Morehead St. @ Missouri preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 29, 2018 ) Morehead St. 61, Missouri 75

Missouri has held its first four opponents to 63 points or fewer en route to a 3-1 start, the first time since the 1951-52 season that has happened. The Tigers will try to make it five in a row when they host unbeaten Morehead State on Wednesday night as part of the Hall of Fame Classic.

Missouri bounced back from a 63-58 overtime loss at No. 21 Xavier to cruise past visiting Wofford, 75-56, on Monday night. Following a tightly-contested first half, the Tigers clamped down to hold the Terriers without a field goal over the final 14:35 of the game while ending the contest on a 30-13 run. "I think we have the team that's built to defend like that," Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I think the biggest key is simply taking pride in what it means to be an elite defensive team. That's our goal." Morehead State comes in off a 76-53 victory over Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday to improve to 4-0, equaling the team's best start since 1980-81.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, No TV

ABOUT MOREHEAD STATE (4-0): Senior guard Jordan Walker, a preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference pick, leads a balanced Eagles attack in scoring with a 13.8-point average and has scored in double figures in 19 of his last 21 games dating back to last season. Junior forward James Baker is the only other player averaging in double figures (13.5) as eight players on the Eagles average at least 7.3 per game. Junior point guard Justin Thomas, a transfer from Northern Illinois, is off to a hot start averaging 9.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game to go along with 15 steals, which ranks third nationally.

ABOUT MISSOURI (3-1): Junior guard Mark Smith matched a season high with 19 points in the victory over Wofford, connecting of 4-of-8 3-pointers while also grabbing four rebounds. Jeremiah Tilmon, a 6-foot-10 junior forward, leads the team in scoring (13.3) and rebounding (5.3) and also has blocked 10 shots. Mark Smith (11.8 points), Evansville transfer Dru Smith (11.8) and sophomore guard Xavier Pinson (10.5) also are averaging in double digits for the Tigers who are holding opponents to just 33.2 percent shooting, including 22.6 percent from 3-point range.

TIP-INS

1. Missouri holds a 2-0 series edge against Morehead State including a 75-61 win last season.

2. Missouri is 18-0 under Martin when holding opponents under 60 points.

3. Mark Smith has made four or more 3-pointers in game seven times in his career.

PREDICTION: Missouri 69, Morehead State 59