grill said. “We’ve just got to keep continuing, as coach said, to keep moving forward and keep getting better each day.”



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Missouri bill that would split Jackson County and Kansas City gets little support from lawmakers

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Missouri bill that would split Jackson County and Kansas City gets little support from lawmakers


A Missouri House committee had its first hearing this week on a proposed constitutional amendment that would split Kansas City and Jackson County upon approval by voters.

The legislation is nicknamed “Jackxit,” a nod to Brexit, the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union in 2020.

Republican state Rep. Mike Steinmeyer is sponsoring the bill. He said eastern Jackson County voters feel underrepresented in the county government, and this legislation would give them the power to change that.

At the hearing, committee members listened to Steinmeyer’s presentation of the bill before asking questions and sharing their thoughts.

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Democratic state Rep. Bridget Walsh Moore compared what the bill proposes to “The Great Divorce” that saw the legal separation of the city of St. Louis from St. Louis County in 1876.

Several committee members criticized a part of the bill that says if it’s signed into law, the question of whether to split the county in two would appear on the Missouri ballot every 10 years.

Moore called it a “never-ending clause.”

“There’s a provision that says every 10 years this has to go back on the ballot, whether you like it or not,” Moore said. “And we’re going to keep voting on it, until you vote the way we think you should.”

Democratic state Rep. Jeff Hales said the bill’s language suggests the question would reappear on the ballot every 10 years until it’s approved by voters.

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“Why does it end when it’s approved if the importance and the value here is giving the voters of Jackson County a right to weigh in on their charter and their government?” Hales said.

Steinmeyer said that clause exists to give Jackson County voters the opportunity to weigh in on their form of government.

“It gives them the right to speak and say we want change, or we want to abolish and start over,” Steinmeyer said. “That’s all we’re asking for.”

Democratic state Rep. Ashley Aune questioned how the ballot question would protect the right of voters. Steinmeyer said it protects their right to vote and be heard, specifically on their governance.

Lobbyist Shannon Cooper testified on behalf of the city of Kansas City, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City. He said during a public comment period that the bill was “the most befuddling piece of legislation” that he’s had to testify for or against.

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Cooper brought up the historic recall election of County Executive Frank White Jr. and said the recall showed the system Steinmeyer is trying to fix with this bill can work.

“If the voters are not happy, they can deal with their problems,” Cooper said. “They’ve proven that in the last year.”

No action was taken on the bill, and it is not yet scheduled for a future hearing.





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Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted Thursday to approve the city’s $2.6 billion budget for 2026-27

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Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted Thursday to approve the city’s .6 billion budget for 2026-27


KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted Thursday to approve a $2.6 billion budget for the city’s fiscal year of 2026-27.

The budget includes $744 million in spending for public safety, including $26.3 million for a new Department of Community Safety and $4.2 million to hire 50 new KCMO Police Department officers, along with 10 call takers and 10 dispatchers.

“Our budget respects the strong fiscal foundation the taxpayers have helped Kansas City build, maintaining a rainy-day fund of over $200 million, increasing road resurfacing, hiring more public safety and city workers, and investing in all Kansas City neighborhoods,” Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a news release from the city. “In a city that can walk and chew gum, we are proud to welcome the world while delivering strong basic services for Kansas City’s families.” 

The council voted to spend $83.8 million for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority to provide bus services, but the KCATA may have to make cuts in bus services even with a $6 million boost in funding from the city.

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In addition, the council approved spending $39.4 million for citywide street resurfacing and $1.5 million for tearing down dangerous buildings.
 
“This budget reflects a collaborative effort across the city, and provides a clear path for Kansas City to keep moving forward with discipline, accountability and a focus on service,” City Manager Mario Vasquez said in the news release. “Thank you to the council for its thoughtful deliberation and input in crafting this budget.” 

More information on the fiscal year 2026-27 budget can be found on the city’s website.





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Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for March 25, 2026

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The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 25, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 25 drawing

07-21-55-56-64, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 25 drawing

Midday: 3-2-0

Midday Wild: 7

Evening: 0-0-5

Evening Wild: 5

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 25 drawing

Midday: 2-6-3-9

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 9-5-6-8

Evening Wild: 1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Cash Pop numbers from March 25 drawing

Early Bird: 07

Morning: 09

Matinee: 04

Prime Time: 14

Night Owl: 07

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Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from March 25 drawing

12-14-22-26-28

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 25 drawing

35-38-41-43-62, Powerball: 08

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

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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

Missouri Lottery

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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.

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.
  • Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
  • Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
  • Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
  • Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
  • 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.



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