Missouri
Career Night for Trent Pierce Leads Mizzou to Blowout Win Over Long Island
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.
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.
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.
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.
Missouri
Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for Jan. 3, 2026
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 3, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
18-21-40-53-60, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
Midday: 0-8-1
Midday Wild: 5
Evening: 9-5-8
Evening Wild: 0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
Midday: 0-1-4-3
Midday Wild: 7
Evening: 0-3-8-3
Evening Wild: 1
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash4Life numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
03-09-24-35-59, Cash Ball: 01
Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
Early Bird: 06
Morning: 01
Matinee: 05
Prime Time: 11
Night Owl: 14
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
07-17-21-25-30
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
28-40-52-53-54, Powerball: 12
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
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.
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.
Missouri
Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for Dec. 28, 2025
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 28, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 28 drawing
Midday: 6-4-6
Midday Wild: 5
Evening: 3-6-7
Evening Wild: 1
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 28 drawing
Midday: 8-0-0-0
Midday Wild: 2
Evening: 4-6-0-3
Evening Wild: 5
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash4Life numbers from Dec. 28 drawing
09-15-24-34-53, Cash Ball: 04
Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 28 drawing
Early Bird: 15
Morning: 01
Matinee: 02
Prime Time: 08
Night Owl: 04
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Dec. 28 drawing
02-19-21-29-37
Check Show Me Cash 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
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.
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.
Missouri
More transfers to follow, but Missouri football has inked some key returners
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Eli Drinkwitz just had to make sure.
He knew Nicholas Rodriguez, one of Missouri football’s few real standouts with 15 total tackles in the Tigers’ disappointing 13-7 loss to Virginia in the Gator Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 27, had put pen to paper to return next season. But, in college football in 2025, it doesn’t hurt to double-check.
“We’ve got a really strong foundation. Nick’s going to be back,” Drinkwitz said, then paused and turned to his sophomore linebacker over his right shoulder. “You’re going to be back, right?”
“Yeah,” Rodriguez said, smiling.
Rodriguez was among a list of four players the Mizzou coach, of his own accord, confirmed are signed to return in 2026. The others are star running back Ahmad Hardy, freshman quarterback Matt Zollers and defensive tackle Jalen Marshall.
Now, that’s a short list to work with while trying to get a feel for what the Tigers might look like in 2026.
And, as we’ve seemingly seen from some of Mizzou’s recent expected portal entrants and a lawsuit (and countersuit) involving Georgia and current MU defensive end Damon Wilson II, signing paperwork isn’t nearly as guaranteed as most coaches and teams would like it to be.
But it’s a start. And an important start.
Drinkwitz indicated that there are more players who were on the roster for the Gator Bowl who will not be suiting up in Columbia next season.
“Starting tomorrow (Dec. 28) we’ll finish up re-signing the current roster,” Drinkwitz said. “There’s going to be guys (transferring), there’s guys that already told us that they were going to transfer but they wanted to play tonight. We really appreciate those guys finishing.”
This is shaping up to be a crucial transfer portal for the Tigers.
Zollers, a true freshman, looked raw and more of a project than a clear-cut QB1 for the 2026 season. Quarterback is going to be an area of need for Missouri when the transfer portal opens up, as starter Beau Pribula is among the nine MU players who have already been confirmed as soon-to-be former Tigers.
There is still no public word on whether a trio of draft-eligible third-year players — Wilson, linebacker Josiah Trotter and left tackle Cayden Green — will stay in college or enter the NFL Draft process this offseason.
And, without getting into the weeds, here’s a quick glance at where Mizzou is losing starters or key rotation members just to eligibility: Right tackle; center; slot receiver; field defensive end; two defensive tackles; two more linebackers; both starting corners; free safety.
Like Drinkwitz said, the day after the Gator Bowl is going to be spent figuring out who they can get back. That means announcements are likely to be rolling in soon.
Then, if all of that wasn’t enough, the madness really starts.
“Then once we have kind of a final feel of where that is, then we’ll go attack the portal and build a new team. That’s college football now. I mean, every team’s looking to rebuild their roster post bowl games, post coaching changes, whatever. That’s what we’ll do.”
That’s not new. Missouri has mostly navigated the choppy transfer portal waters quite successfully over the past few seasons.
Drinkwitz, even back on early signing day Dec. 3, took “whatever it’ll be, it’ll be” stance to the numbers the Tigers will take when the frantic fortnight — the portal is officially open for entries Jan. 2-16 — gets underway.
Where Missouri fails to re-sign potential returners, it will add players. Where there is glaring needs, be it because of draft-bound players or otherwise, the Tigers will replenish. It’s not a complex formula but could become quite busy.
Tack on that the SEC is moving back to 105 scholarships in 2026, up from 85, and you might see an even larger influx this season.
Pure mathematics suggests the number of newcomers between now and spring ball will comfortably top 20 players. That does not account for potential early NFL Draft declarations or potential portal-bound players. The Tribune counted 75 scholarship players who can return to Mizzou next season, sheerly based on eligibility.
If that sounds expensive in the NIL and revenue-sharing age, you’re right. Teams have $20.5 million in the revenue pot to share directly with student-athletes, and that’s for all sports, not just football. You can bet the likes of Hardy and Rodriguez aren’t getting shortchanged.
Before sourcing third-party deals — and you can now see why Drinkwitz was so vocal about finding that form of funding this season as he weighed a contract extension — that’s a limited pool for massive offseason need.
Exactly how that will impact Missouri’s portal strategy will be among the more fascinating offseason storylines. How many bona-fide stars do the Tigers chase, and at what positions? Who and where are the priorities?
“I think we’ve got a really good foundation in the trenches. We got a really good foundation in the skill positions. So, it’s about filling in the holes, sustaining the culture,” Drinkwitz said. “Guys like Nick and Ahmad and Matt and Jalen Marshall, all these guys that have committed to coming back and re-signing, they’ve got to carry the culture that’s been established, that (graduating center Connor Tollison) fought for.
“That will be what we do. Back to work. I mean, nothing good comes easy. It will be a fight to the finish here, or a fight to finish off re-signing our team, and then we’ll go to work. That’s what we’ll do.”
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