Following each Mizzou basketball game this season, we will highlight a few notable takeaways from the performance in the ‘And-One.’

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Sophomore guard Xavier Pinson has been a revelation for Missouri in the past few weeks, averaging 21.6 points per game during the last five contests entering Wednesday. But Pinson played just eight minutes and attempted just two shots in the first half against Vanderbilt due to foul trouble. The Missouri offense largely struggled as a result, scoring just 18 points in the game’s first 16 minutes and at one point falling into a nine-point hole.

But Pinson didn’t let the extended stay on the bench take him out of his game. He entered the second half attacking, scoring 15 points on 10 shots in the final 20 minutes to lead Missouri to a 61-52 victory.

Pinson scored or assisted on each of Missouri’s first nine points of the second half, and his three-pointer with 17:03 to play put the Tigers in the lead for good. He picked up his fourth foul while trying to take a charge with 11:41 to play in the game, but after a short break, Cuonzo Martin trusted the point guard to stay on the floor. Pinson played all of the final 7:40, scoring eight of Missouri’s final 14 points. Missouri is now 7-1 this season when Pinson scores 14 or more points.

Missouri had a height advantage at every position in the starting lineup Wednesday, and the Tigers took advantage.

Missouri out-rebounded Vanderbilt 42 to 27 in the game. The Tigers took advantage of eight offensive boards by scoring 13 second-chance points, something they struggled with against Arkansas. Vanderbilt grabbed just four offensive rebounds as a team, which is part of the reason the Commodores attempted seven fewer shots than Missouri despite turning the ball over five fewer times.

Mitchell Smith, who quietly put together a solid game, led the way with 12 rebounds — his fourth game of the year with double-digit boards. Javon Pickett added 10.

For the first time since its SEC opener on Jan. 4, Missouri had its full compliment of scholarship players available at Vanderbilt. Mark Smith returned after missing the past seven games due to a lower back injury. Jeremiah Tilmon saw action after missing 12 of the previous 13 games with a stress fracture in his foot.

Neither Smith nor Tilmon started the game, and both appeared to be on a minutes count. Smith played 14 minutes and Tilmon played just nine. Both players scored, however, with Smith hitting a deep three and then a driving layup and Tilmon scoring on a putback. Ten Missouri players saw action and played at least nine minutes, with forwards Tray Jackson and Axel Okongo being the only scholarship non-participants.

CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM: Missouri got a road win. The Tigers were 0-8 on the road in conference play and hadn’t won a road game since Dec. 7. Considering they won’t be playing the SEC Tournament in Mizzou Arena, it’s good to get the monkey off the team’s back and pick up a win away from home. And considering two of the final three regular-season games are at home, with the only road trip being to Ole Miss, which Missouri has already beaten this season, the Tigers should have a real shot at entering the conference tournament above .500, which would have seemed unlikely a month ago.

CAUSE FOR CONCERN: If Vanderbilt could have made its free throws, this might have been a different game. The Commodores shot just 16 of 29 from the charity stripe. Missouri continued to shoot poorly from the perimeter, making just four of 17 three-point attempts, and turned the ball over 16 times, but Vanderbilt surrendered too many points at the free throw line to make the Tigers pay. That doesn’t figure to be the case against most other teams in the league.

STOCK UP: Reed Nikko. After scoring just six points and failing to record a rebound against Arkansas, Nikko came out aggressive against Vanderbilt. The senior scored with a dunk on the first possession of the game then blocked Vanderbilt’s Saben Lee on the other end. Nikko didn't miss a shot, making all five of his field goals and all four of his free throws en route to a career-high 14 points and five rebounds.

STOCK DOWN: Torrence Watson. While Watson did take a charge, the only stats he recorded in 12 minutes of play were a missed three-pointer and a foul. As Mark Smith returns to full health, you have to think he’ll primarily eat into Watson’s minutes.

UP NEXT: Missouri (14-14) will return home to host Mississippi State (18-10) on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 2:30 p.m.

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