Two plays from the 2019-20 Missouri men’s basketball season help encapsulate Mitchell Smith’s career with the Tigers.
Against Illinois on Dec. 21, the redshirt junior was matched up with Illini sophomore big Giorgi Bezhanishvili. Though Bezhanishvili was mostly considered the “better” player heading into the game, Smith held him to just five points — his season-low.
During the second half, with Missouri holding a 41-33 lead, Bezhanishvili caught an entry pass in the post and tried a spin-move to his left. But Smith was in perfect position and drew a charge, Bezhanishvili’s sixth turnover of the game.